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My time at the Brødrene Gram A/S (Gram Brothers Ltd) 1969 - 1984. By Lars Krüger, employed in the marketing department Written down in Sept. /oct. 2009

Yes, as my last name reveals is my father and my mother German-Danish, but when I was three years my mom and Imoved to Aarhus, where I grew up with my little brother Niels. In the beginning we lived with my grandparents, and moved later on to an apartment in Frederiks alle, where we lived on the second floor, my mother's uncle had a bakery shop and a bakery over in the backyard. Behind Hans, Minna og Aage, Apprenticeships: front Mads og Anna After leaving school I went as an apprentice blacksmith after the compulsory years as a working boy. And stay cool..., the company where I got this apprenticeship was O. G. Højers Maskinfabrik; and who was the person Olaf Georg Højer, he was a part of the family Gram, Minna who was the sister of Hans & Aage, was married Højer, and Olaf was Minna's son. The "old" Hans Gram was the uncle to Olav. And what did O. G. Hoyer's Maskinfabrik (which they called abroad) produce: - The next surprise - Ice Cream Freezers, Nougat Fruit Feeders, Fill and Cap/In-Line Filler, Ice Bar Machines (called Rollo), Wrapping Machines. The Ice Cream Freezer's from O. G. Hoyer consisted of a cast iron housing (which was painted) with motor and Ice cream freezer from 1950th variator, on top of this was the freezing cylinder with ammonia tank mounted, all wrapped in polished stainless steel. And so basically like the same cabinets that were produced in Vojens at this time. Oddly enough, the housing came from the same foundry, from "Kongeåens Støberi" i Vamdrup. If we look at rotating ice bar machines, so they were named "Ria" in Vojens and "Rollo" in Aarhus, the basic function was indeed exactly the same, a big round tub where the majority contain very cold brine (salt water) and then a little section at the remover, which instead was heat. Feature wise, there were a few key differences; Ria moved quickly to be driven by hydraulics, where Rollo acted entirely mechanically by means of curve wheels. And then there was indeed remower pliers where

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the Ria's pliers works after a scissor principle, then worked Rollo's a bit like a "mouse trap" (a spring-loaded blade which squeezed the stick at the recorder's house). And I remember that exactly those remower pliers was the subject of a lawsuit between uncle and nephew, while I was an apprentice, without knowing the details, we were told that Hoyer won the case and there was free cigars / cigarettes for all. Enough of that, I was graduated in the spring 1964, My piece for the apprenticeship test, was a steel holder for a lathe, I was rated "Well done". Engineer: Following the apprenticeship, I wanted to get some air under the wings. So I went to the capital and were looking at three different shipping companies, fortunately, that shipping company I would prefer to sail with, could use of a man. I was ordered to go home, they would contact me later. It took probably a half to two months (that was before cell phone, and we had no telephone at home), then the shipping company phoned to my mother at her work, she went home early to tell me that I should pack in a hurry, I should go to Copenhagen and stay at a hotel in Nyhavn. Next morning we were driving (an entire herd) by bus to Helsingør, where we went aboard a tug with all our package cloves.

Another piece proud Danish technology, now historie only.

We sailed out, to the middle of Øresund, where the Peter Maersk was in international waters (due to some disputes about staffing rules), then the biggest tanker and modern of 50,000 GRT, is so great to climb on board (as a emty ship with minimum ballast, then the ship's side is enough 3 times as high as in the picture), up by a rope ladder with our package cloves. It was then a cruise of almost two years. Aboard such a ship's there is plenty of machinery (like in a city on shore) for power, water, heat, cold and freeze and of course the main engine, all of which I could/should Repair. I have to so is a pity. that the cooling equipment aboard, were from rival Sabroe. This trip seemed supportive of me, I wanted to put myself to school again, so it led to so I signed up for, at Aarhus Engineer School (which was at Dalgas Avenue then). Here I took the first access class, so engineer exam and rounded off with the extended engineer exam with good marks and a gold watch as Maersk shipping company had put at stake. But as it so often happens, there came a girl a cross, so, when I has finished the engineer school, it could not be anything sailing, but I looked for a job on shore.

