Women in Compressor Technique: Meet Charmaine Newton

Charmaine joined the Atlas Copco family 37 years ago and proudly holds the status as the company’s longest serving employee! “When I started my career journey with Atlas Copco 37 years ago, on 9 March 1983, there were not as many opportunities for women in business as there are today. I have seen many changes over the years and within Atlas Copco specifically, career opportunities for women have definitely improved. I am also encouraged by the fact that Atlas Copco continues to strive to empower women in the workplace through Diversity programmes and other initiatives. I started my career journey with Atlas Copco as Customer Service Contact for what was then the stationary air compressor division. This was long before the division evolved into Atlas Copco’s Compressor Technique business area as it is known today. I worked my way up from Customer Service, earning several promotions. In fact, only a few months after joining Atlas Copco, I was promoted to Inventory Controller, a position I held for two years. After that I moved back to Customer Services as Supervisor and in 2006 I left my position as Supply Manager to take up my role as Logistics Manager. In addition to gaining invaluable work experience, having held several positions within Compressor Technique has given me a broader perspective of different job functions as well as a good understanding of the company and its policies and procedures. I guess you could call me a projects specialist because over the years I have had the honour and pleasure to spearhead numerous projects, some of which involved relocations. In 2000 I assisted with Atlas Copco’s move from Benoni to Witfield and seven years later I was the project manager responsible, in conjunction with a consultant, for Compressor Technique’s move to our own premises which also required planning a warehouse from scratch. Fast forward another seven years which saw me part of the project team that facilitated Atlas Copco’s move to AC House in Jet Park which brought all business areas and divisions under one roof. Logistics touches many aspects within the business and my wide scope of responsibilities keeps my diary jam-packed and my days busy; from providing extensive logistic support to the Compressor Technique business area and the regional after market, as well as maintaining stock levels to order management and price administration. Over and above my daily work functions, I also don my training hat from time to time. In addition to training new Compressor Technique staff members in Johannesburg as well as in Zimbabwe and Botswana on BPCS, I have also given training to customer and distributors on AC Connect. Although every day is a busy one and there is always a challenge or two that must be dealt with, I enjoy my job. I am definitely a team player and I work well with my fellow colleagues, some of whom I consider good friends. I have a special message for my colleagues which are words I live by: ‘Continue to strive for your goals, embrace change, never give up.’ “