Wendy Norman moved across the globe for a job focused deep underground. For the family, new opportunities beckoned and when Wendy was offered a job at ABB in Västerås, Sweden, they left South Africa behind.
"It was a big step to take, but it's been worth every second. We're enjoying it and have settled in well. Now my husband works in Skellefteå, Sweden as a consultant for ABB, our son works in Stockholm and our daughter is studying at Mälardalen University," says Wendy Norman.
At ABB, Wendy works as Sales Manager for the mine hoists that transport people and ore hundreds of meters from underground to ground level. She works with existing customers as well as identifying new business opportunities where her international experience comes in handy. Customers are located all over the world and there is close cooperation with colleagues across Europe, in Canada, Australia and China. Her own team, with employees of several nationalities, is based in Västerås and Skellefteå in Sweden.
"I am very proud of my team - they are phenomenal. Because everyone in the team is very different, there is always someone who thinks outside the box. This makes the team very good at coming up with innovative solutions that drive our work forward," says Wendy Norman.
Innovative technology and constant development
Metals and minerals are indispensable to modern society and a must for sustainable transformation. Wendy talks enthusiastically about the evolution of the mine hoists, about digitalization and electrification, and about how remote control, automation and robots can create smarter and safer mines.
"The technology is outstanding! We're constantly working on improvements and innovations to enhance safety and manage our resources more sustainably. I've worked in mining for many years, and I still love my job. My colleagues and I are passionate about what we do, and one of our biggest challenges is to pass that passion on. To drive development, we need to attract more young, innovative people with new perspectives and different ways of looking at things," says Wendy Norman.
After two years in Sweden, Wendy says without hesitation that there's nowhere else she'd rather be. She enjoys nature, freedom and history, and appreciates the work culture at ABB, which offers both responsibility and flexibility. Perhaps Wendy's daughter will also join ABB when her studies are finished.
"I always tell her that the biggest advantage of ABB is the ability to move around, within the company and around the world. Here you can find your passion and have the chance to make a real difference. For those who want international experience, the job opportunities are enormous - as an ABB employee you can move almost anywhere in the world," says Wendy Norman.
ABB in Hoisting
With over 130 years experience, we invented new technologies and improved them, every day. Because miners’ safety depends on them. ABB is today the market leader in the segment with over 1 000 hoisting solutions delivered worldwide.
ABB has the unique capability to design, supply, install and provide long-term service and support of entire mine hoist mechanical and electrical systems. We supply friction hoists as well as drum hoists of various types. We also supply the shaft equipment necessary for productive hoisting processes.
ABB mine hoist solutions provide low life cycle cost, high reliability and system availability, short project execution time and a single source of supply for the complete system, including service and spare parts.