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Gram: In the newspaper "Jyllands Posten" there was an ad, and a company in Southern Jutland, Brødrene Gram A/S is seeking an engineer/marine engineer to their marketing department. the time is now spring 1969th. I was to interview in the building which today houses the "Intersport", upstairs on the first floor. The building was then connected via a corridor system for the administration building, and there was an exhibition of display counters etc. on the ground floor. Interview with my future manager Jens Møller Nielsen (which himself is Marine Engineer) performed very well, I joined the marketing department. Besides Møller Nielsen and myself were there Finn Lindby and Erling Sorensen in the department. We were housed in the attic of the building is at the top center of the picture, this was again linked by a corridor system for the administration building, in the same room had (and probably quite naturally) also the advertising department is home. It consisted of the Head Børge Paldrup, Tony Kryger Severinsen and various rotating auxiliaries. Up at the same the corridor, but on the opposite side of the corridor was the department for distribution of manuals, price lists, catalog sheets, etc.., Their boss was little Søren Sørensen and changing girls, for example. Berit, Inger, Irene, Mona and many more. Further down the corridor on the same side, lived our photographer Erling Jensen with his changing assistants, here was the studio and darkroom, the large studio was down in the "old factory"-building across the courtyard. Down at the end of the gangway was the postcalculation department with it's head xxx Andersen, old Fabrin and several others including Meta Bram (later married Prien).

J. Møller Nielsen

Finn Lindby

Erling Sørensen

Børge Paldrup

Tonny Kryger

Inside the postcalculation department, there were some changes in head chair, after Andersen came Mathisen and since Ernst Zimmer, who later became head of the Brødrene Grams Swedish branch "Gramkyl".

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Postcalculation was indeed the place where we could check prices on our price lists, here ware all the information gathered on manufactured products, materials and time stamped, so the real value of products could be calculated, and make the basis for calculating the Andersen Fabrin price of products to customers. Of course the reported information also could provide statistics for the Planning Department to optimize production, and thus again make cheaper products. Distribution department as we had a very close contact with, beyond their own functions to collect and distribute manuals to all different kinds of machines that were manufactured, and in many languages, so were they of course also to our aid, with broadcast and printing of price lists, data sheets, brochures and catalog sheets. So you can very well say, that it was such a kind of one thousand arts department. With a huge load of manual work. It was the day before the Rank Zerox process was invented (used in all laser printers and copiers today) so reproduction demanded something more, then that was used letterpress, lystryk, photographic image, etc, actually very inventive. The Photo Department we also had excellent cooperation with, in fact we were very dependent, both on the image side, and also the reproside. It was also in this department all kinds of finer reproductions were made. When we had to use images to catalog sheets, brochures, etc., mostly we had to "grab" the machinery between the paint department and consignment. It could often be very difficult, as both these departments belonged to the same boss, namely Flemming Wiesmann. When it succeeded, so we kidnapped the equipment and drove it to Erling studio down the courtyard, where there were ideal conditions for making the right images. The case was often complicated by for example: that a compressor plant was sent to be painted without electric motor, we must find some electric motor which had the right look, and so we put some nuts on where the bolts should have been. It has often happened that we had to go out in the workshop and cover the background with paper, so the images could be taken on the spot. Also in this department was the ingenuity with Erling expertise of invaluable help.

Zimmer

Søren Sørensen

Erling Jensen

E. Vallentin, Typing Room

Other departments we were involved in, include all the design departments, the Planning Unit (or later in plural) the number/inventory management by E. Bonke, the Blueprint

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Department and especially the Typing Room with Edwin Valentin and a lot of lovely girls (uhhh linguistic geniuses).

