Lars Engberg Madsen celebrated his 20-year anniversary as a production employee at DANREC in September 2025. When he started, there was only one person per shift. Today, Lars works alongside two colleagues on the day shift.
How did you get the job at DANREC?
– I had been working as a temporary employee at Karup Air Base for about a year. When the assignment ended, my union gave me the phone number of the director at the time. I had never heard of DANREC, but I got the job right away.
How do you remember your first days?
– Producing boards from recycled plastic was new, and it was exciting to see how we poured granulate into the machine and large boards came out. Back then, we ran three shifts with one person per shift.
When we moved into our current production facilities, there were only two of us in production – one on the night shift and one during the day.
Why have you stayed for 20 years?
– There is always something new happening. Even though the basic production remains the same, the machinery has been renewed over the years. For many years, I worked nights. It could be a bit lonely working alone, but we had two production lines, so there was always enough to do and the time passed quickly.
After suffering a blood clot, I moved to the day shift and now work three 12-hour shifts on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I’m very satisfied with that. We are three people per shift, and I work with great colleagues.
What makes you a good colleague?
– I try to stay in a good mood, talk to everyone and do my job properly.
How has DANREC developed during your time?
– When I started, we had only one production line. Now we have three, and a new one is on the way. We have added more products, so there is constant development. After Henrik Immerkær Ohm became CEO, we became a more modern company.
Previously, we carried around notebooks to record errors or damage. Now we simply enter it into the system, and it is corrected immediately.
How would you describe DANREC as a workplace?
– DANREC is a good workplace that does a lot for its employees. We have parties and Christmas celebrations, and we are celebrated on our birthdays. At Christmas, we receive gifts, and we have health insurance. A new canteen and new changing facilities are also being built. Employees are appreciated here.
What has working at DANREC given you personally?
– I wake up happy in the morning and go to work.
