Alfa Laval, a company specializing in engineering design and equipment manufacturing
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As many of you can tell, the market conditions this year are really poor. I have been working on pipeline design in engineering companies for five years, but now I’ve been laid off. I still intend to stay in the field of engineering design for another two or three years, but given the current situation, it’s not easy to find a job. There are some opportunities to work at equipment manufacturers like Alfa Laval, and I’ve even received an offer. What’s on my mind now is whether it would be better to work at an equipment manufacturer for a while before returning to design work. Do engineering companies or design firms generally not hire employees who have worked at equipment manufacturers? I hope those with relevant experience can share their insights.
I’ve never worked for a equipment manufacturer, but I guess that if you devote time to it seriously, you won’t want to go back to drawing pipes
Alfa Laval’s core product is still the plate heat exchanger; even for a heat exchange system, there are only a few pieces of equipment involved. There isn’t much complexity in terms of the number of pipes needed. It’s likely they hired you because of your background in design firms and your proficiency with PDMS. I guess you’ll leave after working there for a while
Actually, that’s what I think too – I’ll work there for a while and then leave if the market conditions improve. I’m just a bit worried that working there for a year or two might have a negative impact on my ability to work in design in the future
It doesn’t make much of a difference. You’ve been working in piping for five years now, so there should be no problems with handling ordinary installations. Alfa Laval is also a foreign company, so it’s good to practice your English as well. Once you start working there, you won’t just be dealing with piping tasks; you’ll likely have to handle project negotiations, bidding, drawing designs, and on-site construction as well. It’s a great opportunity to learn a lot and earn some money at the same time. You can keep looking for other jobs while working there. In fact, there’s no need to be confined to working in a design firm doing piping work. My boss says it will take at least until 2017 before things improve, so the situation is quite tough
The market conditions are really poor right now; my own company isn’t making any profits. I envy those who are working outside. I’ll come back when the market improves – it’s not a big problem
Thanks, man. I’m pretty confident in my professional skills, but 2017 still seems a long way off.:lol
This post was last edited by od110 on 2015-6-28 14:48. Alfa Laval in Shanghai? CAD drawing? The business situation for engineering companies isn’t very good these days; after all, only money can ensure satisfaction, so I’m planning to leave~
Yes, even though the market conditions aren’t good, I still want to find a company with relatively better conditions and benefits.:lol
This company is quite famous for its plate heat exchangers; it’s a good choice to switch into this industry – it’s probably easier than working with pipes, as there’s no sales pressure involved.