My daily tasks in the old administration building: Datasheets: There was made datasheets for all Gram's products, whether it was large (such as a RIA) or small (such as a valve).The folder containing these data sheets were divided into sections as shown in the website subdirectory magazine/brochure. These typically consisted of a black and white photo, a dimensional sketch and a dimension table of product. In addition a technical description of the product and all other technical data. Number of pages in a data sheet for a product could be one page or several pages (such as a vaporation condenser My place in marketing department (called (translated from Danish) "stormraincondenser")). Our task was to provide all this information, photos, tables etc.. They were set up by "PJ Schmidt printing" in Vojens, we got it back to proofreading (sometimes, it takes to many times), and finally went for printing, either from PJ Schmidt or (especially later) on our own printing. Price Lists: As with data sheets, there were price lists of all Gram products, these were also divided into sections as mentioned above. In addition, as a signal to the sales department, price lists was printed on different colored paper (depending on what the max discount may be). In contrast to data sheets often only underwent minor changes in the product's life, so was the price lists totally different dynamic. We had mostly one to two price adjustments per year, which meant calculating and printing new price lists. Now we must remember although Brødrene Gram had introduced IT, it was all in the early computer days, and because of the price and the software that was available back then, it meant that IT is mainly for administration only, so all these calculation was done by hand. I shall try to describe, why you not could put just X% unconscious to all the prices, and that was that. Eg. the price at a given compressorunit could be with different equipment as intercooler, solenoid valves, oil cooler etc. Many of these components could also stand on "price lists with equipment", or be included in the price lists with a another discount (color). You had

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to: first pull out the old price for the equipment from the unit, increase the price of unit, and finally put bask the equipment (with its new price) again. Otherwise, the very imaginative sales department could easily do some "constructions" (with deduction/allowance) to push the price down. Price lists go through the same procedure with the setup - proofing - printing as with the data sheets, but with the clear difference that the course had a significantly greater volume and therefore stress level. Sometimes we we had to "take the temperature" on prices as described under "postcalculation department" here above, and optionally adjust prices accordingly. This continuing investigation of postcalculations, BOMs, product catalog, planning department, etc, were the cause of that I knew a very large number of items (called item numbers) memorized in my head, and I knew which products they were used in, just as I knew what products there was often mess with. Actually, I could most BOMs for compressors by heart, along with a host of other, well then I had a sharp memory. Product Catalog: The Product Catalog was the link or elastic between the Construction Department (Engineering) on the one hand and the Sales Department on the other, Facilities Office (sales management) and Contracting Office on the third. Mostly the Engineering created the BOM (materials) needed to produce a product, and then they chose some equipment which should be known at standard, and what should be P. Henriksen Kirsten J., optional. Contracting Office Often was the sale or management of a different opinion, so for each price in the Price List was made a page in the Product Catalog (another kind of BOM), where you gave the part number from design, and then some, minus and plus positions (numbers), so each page of the Price List was identical to the result of a Product Catalog page. A particular page from the Product Catalog on a particular product, was then used as a draft order in the Contracting Office to fill the customer order form to. This order form was then so decisive for the design of the facility at the customer place, and also the finished products were sent to be installed at the customer. This is a very simplified description of the phenomenon A. Hattesen Knud Skou, Product Catalog. Sales Administration The actual maintenance was a bit troublesome, as there were often patches partly from the Engineering and partly from sales/management, these pages written on the same kind of paper which were used for the drawings (transparencies), they could then be copied in the Blueprint Department run by Nikolaisen (from Rødding) down in the basement (where there is a Bodega now). Typically we wrote corrections on a paper copy, and then wrote our Typing Room it onto transparencies for copying.

