Plans Don’t
Install Furniture

INSIDE RK

On Site, the Right Eye Matters

The furniture is finished, everything has been clarified on paper, and yet the jobsite can still hold a few surprises. Sometimes, just a few millimeters are enough to turn a seemingly simple task into a new challenge.

Volker knows situations like these very well. The 51-year-old has worked for REINHOLD KELLER as an interior fit-out installer for nearly 30 years. Over that time, he has learned how important good preparation is and that sometimes you also need to react quickly and find solutions on site.

The Jobsite Sets the Pace

Before work even begins at the customer’s site, Volker coordinates with the project management team. Open issues, specific requirements for individual components, and the planned workflow are discussed in advance. When technical questions arise, colleagues from the engineering team are brought in as well. The more that can be clarified beforehand, the less rework is needed later.

Sometimes a measurement is slightly off. Other times, a connection point is different from what was expected. Volker quickly recognizes what can be solved directly on site and when additional coordination is needed. For him, teamwork, resilience, and the ability to improvise are just as much a part of the job as craftsmanship. “When everything is in place at the end and I can see the finished result in front of me, that’s a great feeling,” he says.

Volker also prefers to take a closer look when it comes to the details. “Meticulous and detail-oriented” is how he describes himself, with a smile as he mentions his zodiac sign. As a Virgo, he thinks it fits him perfectly, and for an installer, it is probably not the worst combination to have.

Volker’s Journey to #TEAMRK

After graduating from high school in 1994 and completing 15 months of civilian service, Volker was drawn to the carpentry trade. He had already started his apprenticeship at a company in the region when the master carpenter there left, unexpectedly opening a new door for him.

Through vocational school in Miltenberg, he came into contact with REINHOLD KELLER. Volker moved to Kleinheubach, continued his apprenticeship there, and stayed. What started more or less by chance has now lasted since 1997.

Immediately after completing his apprenticeship, he began working in installation. It suited him well. “I wanted to work independently and see something of the world at the same time,” Volker says. Over the following years, RK’s interior fit-out projects took him across Europe.

ON THE ROAD, WEEK AFTER WEEK

Volker often finds out only a few days in advance where he will be working the following week. Our installers usually learn on Wednesday which project they will start on the following Monday.

Sometimes Volker is away for just one day, sometimes for two or three. For larger assignments, he usually stays on site for the entire week. “You definitely have to be flexible,” he explains. After all these years, this rhythm has long since become familiar to him.

His day usually starts around 7 a.m. with breakfast. After that, the team discusses the day’s tasks and any specific requirements before work begins. Alongside tools and furniture, communication with the customer also plays an important role. “When everyone works well together, it makes a lot of things easier on the jobsite,” Volker says.

PROJECTS THAT STAYED WITH HIM

After so many years and countless jobsites, Volker finds it difficult to single out just one assignment. One project in Lisbon, however, is still a favorite memory. “That was a really great jobsite. At times, it almost felt like being on vacation,” he says with a smile.

Other assignments have stayed with him as well. Large restaurant projects in major European cities are among them, as is EXPO 2000. Volker remembers that period particularly well because RK purchased its first laser measuring device for those projects. There were also assignments at Frankfurt Airport and many other locations across Europe. Over the years, Volker has not only worked on numerous interior fit-out projects, but has also collected plenty of memories along the way.

A Job That Suits Him

Long days, changing project locations, and constantly new situations are all part of the job. For Volker, however, it is precisely the independence and variety that make the profession appealing. And at the end of the day, he can immediately see what his work has helped create.

Over the years, however, one thing has changed. Since his daughter was born, Volker has tried to avoid longer assignments abroad whenever possible.

When the project schedule and his accumulated working hours allow it, he appreciates being able to take time off in lieu and spend a few extra days at home. That time belongs to his family or, when he feels like getting outside, to his mountain bike.

What Matters to Volker

For Volker, the fact that he has stayed with REINHOLD KELLER for so long has a lot to do with the people around him. “You simply know each other and know what you can count on,” he says. He still values this close-knit atmosphere today.

Even after nearly three decades, there are always new projects, new places, and new colleagues to work alongside. And chances are, there will also be one or two situations waiting for Volker that were never shown on any plan.