When Scott Panzenbock started university, he enjoyed kicking back with his mates over a Tooheys New or two. So, when he was offered an internship at Tooheys in 2018 Scott saw an exciting opportunity to kick-start his career and put both his study, and his appreciation of beer, into practice.
“I started at Tooheys as a mechanical engineering intern through my university program,” Scott recalls. “In 2019 I was given the opportunity to stay on with the company, working as a brewery technician on a part-time basis and in 2020 I transitioned into full-time.”
Fast forward to today and as Scott nears the end of his mechanical engineering and finance double degree, he’s reflecting on his time so far at Lion. While juggling full-time work and study has been a challenge at times, Scott’s experience on the job has encouraged his interest in industrial manufacturing and the processes involved in producing beer at the scale and volume of a brewery like Tooheys.
Putting Theory Into Practice
In his current role as a Packaging Equipment Specialist, Scott’s focus is on problem solving during machinery breakdowns. He also leads improvement projects and supports the line engineers. His engineering background coupled with his on-the-job training make Scott a valuable team member on the line.
"I learn something new everyday," says Scott.
The packaging production line involves a variety of complex processes and systems, so there are plenty of opportunities for me to learn and fine-tune my skills.
Working across several different machines including bottle fillers, labellers, cluster packers and carton packers, there are many moving parts for engineers to oversee. These machines operate at incredibly high speeds, turning out over 50,000 bottles per hour.
On the systems side, Scott works with recently introduced software for quality and performance data as well as a SCADA system when assessing the production line control. Scott believes the implementation of data management platform SAP has been a hugely beneficial tech innovation for Tooheys.
"It’s clear that this new software has made the supply chain more integrated than ever," says Scott.
“It has allowed us to gain more valuable data on our line performance as well as streamlining the relationship between the company, our customers and consumers.
"When I was working as the maintenance scheduler, I got to witness first-hand how useful the software can be in connecting the different functions within the brewery, such as engineering and operations, through one single platform.”
This has provided a valuable insight into what Scott believes is the next big thing in global manufacturing, Industry 4.0.
“Industry 4.0 is essentially the fourth industrial revolution and involves a further adoption of computers and automation fuelled by data and machine learning,” a direction he notes that Tooheys is already heading in.
“I’ve already started to see it here with our new SAP system and the new automated forklifts (AGVs). I think we’ll continue to see more and more ‘smart’ machines capable of automating historically tedious, manual processes, and making it a safer workplace for the entire team.”
The Power Of Connection
Yet even with the most efficient automation, companies cannot thrive without human interaction. That’s why effective communication is a skill Scott believes is vital to success in any role.
“Whether it’s one-on-one, through an email, or in front of a group of people (both online and face-to-face), good communication skills make any job easier and can often be the difference between a successful outcome and an unsuccessful one,” he says.
People are at the heart of Lion’s values, along with the belief that people are vital to the success of our business. We take pride in our work, and each other’s, and Scott is no exception, citing the passion of his colleagues as the thing that makes him most proud at Lion.
“It’s clear the workforce here is passionate about what we produce” he says.
Everyone goes above and beyond to ensure the best carton of beer goes out those warehouse doors.
Fortunately, it’s not all work and no play for Scott. When he’s not working or studying, you’ll find him enjoying the great outdoors kayaking, playing soccer (he’s an Arsenal fan) or enjoying a James Squire 150 Lashes with his mates.
Once his degree is finished, Scott is looking forward to planning some travel to explore new countries, cultures and even a few breweries along the way.
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Every day at Lion, collaboration powers our business. We never stop looking for ways to make genuine connections with our customers. We believe our people have it in them to achieve something outstanding.