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Should some corrections be made, we created a transparency (a plastic film with a photosensitive coating) in the Blueprint Department, we then could remove the text (the photosensitive coating with the previous text) and then write the new text with a typewriter (type carbon ribbon). If it was it larger patches we went to the Typing Room, less patches we performed ourself. After this process, we could copy these new pages in the Blueprint Department. Brochures: Brochures were fundamental designed in Advertising Department, layout, color, photos and all that kind of stuff was their responsibility. But we were obviously at help with the technical stuff (sketches and tables) and if there was a need a little know how. In particular, we had to address the texts, the foreign language in conjunction with Typing Room, it was often many hours of proofreading. Automatik The brochures should also fit into the brochure aforementioned product sections. In addition, you can see a wide selection of our brochures and catalog sheets by visiting the museum's website under "Press" and select "Gallery". On this page you will find four categories, Catalog Sheets, Brochures, Product Overviews and Staff News. The first two categories are divided as our folders were divided, with the exception of the Product Overviews wich are pulled out into their own category, since we find it interesting to show the company's development through the ages. Catalog Sheets: They were in turn fully in our framework, there was a keen common layout for all catalog pages, which also fit into the aforementioned product sections. So, all the elements for these catalog sheets was something we had to generate, photos, sketches, tables and texts, so we got advertising department to send our material in town, to have made films for printing and get them printed in four colors. The top of these catalog sheets differed in appearance depending on which section of the folder they belong in. I have already described how stressful it was to get the Katalogblad for FC 2-46 gear for photography (mentioned in reference to the photo department). When we got the equipment, so we should have it in the studio across the courtyard below (arranged in a part of the old factory). Here, Erling got himself arranged under nearly ideal conditions, everything that was needed in a professional environment, projectors, paper rolls for backgrounds (so it was easier to limit scratching pictures later repro plant), a pro camera for film loaded in cartridges, etc. , all of which reflected the fine quality.

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The studio “across the courtyard” as seen on the picture from 1947, the small picture from 1969 shows the building at that time.

Helping by photography: We have already touched on this subject several times, and it really was often a big logistical operation to get a product which was prepared in a particular client version to resemble as a standard version of this product. This involved often tours around the workshops to borrow something accessory, for at least, could cause it to resemble the "Standard Edition. As mentioned earlier, time also often was a significant disability, one often was behind in production with a delivery, so often there was great pressure on the paint department / shipping to get the order sent in time, and then we suddently interfered, because we lacked just such a machine for photography. The top of the problem was to order a transportation, there were constant shortages of trucks and the message about the urgency did not impress very much because "it always does." Of course, we also helped Erling with the practical stuff, moving of lamps, reflectors, subject to be photographed, etc. Sometimes it would take a lot of shots before Erling was satisfied. Tours on the factory: We had regular tours on the factory, and it was also one of our tasks. Our guests were very different, there were pupils on task or on school camp, there was housewife associations, there was different clubs and associations and there was students etc.

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When there were people with non-technical background, one of the great experiences was when we came to the place where the inner box to refrigerators was "blown op". It is that you put a flat rectangular plastic plate in a machine, it was heated up until it was soft (10 sec.) Drove a steel shape up in the soft plate, then sucking the vacuum in the plate ending close to the form, and finally cooling it of, and voila you had the complete inside of a refrigerator. Another great experience was, for instance, when we came into the powder spray-painting department, it was the electrically charging of the crude and purified cabinets that hung on the transport rail, as subsequent to spray the powder on them, the powder was attracted to the polarized cabinet, so nothing much powder was wasted, and even automatically, yes it took cones. Subsequently the cabinets drove through a heater, and came out on the other side with a hard white enamel. A third major experience was in the smithy when you made "Finned Tubes" how the tube slid in through what looks During a tour, my laces vent like claw on a lathe, how to "Curly" a flat iron band up, and the photographer was around the pipe as a coarse thread, it was then stapled on the spot. In the background with small welds, when the end was reached at a tube, so is the raw cast iron compressors. you just welded it to the next, so these Finned Tubes was produced in infinite lengths. Subsequently, they were cut into lengths, and assembled in whole blocks and then hot galvanized. Later "Finned Tubes" were replaced by slat-elements (a lot of plates with holes that were pushed over the pipes, just as the radiator in your car). If people had a technical background, we were plagued they want to see, for instance the research station etc. But it is my impression that these tours always were a huge success and gave a lot of positive PR for the Brødrene Gram A/S. Sales Administration: At one point there was made a split between the Refrigeration part (Commercial and Domestic) and the Industrial part (Industrial and Icecream) in the marketing department, meaning that the industrial part (me) moved to the sales administration under Knud Skou, and the other stayed in the department.

