The story of the RIA man

Once upon a time, in June 1963, Johannes started as a young worker at Gram Equipment in Vojens. Little did he know that this was the beginning of a long and successful career with the company. The following year, he began an apprenticeship as an Industrial technician and finished his education in 1968. But Johannes, in 1969, left the company to explore new horizons. Luckily for Gram Equipment, fate had other plans for Johannes. In 1973, we reunited, and we have been inseparable ever since.

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Listen to the reflection of Johannes about the last 52 years with us:

"You could say my story with Gram Equipment began twice. The first time, I was still a teenager - hired as an apprentice at the factory in Vojens. Back then, I didn’t know what kind of job I’d end up doing, but I knew I liked building things. That feeling stuck with me.

The second time was when I came back. I spent some years away, and tried something else, but returning felt right. Since then, I’ve stayed. Same company. Same department. Same focus - the RIA molding equipment.

I’ve spent most of my life with RIA. It’s the kind of equipment that rewards attention. You have to listen to it. Understand what it needs. Some things you can learn from manuals. The rest you only get by being there - again and again - over time. And time has passed.

People often come to me with RIA questions. Not because I claim to know everything, but because I’ve seen a lot. I’ve had the chance to follow this one system, across versions, across borders.

One of my grandchildren helped me count - I’ve been sent to 52 countries by Gram Equipment. Always with RIA. Always with the same mindset: make it work, keep it running. ’ve never aimed to stand out. My name isn’t stamped on anything. But I’ve tried to leave things a little better than I found them. That’s enough for me."

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52 years and counting. Still no plans about retiring.

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Fun fact: Right now, Johannes is on a customer visit in Spain to inspect a RIA molding machine. Fifty-two years in, and he’s still showing up.