Friendly interaction with one another is crucial

10 Years of the Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group, as recounted by Günter Vonbank, foreman, responsible on construction sites for the construction of track systems and switches as well as the construction of various special structures for track systems; with the company since 2004.

The announcement of the merger between Rhomberg and Sersa was personal and quite informal. I was with Rhomberg Gleisbau then. Hubert came to the construction site with Koni Schnyder; they introduced themselves and told us that the two firms had merged. This left a good impression on me as our interaction in times to follow was also always personal and familial. 

The merger only had a practical impact on us on the construction site when we concluded the various building phases jointly. The two building phases in Le Châble on Lake Geneva in the years 2017 - 2018 are an example of this. Sersa had received the assignment. The contract was for ballast construction and a slab track in the station. We could do both. At that time, my branch was in contact with Christian Schreiber and Dominko Bilic. It was decided that we would build the slab track and that the employees from Sersa would carry out the ballast construction. Although there was a careful gauging of each other in the beginning, once we had completed a building phase early, the new colleagues saw that working with us could work.

The merger only had a practical impact on us on the construction site when we concluded the various building phases jointly. The two building phases in Le Châble on Lake Geneva in the years 2017 - 2018 are an example of this. Sersa had received the assignment. The contract was for ballast construction and a slab track in the station. We could do both. At that time, my branch was in contact with Christian Schreiber and Dominko Bilic. It was decided that we would build the slab track and that the employees from Sersa would carry out the ballast construction. Although there was a careful gauging of each other in the beginning, once we had completed a building phase early, the new colleagues saw that working with us could work.

I see the last ten years like a marriage in which there are ups and downs. It is easier to work with each other when you know that you belong together. And you are quicker to find a solution than with an external company. In itself, every construction site is a challenge that we have to overcome. When the work is done, the positive outweighs the negative and in retrospect, everything worked out well. We experience the advantage of being a group on the construction site when Sersa can assist us with employees, such as on the construction site of the Zurich cross-city line when Sersa provided us with the required security personnel which we lacked.

Rhomberg and Sersa complement each other well. One company has the know-how in the field of large machines, the other in slab tracks. And there is also a mutual exchange of knowledge. Apart from the expertise, I see the familial contact with each other as crucial for the success of the group. I find it important that a lot of our construction is done by ourselves with our own people and not with leased workers. In this way, our know-how determines the price and we cannot be replaced so easily.

In order to continue recruiting employees for our construction sites, we must present our projects positively in schools, for example, the project for the Deutsche Bahn in Ulm-Wendlingen where I am currently involved. We must show the youth that the job is very varied. On a construction site, we need people for concrete and track construction; the activities are very diverse. There are good opportunities for career advancement in our group. Some of my colleagues who worked as foremen in concrete construction changed over to Sersa and now work as locomotive operations managers. Or someone starts with us in track construction and can later be retrained in large machines at Sersa in Switzerland. There is something satisfying about finding your place in a familial work crew. Naturally, an extra off day and the financial offering are also important attractions.  

I cannot list individual highlights, as every construction site is a new challenge and you always have a sense of achievement if the construction is completed well. How do I define a sense of achievement? When I drive under a bridge, and I know that I was part of making it possible that a train can travel above me at 250 km/h. When I am told that, despite all the problems and challenges, we came out of it positively and I can say: “We did it, in spite of everything!”

If leadership won’t be tempted to look at making a profit only, we will be able to preserve our “universe” and be a mega company also in 2032. We are already a force to be reckoned with. We are on the move globally. We just need to refine some things, such as consolidating the personnel who support the company. Continuous construction phases are needed so that each division remains “constructionally strong”. We must also not neglect familial and personal interaction because this is what stabilises us. Pulling together as a team and conversations between supervisors, bosses, site managers and employees and the relaxed interaction with one another must be maintained. The incoming young people need to be trained and guided in the same manner as the older generation. I always say: “You must protect the Indians so that the chiefs can have their peaceful life!”