After the successful conclusion of the turnaround in which Demont was involved at an important plant in Northern Italy and in the refinery of Busalla, the turnaround in Saras was also successfully concluded.
Today we want to leave the word to Giuseppe Conigliaro and Fabio Farinelli, the main directors of this extraordinary performance that, together with their teams (consisting of 350 people in total), have finished the interventions after 2 months of pure adrenaline and exhausting work.
Giuseppe Conigliaro – Administration and Accounting Manager
Q: Giuseppe, what was your role in the turnaround intervention you coordinated at the refinery?
A: I managed the entire contract composition, which involved the execution of the active part with order finalization. In practice, my colleagues and I built the turnaround with tailored accounting procedures.
Q: What were the main objectives of the project, and how did you organize yourself to achieve them?
A: The main objective under my responsibility was to ensure that the company had secured the orders before the tournaround began. This planning allowed me and my colleagues to manage ourselves effectively and provided the contract-holder, CEO, and relevant stakeholders with all the necessary data to optimize and achieve the best outcome for the turnaround.
Q: What were the main challenges and difficulties you encountered, and how did you face and overcome them?
A: This tournaround was yet another enjoyable challenge that we faced and successfully conquered. It was very stimulating, especially because we started from scratch. I arrived at the plant in early February, the first to set foot on Sarlux for the new projects. I remember opening my laptop with just a few tender information, and from that, I built the entire turnaround structure. I had to deal with the inconvenience of logistics and having limited information. But day by day, my team and I grew, even personally verifying the work on-site, and we built it up. It was truly a very challenging experience.
Q: How did you manage the pressure and stress during these intense two months of work away from home?
A: We had to deal with four different facilities because the shutdownturnaround package included four plants: this meant dealing with different staff at each plant. Facing this situation filled me with adrenaline to the point where I didn’t even think about the two and a half months away from home. I was in a state of pure adrenaline… because the work here consumes you, and you dive into it headfirst. So, these two and a half months went by quickly!
Q: Giuseppe, thank you for your time. Do you want to add anything?
A: Yes, I would like to add something that is very close to my heart. Behind me, there is a great company, and you can achieve all of this only in this way. In particular, I thank the CEO with whom we personally planned and defined every single step of this turnaround. Because, more than ever, we truly built this turnaround from the beginning.
But most importantly, I want to thank my family who has always supported me and never gave me worries, allowing me to focus solely on my work. My professional goal is also my family’s goal, I am certain of that.
I also want to thank Fabio (Farinelli – ndr): together, we lived a unique experience… We seemed like two castaways on an island that wasn’t an island but a refinery.
Fabio Farinelli – Turnaround Director
Q: Fabio, how did you manage the planning and coordination of activities during the 2-month work period?
A: During the pre-shutdown months, my colleagues and I created a detailed schedule of turnaround activities to facilitate the pace and coordination of the various work phases. Communication within the team is crucial: in such a complex turnaround like this, stress management is essential to maintain high productivity and work quality. After ensuring that all team members had a clear understanding of the objectives and desired outcomes, I kept them updated on the status of activities, sharing with them the most appropriate solutions to synchronize efforts. I assigned specific tasks to each person based on their skills, considering not only the workload but also everyone’s emotional well-being.
Q: How did you manage communication and collaboration with the client and other team members during the project?
A: Communication with the client was always clear and punctual. My approach towards various functions of the client was collaborative, sincere, and transparent, respecting their roles but also being direct and assertive in achieving the set objectives. I focused on key factors in building relationships between internal and external team members, such as clear and timely communication sharing of information, utilizing all available tools to facilitate information exchange,defining clear goals to maintain focus and direction, involving the client in key decisions to increase their trust, organizing regular collective meetings to address any issues and share progress, and continuously monitoring the progress of activities according to the planned schedule. I always maintained an attitude of active listening to understand everyone’s viewpoints and ensure effective communication, addressing any conflicts if necessary to find efficient and timely solutions. In short, I consistently promoted a collaborative culture to foster a work environment where cooperation and mutual support were encouraged.
Q: How did you manage stress and pressure during these intense 2 months of work away from home?
A: Stress has become a familiar companion during these demanding periods, but I’ve learned to handle it and turn it into adrenaline to remain vigilant and attentive to daily challenges and to keep my team focused. With my family, I tried to maintain daily contact, conveying positivity to avoid causing additional worries. Video calls helped me transmit feelings and emotions, reducing the distance of being away.
Q: What were the main challenges and difficulties you encountered? How did you face and overcome them?
A: When dealing with a turnaround, there are multiple challenges to tackle. First and foremost, ensuring the prevention of accidents and incidents is of utmost importance as safeguarding the physical well-being of workers is a fundamental value. Achieving the desired economic results is also never guaranteed, and meeting the company’s needs and objectives is a responsibility that every operational and management function must ensure. Respecting the timelines in a complex and tightly compressed project demands significant mental and physical effort, and the difficulties encountered in such interventions are numerous. This includes ensuring the effectiveness of the workgroup, addressing inherent challenges in the task, meticulously preparing the site logistically, assuming a guiding role, and maintaining high levels of concentration and professionalism even during the most challenging and pressing moments.
To overcome all of this, there are no specific recipes :I always approached my colleagues with respect for their roles while being assertive when necessary. I faced the work head-on, studying it in detail from every aspect, and collaborated closely with the company, placing it at the forefront of priorities..
