Katherine Smith
Process Engineer
Quick Facts
US citizen
Joined Tenaris: 2008
Interview published: December 2009
Katherine Smith was hired by Tenaris as a process engineer on leaving college. In 2008, she joined the Global Trainee Program with the hope of leaving her mark in terms of efficiency, safety and environmental consciousness.
How would you describe your role in the company?
I am currently based at Tenaris’s mill in Arkansas, which manufactures welded pipes for drilling operations and for transporting gas. It only recently became part of Tenaris so we are still in a transitional phase, from a system that prioritizes quantity to one that is focused on quality and safety. I’ve been given a role in some of our most important projects; the workload’s both challenging and demanding. Our main project is recording and analyzing data more effectively to create a more efficient, safer industrial system at our facility. My job is to verify that our pipes are being made exactly in accordance to customer specifications. The precision required to make a uniform section of pipe is incredible and requires very high-tech equipment. Some of our facilities have developed amazing systems to track and catalogue everything produced.
What are the difficulties that you have faced?
Helping manage the cultural shift from one system to another has been among the most interesting problems I’ve confronted. How do you communicate the value of a new system to people who are accustomed to the old way? Add in language and cultural barriers and it becomes even more challenging. However, I’ve found that even in a big company, you can make a material difference, if you’re insightful and think creatively. You have to find the non-obvious stuff and gain acceptance. Personally, I am interested in finding ways to make the plant more energy-efficient. For a company to be successful in the long run, it has to be dedicated to sustainable development.
What is important about the area that you work in?
We are introducing more sophisticated ways of weighing, controlling and stenciling our tubular products for tracking. We’re continually upgrading the technology at our plant and we’ll gradually be introducing those systems. Improving production processes serves a double purpose: it helps ensure the safety of our employees and guarantees we comply with our customers’ expectations for quality, reliable products, delivered on time. The implementation of these processes will facilitate the entire supply chain process. Beyond the plant, there’s a massive, global supply chain network –trucks, trains, boats– that move materials from plant to plant and from plant to customer. It’s a taxing logistics operation.
What has been your experience of one year in Tenaris?
During my first year in the company, I have had the opportunity to travel throughout the company’s manufacturing network. I recently spent a month in Campana, Argentina, getting to know the main aspects of the company at the Induction Camp –a requirement for all new recruits. To continue my training, I will be transferred to our seamless tubes plant in Veracruz, Mexico in a couple of months.