So if any company or candidate would like to meet Philip on his whistle-stop tour of the globe to discuss recruitment or employment opportunities, then an email or phone call is all it takes to arrange things.

The grand tour commences when Philip will be driving from his offices in the UK to Arnhem in the Netherlands for a meeting with KCI Publishing BV, who publish a number of trade magazines including ‘Castings & Forgings News’ and ‘Valve World’.  Philip has written several expert recruitment articles for the magazine and they will be discussing plans for the coming year.

Philip is also planning to attend a couple of exhibitions in Germany where he has arranged to meet a number of companies.  He also has a meeting with Senior Foundry Consultants who want him to investigate future career opportunities with specialist companies around the world, as well as a director from an Egyptian company who needs help in recruiting two or three specialist

Nearer to home, Philip has a meeting with a leading UK foundry that has asked him to help them locate a top Foundry Manager.

Also in the pipeline is a trip to South Africa where he has been asked to discuss recruitment requirements for a major international group based in Johannesburg that manufactures a diverse range of steel products.  Future meetings have also been lined up with companies in Sydney, Australia and Christchurch, New Zealand.

If you would like to arrange a meeting with Philip de Belder at any of these locations, please contact de Belder Associates Ltd.

De Belder Associates specialize in recruiting highly qualified applicants for foundry jobs worldwide.

Our extensive experience around the world makes us arguably the best recruitment organization that specializes in the foundry and metal working industries.

Clients often tell us that foundry jobs in Australia and New Zealand don’t provide them with the same sense of satisfaction that foundry jobs abroad bring.

We’re currently expanding our reach to cover engineering jobs for Australians and New Zealanders .

Many of our clients strive for new challenges away from home and that’s where we come into our own.

We work with companies across the globe to identify and recruit individuals and enable them to achieve their goals.

We also work hard to ensure we find the correct job for the applicant. The happiness of the employee is just as important to us as the happiness of the employer.

We pride ourselves on our reputation and integrity and our ability to match the applicant to the job, that’s why you should choose de Belder Associates to help you land an engineering job abroad.

Our growing global client list is a result of our professionalism and commitment to customer satisfaction.

De Belder Associates specialize in recruiting highly qualified applicants for foundry jobs worldwide.

Our extensive experience around the world makes us arguably the best recruitment organization that specializes in the foundry and metal working industries.

Clients often tell us that foundry jobs in America don’t provide them with the same sense of satisfaction that foundry jobs abroad bring.

We’re currently expanding our reach to cover engineering jobs for Americans.

Many of our clients strive for new challenges away from home and that’s where we come into our own.

We work with companies across the globe to identify and recruit individuals and enable them to achieve their goals.

We also work hard to ensure we find the correct job for the applicant. The happiness of the employee is just as important to us as the happiness of the employer.

We pride ourselves on our reputation and integrity and our ability to match the applicant to the job, that’s why you should choose de Belder Associates to help you land an engineering job abroad.

Our growing global client list is a result of our professionalism and commitment to customer satisfaction.

AGA in Sweden is a part of the Linde Group. The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with more than 49,000 employees working in around 100 countries worldwide. AGA/Linde produces and markets industrial gases and specialty gases for all purposes. Together with our customers we develop total solutions that embrace gases, process knowledge, gas equipment and service. With advanced gas technology we enable our customers to increase profitability, safety and quality while protecting the environment.

For our Global Application Development Team within the Division Linde Gas in Lidingö near Stockholm we are looking for interested candidates for the position of: Head of Industry Segment Steel.

In this challenging role you are fully responsible for the development of new products and for application support to our sales units and provide global support for our regional teams in terms of customer acquisition and assurance.

You share industry insight about market developments and trends and identify and evaluate product ideas along the R& D process. You support feasibility studies of new products or process ideas and generate new ideas and innovative solutions.

You manage identified development projects on your own responsibility. You manage alliances and external development partners from the industrial sector and universities.

You provide customer project support by defining projects to be implemented and by providing expert technical knowledge & support to the local and regional teams for proposals and project executions. You create performance specifications and implement defined development projects to ready-for-market status in co-operation with partners.

You provide knowledge management & transfer through appropriate internal & external communication via suitable media and by training and coaching worldwide users.

You monitor the profitability of our projects and activities and you compile costs and profit analyses.

You will have four direct reporting team members located in Sweden and the UK.

The position is based in our office in Lidingö.

You will report to the Head of Metals & Glass Market Segment in Munich.

Candidates should have ideally a degree or MSc in Metallurgy or equivalent and a minimum five years previous experience from the Steel Industry, preferable in steel making.