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Jens Møller Nielsen had profiled himself more and more on the Refrigerator part and he had become the right hand of Maren Nybroe, he also had the leadership of all the sales departments in Denmark, just as he did a lot for the greater housing companies as Bolind. So the concludetion was, that the Refrigerator part mostly was handled by Erling Sorensen. The fact that I moved under the protection of Knud Skou, did not mean major changes, I got probably a little more "into line" with the engineers who pieced the plant's together. I got of course new friends as Finn W. Schmidt, Knud Høegsberg, Arvid Sørensen and many others.

The daily tasks in the new administration building: I still remember when we moved into the new administration building, "out on the field" (same place as the newer part of the factory was located), the year I am not sure of, so the closest I dare say is a time mid-70s. It was a building of two storeys with basement below. It was designed with entrances at both ends, and one in the middle, the median entrance facing the street was then used as the main entrance and reception. The rooms in each wing, was divided along the length The new administration building was taking in of a corridor, and the two long spaces use in the mid-1970s. being created on each side of the corridor was then divided into offices with door out to the corridor, all the walls were made as removable plaster walls with glass in the top half, it made an easy overview on offices and if a particular person was there. It was a nice change, everything was in one place, no more winding twisted walkways, not a lot of stairs (although there were still two floors plus basement). The Offices was pretty bright with good air circulation and not to mention air conditioning and tinted windows. An important detail was of course we ware much closer to the workshops, so cooperating with them was somewhat easier. But the move also meant that we became more fragmented (us from the top floor of the old administration building). Photo Department got amazing conditions in the basement,

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Advertising Division moved into the north wing's east end on the second floor, along with the Refrigeration part from the old department, Industrial part came into the south wing east end, along with the Sales Administration. The actual layout of our wing part was arranged. that when you got into the Sales Administration from the central staircase was a large office where Knud Skou was housed, outside his door, was his secretary Peter Overgaard (a lot (general)-knowledgeable and witty guy). P. Overgaard Down the hallway on the left side came the Contracting Office, spare part expedition, and last office was Travel Installers office. On the right side was the first engineering department for slaughterhouses, breweries, etc., their boss was Andreas Hattesen, the next office was as I recall it, the engineering department for ice cream factories with Niclaus Riis as boss, then came our department who had been strengthened somewhat, with more employees, our previous seller in South America, Ole Skak (called "Daddy Longlegs") was our boss, beyond him, there was me, Knud Høegsberg, Villy, Hanne, Finn Amnitzbøl (later on boss in Gram England) and at a time came AnneGrethe now married with Jes Ratzer. The daily tasks: I think that Skak never really found out what the department's tasks was, and how we should resolve them, in a way I actually feel sorry for him, even though he was a champion to show up, on places where we solved our tasks, just indicating that we should have a guilty conscience. The actual tasks were indeed resolved largely as described in "the old administration building", with some exceptions and a few modernizations. Datasheets: In connection with the move our advertising department got their own reprokamera (which we also had access to use) installed in one of the rooms adjacent to the center stairway. This meant a great relief for the correction of price lists, data sheets and the rear of catalog sheets and more. Second, we could make corrections our selves, and secondly we were not dependent on waiting for supplies Efter Commodore this HP from outside. Computer was the first i Another thing which raced speed up our data sheets, was programmed myself when Sven Moller in the engineering invested in the company's first computer without the IT department's aegis, a codeable desk-calculator with magnetic cards where programs could be saved (max. 500 program steps), it was a bit of a sensation when it came out, it worked with three registers (XYZ). It was good to calculate the tables (eg. Counterflow where two values are towards each other, and you must find the intersection). We used also to calculate the curves of kvalues, standard sheets, etc. The machine still exists and can be viewed at the museum. I must then admit that I was fascinated by this tool and sneaky crafty to do other curious works like: interest calculation, Moon landings etc.

