When You Want to Do Automation Properly: An Interview About Growth, Large Projects, and the People Who Fit In With Us
Over the past nine months, the company has grown significantly. It has expanded its team, strengthened its expertise in process and manufacturing automation, and is now targeting more complex projects in the energy, food, water management, and industrial manufacturing sectors.
What’s behind this, what kind of people are they looking for today, and why might now be a good time to join? We discussed this with Karel Tonar, who has been fully involved in the company’s management for the past six months.
A new energy has arrived, and with it, greater ambition
Karel, when you look back on the past few months, what has changed the most at the company?
I see a big shift. New energy has arrived, a new momentum, and above all, a clearer direction. The last few months have been marked by business, stabilizing the company, and creating space for further growth. At the same time, we’ve also worked hard on internal processes, because without well-established internal operations, you can’t build a high-quality company externally in the long run. The change is also evident in the size of the team. When we started, there were seven of us. Today, we have twelve employees and collaborate with many others externally. In less than a year, that’s nearly doubled, which in itself shows that the company is growing and that something is emerging here that gives people a sense of purpose.
From Single-Purpose Machines to Process Automation
For a long time, the company was primarily associated with manufacturing automation, single-purpose machines, control panel manufacturing, electrical installations, and service. Today, however, its scope is broader. What’s behind this?
It’s part of our strategy. We want the company to branch out into multiple sectors in the future. In addition to manufacturing automation, we have therefore significantly strengthened our process automation capabilities. We’ve brought on board people with years of experience and strong expertise in this very field. This allows us to target more technically demanding and larger projects. Of course, we also maintain our own switchgear manufacturing and assembly operations. Thanks to this, we can handle deliveries in a truly comprehensive manner. The main focus in the field of process automation is currently the energy sector. This stems from both the current market situation and the investment environment in the Czech Republic. In addition, we also want to operate in the food industry and in projects related to water treatment and distribution.
In manufacturing automation, we build on our long-term experience and strong partnerships in the field of single-purpose machines and robotic workstations. In the near future, we plan to significantly expand our collaboration with a major German partner in the engineering sector. For them, we intend to primarily supply software development for robots and PLCs. As for platforms, we most frequently handle the integration of KUKA, FANUC, and ABB robots. For control systems, Siemens is the dominant choice.
We focus on comprehensive turnkey projects. We can also provide individual services, but the direction is clear: we want to be a partner who understands the big picture and can take responsibility for entire solutions. We have the know-how to do so. At the same time, we can offer customers cost-effective solutions and help them save money. This could involve, for example, refurbishing a production line, optimizing production cycles, or collecting data and analyzing consumption.
Who We’re Looking For
Which positions are currently your top priority, and what kind of people are you looking for to join your team?
Electrical/Instrumentation & Control Designer: Someone who is involved in a project from design through to handover
We are looking for an experienced designer with ideally 5+ years of experience and a background in process automation. Familiarity with the energy sector or industrial operations in general is a plus. However, what matters most is technical skill and the ability to think through solutions. We work in Eplan (and partially in AutoCAD), but knowledge of these tools is not a requirement. Our designers don’t just sit in front of a screen. They are involved in the project from start to finish—from client meetings through design and documentation to production and on-site supervision during implementation. This provides them with direct feedback from the field, which is incredibly important.
PLC Programmer: Solid Craftsmanship Matters More Than the Brand
Similar to the designer role, experience is important to us—ideally five or more years—along with knowledge of process automation. In terms of platforms, Siemens dominates here, but we also work with other systems, such as Allen-Bradley, Mitsubishi, or Omron. Knowledge of Siemens is a big advantage for us, but not a requirement. If a person can think through technology control, is familiar with projects, and can deliver a quality result, they’ve got it made. Knowledge of a specific platform can be developed; technical thinking and experience in the field are more essential.
Robot Programmer: An interesting job without spending your life on the road
Here, we’re open to junior candidates or skilled graduates who have a solid foundation and a desire to grow. Robotics is an area where we look for potential as much as experience. We believe we can offer an attractive work arrangement for candidates, especially those with families. Most of the development will take place directly in Havlíčkův Brod—the mechanical work, software, and testing. Visits to customers are part of the job, but they are not its main focus. Typically, we’re talking about the project preparation and commissioning taking place locally over several months. The actual launch then takes place at the customer’s site and lasts only a fraction of that time. In my opinion, this is an important difference compared to many other robotics positions, where people often spend most of their working time on the road.
A smaller company, greater impact. Team results over individual egos.
We are a smaller company where everyone plays an important role. We specialize in several areas: process automation, manufacturing automation, service, control panel manufacturing, and electrical installation. Each area has a dedicated expert who oversees it. Instead of a strict hierarchy, we rely primarily on collaboration, accountability, and mutual understanding. The team is built on strong technical know-how and experienced people across various professions. No one here is isolated; we are surrounded by colleagues who understand the bigger picture and will help find solutions. That is why we are looking for independent yet team-oriented people—those who can handle things on their own but will ask for help or assist others when needed. Because for us, the collective result is more important than ego.
Flexibility Based on Trust
What does your work schedule look like? And how do you feel about working from home?
We don’t operate on the principle of “you have to be at your desk from X to Y.” What matters is getting your work done and contributing to the team and the project. How you organize your work throughout the day or week is largely up to you. Life brings various situations—family, children, illness, government agencies. We can work around all of that. For us, flexibility isn’t just a buzzword in a job ad; it’s how we actually operate. We’re primarily looking for someone from the region to join our team in Havlíčkův Brod. We believe that being physically present is important for collaboration, sharing experiences, and building trust. Working from home is possible if needed, but we do not prefer it as a long-term option.
Facilities and equipment that make sense
What kind of work facilities do you have, and where are you based?
The company is based in Havlíčkův Brod, and our facilities meet the needs of technical teams for high-quality work. The building is older, but we plan to renovate it. We have small offices for a few people, a quiet space for concentration, a meeting room, a workshop, a kitchen as a natural gathering place, and the appropriate hardware and infrastructure. We work with tools and an environment that meet the current demands of project and technical collaboration—from document sharing to online communication with customers and suppliers. The company is also continuously developing its network infrastructure, licensing resources, and security standards.
Why Now Might Be the Right Time to Join
Some companies attract people with stability. Others with dynamism. Here, the two come together in an interesting way. On one hand, there’s real-world expertise, an experienced team, concrete projects, and a solid technical foundation. On the other hand, there’s growth, new energy, and the opportunity to be part of the moment when the company takes the next step.
For an experienced designer or PLC programmer, this can mean more professional freedom, greater influence on the final solution, and natural involvement in implementation. For someone in robotics, it’s the chance to work on interesting projects without spending half their life on the road.
And for everyone together, it’s the opportunity to be part of a team where trust, honest craftsmanship, and a desire to build things right are what matter most.