You enjoy working in an international environment where fluent English, Swedish and a second major language both written and spoken are required.

You are a strong team player with good communication skills. You feel confident working in a complex environment and are willing to travel on a regular basis.

The successful candidate is an experienced manager with a strong drive to create growth and add value to our company. You are outgoing, have a genuine interest in people and a coaching manager style. Your communication skills are excellent and you have a very good market inside of the steel industry.

Apply by email in English and please write “DBA 500 Head of Industry Segment Steel ” in the subject field.

This appointment is being performed by our close partner in Sweden and all enquires should be directed to Paul de Belder at Peopletransition. Contact Telephone +46 7 02 599 272.

Our UK based client is a prestigious manufacturer of cast steel and forged steel components with a depth of experience and expertise almost spanning 100 years.

A new opportunity has arisen for a high profile Forge Sales Manager who will work closely with demanding OEM customers on finding technical solutions to their large scale capital projects, aligning the company’s products to their customer’s bespoke requirements.

Several years experience in a technical related sales position together with a strong commercial understanding and business acumen of dealing with steel forgings (or similar product group) is required. The ability to understand and interpret customer’s requirements will therefore be essential.

Responsibilities will include:-

• Identify and seek business opportunities globally to ensure supply of new work for the Forge
• Potential product or market diversification
• Building & establishing strong international client relationship
• Maintaining contact with existing customers & targeting new market opportunities
• Taking a pro-active interest in technical issues, new developments, market conditions & competitor activity
• Liaising closely with customers and appointed agents ensuring that communication channels are effective externally as well as internally for operational purposes
• Working as part of a strong knit team across all areas of the business

To apply you will be a qualified Engineer or Metallurgist or have an extensive Forge background to understand forgings and their applications.

You will have a track record of success in business development, be outgoing and an enthusiastic negotiator.
You must have a strong work ethic, high personal integrity and be willing to travel worldwide. A 2nd European language would be advantageous.

For further information please send a detailed curriculum vitae, in confidence quoting DBA 495.

Our client is a very progressive foundry located within the UK and is part of a major international group of companies. They produce a wide range of high quality non ferrous castings which are in demand within selected and specialised markets throughout the world. There are now plans for further development in response to present market requirements and as a result it has been decided to appoint a Sales Engineer who would assist in the company’s strategy of growth and technical advancement.

The purpose of this role will be to maintain and expand the client portfolio across the UK, ensure sales targets are achieved, interpreting customer’s requirements, assisting in the design of custom made products from initial enquiry to 1st sample approval.

Candidates for this role must have experience of working in a sales environment; have excellent communication and business acumen skills and a good understanding of dealing with cupro-nickels, aluminium bronzes, nickel alloys, steel castings (or similar product group) and the relevant casting processes including sand, centrifugal, continuous and investment.

For further information please send a detailed curriculum vitae, in confidence quoting DBA 494.

Our UK based client is one of Europe’s biggest manufacturers and distributors of domestic and commercial water and space heating systems in a market worth over £16 billion a year.

A new opportunity has arisen for a self-motivated, reliable and resourceful Technical Production Manager who will supervise Foundry Operators and report directly to the Foundry Manager. The successful candidate will have a good working knowledge of foundry processes including foundry tooling and basic metallurgy and other processing variables. Experienced in resin bonded, cold box moulding process casting and other similar processes, the applicant will be familiar with equipment, controls and or systems relating to floor and semi automatic casting process.

It will also be important that the company’s technological expertise is maintained, developed and applied and that there is evidence of showing a strong initiative and to be able to work under pressure.

Furthermore, applicants should have the ability to understand product specifications and issues critical to quality, the ability to appreciate engineering drawings and to be fully aware of continuation of research and the applications of current foundry technology.

Candidates should be qualified to at least H.N.C. or equivalent in engineering or in a metals related subject coupled with sound managerial ability and knowledge of foundry technology methods.

Several years experience in an aluminium foundry foreman /supervisory capacity producing high quality castings and an IOSH Health and Safety qualification would also be advantageous together with the ability to apply business improvement techniques.

For further information please send detailed curriculum vitae, in confidence quoting DBA 493.

Our client is a high technical foundry operation which is part of a major Group. Due to promotion this exacting and demanding appointment has arisen and it will have total responsibility for a company producing high quality technical components especially for the petrochemical industries.

Apart from a foundry operation it also has machining facilities, fabrication workshops and other manufacturing centres providing high quality products in demand throughout the world.  The Company is based in the North East of the UK and has a very successful growth record with a worldwide technical and quality reputation.