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Price lists: Our price lists were also big beneficiaries of that we could use the reprokamera of the advertising department. We made films of price lists, spotted old prices out and made a new copy where we wrote the new prices. These films then went to our inhouse printing department, which was over in a corner of the refrigerator factory facing the parking lot. This process meant that we could get the price lists out much faster, yes now we could usually achieve it by the date when the price increase took effect, before you had to settle for a note, and Our inhouse printing calculate the new prices on your own. department It was also at the time that Xerox process was becoming widespread, the process of powdered carbon used in all copiers and laser printers today. We had tried to hire such a xerox machine, if possible, to speed the printing of price lists further.Its practical use was passed to S. Sørensen and his girls, but it was too early. The machine we used had a volume around 4-5 times as much as one of today's machines, and it was anything but stable, so there was a jam here and then it was there, etc, there was probably just as much paper wasted as was printed as price lists, besides the time we wasted on this monster. So we continued on our way, with barytfilm. Product Catalog: As described above; yes, this was a very laborious process. It was obvious that just as we had put the engiiners BOMs into the computer, so it might also be possible to put this link between BOM and order forms into the computer. Actually, this was the first task as Skak did engage in, it was a collaboration between him and Erik Kristiansen from the IT Department. It soon proved to be a demanding task, since a printed page of Big bulky monitors, before the PC the product catalog contained a text column and three columns for article No. (Actually three variants of the same product for reasons of space). First position on the page was indeed the main product (as was defined in engiinering) so there was some positions which were deleted from the product, and again some positions to be added, the hole ideer was, changing the positions and the head position changed to the product that stood in the price list under the ordering no. All these "complications" switched the project so it finally ended up on my desk because I knew all the underlying structure. Erik Kristiansen did actually a really good job in this E. Kristiansen M. Larsson project, but partly he would have other projects, and partly I think he was a little tired of being an intermediary between me and the responsible programmer Mogens Larsson, so it ended up me and Mogens, and the project was

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finalized, including that part which was to play with the contracting agency, registering the order form. Thanks Mogens I got a fantastic insight into a whole new world that came to dominate a large part of my life. In the meantime, have our planning department found out how the products were sold, in variations (mostly). So to get a small series production out of this who normally was a customer based production, they invented the so-called 8000 and 9000 numbers. By producing simply the product that was ordered in most cases, and then had to adjust it afterwards to the customer's needs. From a planning view the idea was indeed brilliant, but it came after all to give some inconsistencies in the rest of the house. Then it was on the horse again to get the product catalog to be associated with engiinering, this planning model, accessories and the customer needed. It was like goings across the river for water, but we managed to adjust software and catalog-item lists so there was a rematch, and at the same time that, when contracting office filled the order forms, so they started with a 8000nr. and then some plus / minus options. And all this was happening besides all the other activities.

