Göran Rydfelt

HUDDIG have been growing at his hands for 30 years.

Göran Rydfelt started as a welder at Huddig in 1990. After having welded all the details of a HUDDIG for fifteen years, he then switched to fitter. Now he has been assembling HUDDIG piece by piece since 2005.

- I started as an assembler on the assembly line where we used to put all the details together to become a finished HUDDIG. The coupling was a tough station to start at as it has many steps in that two finished frames had to be put together. Among other things, we pulled in hydraulic hoses, electrical wiring, mounted the cab, put in the engine, put on the wheels and the loader. It would have been much easier to start as a pre-assembler, but I have always liked to take on big challenges, so I went straight to the assembly.

Today, a large part of the assembly work is done at various pre-assembly stations where teams help to put together smaller components. This is done to simplify the work of connecting and starting up the machine.

- Today we have a different workflow where we pre-assemble more parts. It feels great to constantly develop our way of working and help each other to make things easier.

One of the more challenging steps in the assembly process of a HUDDIG is the mounting of the swing axle on the front frame.

- We freeze the pendulum shaft to about 90 - 100 degrees below zero, which means that it shrinks 20 thousandths in diameter. This makes it possible to mount it as it is very tight to get it in place. Then, when it returns to room temperature, it swells and stays there forever. The only way to remove it if the installation fails is to drill it out. It's only failed two or three times in all my years here, so most of the time it's fine.

Göran's main responsibility as an assembler is to supply the production line for the HUDDIG1260E with Cummins Stage V engines. This is a central part of the assembly where he also oversees his colleagues and helps where needed.

- I prepare the engine for assembly, which means that I hang on the distribution box, put on hydraulic pumps, generator, compressor for air conditioning and wiring. When my colleagues need it, I help with, for example, the coupling, the cab or the start-up. I'm right in the middle of the action, you could say.

What he appreciates about working at Huddig, apart from his duties, is the atmosphere and the colleagues.

- Huddig is a small company. We are 100 people but it feels like we all know each other and the information always reaches us in a good way. There is a sense of security and pride among those of us who work here, which contributes to my incredible well-being.

Going forward, he is looking forward to working with TIGON and hearing what customers think when the machine is out on the market.

- I have test-assembled TIGON at the experimental stage, which was great fun. It is unclear when production will start, but it will be exciting to build the new line and start assembling the machine. I'm also curious to talk to customers and hear what they think when TIGON has been out on the market for a while.

Due to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Huddig factory has been closed to visitors. Göran's hope is that the situation will change in order to reopen.

- Of course, we have to follow the authorities' guidelines and it is a good decision to close the factory for visits. At the same time, I hope that the situation will change soon so that we can receive customers again, it is something special to be seen right here, where their HUDDIG grows, concludes Göran.

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