For this KEY appointment it is essential to be currently engaged in a general management or chief executive role, preferably in an engineering environment and / or foundry activity, producing high quality components.

It would be useful to have a technical qualification, preferably at degree level plus an appropriate management qualification however there is a requirement to have a high level of commercial and business acumen.

There must be evidence of a progressive career including experience as a Production Manager/Director and also in sales and marketing dealing with business not only in the UK market but also in the overseas markets. Above all there must be evidence of management of a successful and profitable business.

It is also essential to have dealt with detailed financial matters relating to a successful subsidiary business and to have outstanding personal qualities to give positive leadership and direction to all in the company and on related Group matters.

For this appointment there is an excellent remuneration package and other benefits. For further information please send detailed curriculum vitae, in confidence quoting DBA 490.

If there is one good piece of advice I can offer to anyone who is thinking of, or indeed is already in the process of recruiting new personnel, it is this: “Take your time”. I know that the inclination is “We need someone good and we need them now!” But long experience in the metals sector recruitment business has taught me that patience and caution pays dividends. While hurried decisions can very often lead to expensive mistakes.

I’d pass on that advice to anyone, but it is particularly relevant if you happen to be looking for potential candidates from outside your own country. Changing jobs is stressful enough. Changing countries, embracing a new language and culture, and possibly up-rooting your family at the same time is something that requires careful consideration from all parties involved. In these circumstances, you’re not simply recruiting an individual, but you’re taking on a full family package.

Why though, should anyone consider looking overseas for their specialist personnel? Well, of course there are many reasons, not least being that bringing in talent from abroad can also introduce a different set of experiences, work ethics and skills that may not be available within your local region. In turn, this can be the catalyst for new ideas, growth and success. Which is precisely what every employer is looking for.

Recruiting from overseas is not always easy and I have heard of several disappointing failures. Only recently, for instance, when I was speaking to a company in Australia, they told me that not too long ago they had taken on a new employee from Europe, who subsequently relocated with his family to begin their new life ‘down under’. One month later, he left and went back to his homeland. The family could not settle! To make matters worse, under local laws the employer had to pay all the repatriation costs, and that was on top of the expense of the initial recruitment process, and of course they still needed to fill their vacancy.

When I asked the company if they had rushed through the original decision in bringing the man and his family over to start the new job, they admitted that they had. A big (and expensive) mistake.

Here are the de Belder Associates Ltd ‘Top Tips’ for overseas recruitment:

1. Take your time. Don’t allow pressures to over ride prudence.
2. Don’t rely on remote communication. Conduct interviews face-to-face. Preferably travel to meet the candidates in their own countries first.
3. Create a short list and meet again. This time involve the candidates’ families.
4. Sell your country as well as your company. Explain about the area, the community, education, health care, shopping, housing, leisure and the social life. Don’t hide any negatives.
5. Invite the preferred candidate to visit you. Again include the family and let them experience what their new life will be like.

If, after all that, everyone is happy, the prospect of a successful recruitment campaign and a long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationship with your new employee is far more assured.

Never forget that the primary purpose of an interview is to learn about one another, so don’t fall into the trap of believing that it is just the company interviewing the candidate. The reverse is also true and if the interviewer doesn’t perform well, then the interviewee is just as likely to reject them as a suitable option, as vice-versa.

So what are the rules? My top tips (for both parties) are:

1. Dress appropriately. The interview, after all, is a business meeting so dress smartly and show respect for the other party. A business suit is the ideal presentation. Smart casual – possibly. But don’t turn up in jeans or outfits more suited to the pub or the beach.
2. Present yourself positively. Be attentive, polite and respectful. Greet the other people with a firm handshake. Be businesslike in your demeanour. Show interest and awareness and don’t slouch or chew gum during the meeting. Your body language can make or break the chances of a successful outcome.
3. Be aware of cultural differences. If you’re meeting someone from a different country or culture to your own be aware that they may do things differently to yourself. Be polite. Allow them to be themselves. And you be yourself. Don’t try to be something you’re not.
4. Prepare for the interview in advance. If you’re representing your company decide exactly what information you need to obtain from the candidate. Then prepare the questions that will enable you to gain this knowledge. Also, be prepared to answer questions yourself. If you’re the candidate, find out as much as possible about the company you’ll be meeting. Arm yourself with answers to the kind of questions you expect to be asked. Be prepared to substantiate your answers. Don’t be afraid to ask questions yourself.
5. Don’t use ‘industrial’ language. It may be appropriate in the workplace but it has no place at an interview and can easily offend the other people involved. It could even jeopardise the success of the meeting.

If you would like to obtain any further advice on conducting or attending interviews, please do not hesitate to contact me.