And then there's the small Oops: IT department: At a time when we were almost finished with the first round of the product catalog, there was a lack of people in the IT department, and I was applying the job. There was just that little caveat with the job, you were going to a combined psychological / logic test to be taken into account (I think we had 10 to 15 pieces to this written test). I got no job, but was later told that I had done the test, without any errors. Postcalculation department: One day i was called into the office of Knud Skou, and he suggested me that I took the job as head of Postcalculation department, probably based on my extensive knowledge about the products. But I declined nicely, I could not see myself as a "bookkeeper" and sit and bury me in numbers, and what was worse, I would rather not have Erik Christensen (the silver fox) as a boss. Knud compelled several times, but I declined nicely each time, today I can see that it had something with E. Zimmer to do, because he subsequently was sent to Gramkyl in Sweden (and at the end of the firm's era, he came back, given the title of Director of Gram Domestic). Planning ice cream: The last 1 ½ to 2 years in the company I spent in the Planning department for ice cream equipment. At that time the Planning department has been divided according to product groups. Planning for ice cream was in the same room as the engiinering of ice cream etc. The Heads in my new job was, from me and upwards, Knud Hansen, a really lovely boss who backed up on his staff, next step over him was Hans Vestergaard, and since Klaus Gram. One of the things I had to address was that all the parts to the ice cream freezers, particularly the freezing pipes and parts

One of the planning departments

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for the pumps. The latter was a major problem, partly there was much waste (made of nickel bronze traditionally with many small holes or vesicles), and partly were, those that were used as spare parts, taken out of the production, and lacked so to the series production. It was initially something of a revolution, I got good help from Willy Winther to cope with the weekly orders and redeployment.

W. Winther

K. Hansen

H. Vestergaard

K. Gram

E. Drud

How did we kill this problem, with those missing items? I was indeed quickly to figure out how the system worked, partly because of my knowledge about the products and partly because of my contact to the IT department. I remember Knud Hansen referred to a second kolega: "He figured that out quickly, after only a month." One problem was the way the planning program was screwed together. For instance, it was only updated once a week, let us take a pump housing as an example, at a given order on five ice cream freezers, the BOM's were broken to pieces, and there should then be produced 5 pumps of the sort we want to use as an example. As the planner we check that the orders fit the needs, comes a pair of pumps in order as spareparts (they always rushed), it will of course be smarter to produce seven pumps instead of five plus two. The system operates such that the purchasing department, in this case Erik Drud, reviewed their lists the day after we had checked our. Normaly was first commissioned two molded pump houses and then five molded pump houses, the first two for fastest delivery. To optimize this, the solution was to extend the original order for seven molded pump houses, and cancels the newest with two molded pump houses, this worked the day after, so purchasing department actually ordered seven molded pump houses in one order. The system was as smart enough for the following week driving to link these two orders to this series, you saved a delivery in two phases, and a lot of following two orders through the workshop, and a lot of set-up time in the workshop. Another project which I had control over was that there were major problems with the inside chrome coating of the freezing cylinders, so they were sent to Germany for repair. The control with the cylinders belonging to which order or Pump, scraper and freezers ware completely out of control. Now I had in freezing cylinder connection with another project, in the marketing department, possibility to create a series of "punch cards" in a simple editor (sort of primitive word processor), a line of 80 characters corresponding to a punch cards, these could be sorted

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and printed. So now I created a file with one punch cards for each fryserrør with basic information, including keping track of various dates and order, the list that came out of this could be printed in the IT department. Every time there was some movement, the list was updated and we now knew which cylinder belonged where. Sacking: Then suddenly one day like everyone else I was called into the office, here sat K. Gram, H. Vestergaard and Knud Hansen, I sensed immediately that the atmosphere was a little depressing, and without further H. Vestergaard hands over a redundancy notice to me, and declare my rights, and that was it after all these years. There was no reason as such, but the company was indeed in the middle of a generational change, and it was about to introduce "Just in time", which of course meant as small stock as possible, and you sacking people on the floor when not needed, and hire again when there is a need (think of the drain of know-how that meant). So they did obviously not like things drove by definite plans, it may indeed be the conclusion so I got out of it. I think there were many who were shocked, including Knud Hansen, and all the people made a collection which became a farewell gift. Epilogue: Later I found out it was just the first wave of layoffs, which came more and more toward the end. Actually, today I am very pleased for this, it gave me some opportunities, and a twist in my life for which I am very pleased. Thanks Arvid Sorensen who was moved on to be part of the "gas project" in Vejen, it was then called "Naturgas Syd" (he had moved into a separate company "S & Q Tech" (which stood for safety checks in the gas project)), I got a job in S & Q Tech, first as an inspector. S & Q Tech evolved extremely rapidly, and came very quickly into line with other known institutions as "Svejsecentralen" and the "Jydsk Teknologisk Institut". It ended by merging with the "Svejsecentralen" under the new name "Force". The bottom line is that I was chosen to introduce IT in the firm, the computersystem chosen (after an exploratory round) was Hewlett Packard (HP 3000). I developed personally an hour- / case-system, systems for recording tests, etc. I got later on one of our ex-pupils Lone Stabel as an assistant in the department, she was very willing to learn and took over the department after me. At one point there was some major upheavals, including Director switch, so I was looking forward to applying my newly acquired knowledge. I was then employed by Transnordic Data in Padborg (also called TN) which made software for the entire transportation industry, I got the job as leader and became responsible for six consultants and programmers. It was a verry exciting job, to help make a difference around our clients' businesses. At one point I was asked to take over our operations and help desk because of my experience with HP 3000, We had a "Service Bureau" (ie a big machine where many clients (from Padborg to Helsingør) is running on and printing from via a modem / multiplexer connection).

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Then the operation of this machine, and those we ourselves used in house for development was therefore our work, aditionally came the clients who invested in their own machine, here we installed the operating system (MPE) and software and we installed thise maschines with screens and printers at the customers site. Over time, it was hard times, and TN ended up being bought up by "EDB Gruppen", often abbreviated as EG. I tried looking for one of our large customers, I so to speak jumped onto the other side of the desk. When I joined ITM it was a bit of an experiment until I was hired, the CFO was in charge of their computer, it was a shame, of course he could switch tapes to the backup, but it was hard to match with a softwarehouse when you do not have the requisite knowledge. ITM was Scandinavian's (if not Europe's) largest furniture carrier. We had special air suspensioned trucks, which drove from the northernmost Sweden to toe of Sicily in Italy. Our computersystem was very important because we had extreme many consignments (together packaged goods to the same location), these consignments shall then be assembled in a transport (a truck to run a route determined by the consignments). Then planning (of cars) and search of the consignments were constantly optimized. Our core software was in its nature from "EDB Gruppen", we developed equally so much software to optimize the company's routines. One of our genius highlights was a statistical database where we could keep track of all forms of development, and with even faster speed than the original software. We were also very rapid promotion with EDIFACT, meaning data transfer between computer systems, we can typically exchange data one month after contact with a new customer. Something else that gave due respect, was that we were able to minimize down times and when we were down (service, new discs, etc), it was always planned, never whoops. My motto was always, IT must be a benefit one takes for granted like power and water. It was also during this phase of my life, we came up close of PCs with everything from this world. And of course we should have our own websites. Because of the positive developments I was given free hands, we did own system with a faxadvicing system, noticing the customers when the truck could be there (based on PCs with a fax modem connected to our HP 3000). At one point I got a capable assistant in the department who was really strong on the PC side, but also a quick leaner on HP 3000. I also got permission to engage me in DANUG (Danish National User Group for HP devices). I was in a short period President, but chose otherwise to be editor and writer for our magazine "Danug-Nyt". But all partys ends, at one point we were (big brother) bought up by little brother (GM Transport) witch also is a furniture carrier. That was what we call a hostile takeover, virtually all the old employees and one director got kicked. Our finance director and I was tolerated a few years, because our knowledge was needed.

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This report could easily have been twice as long, but we have to limit ourselves. And there are many dear people or colleagues whom I have not mentioned, it does not mean that they are forgotten, but we need ...... /Lars