Working abroad with the KION Group

Internationality, different languages and cultures are part of KION's DNA. Many of our colleagues have already traveled the world during their careers, have been on assignment for the various subsidiaries, and have lived and worked abroad. These different experiences and perspectives are a great asset to the whole company and we value our many international teams.
That's why we're taking tomorrow's UNESCO Cultural Diversity Day as an opportunity to showcase some of these colleagues and their untold stories. They share their funniest faux pas, tell what shaped them abroad and what they missed most in the foreign country - from homesickness for family to missing cheese and dolce vita.

Paulina Juarez

Vice President Sales & Service KION Industrial Trucks & Services EMEA Iberia

How many countries have you lived and worked in?
5 countries: Mexico, France, China, Germany, Spain

Would you also advise someone else to work abroad?
Yes undeniably! Going abroad helped me to develop my skills by discovering other ways of working, problem solving, but also different learning methods and ways of organization. In addition, meeting new people and cultures enriched me a lot. I moved out of my comfort zone and was able to discover and shape new facets of my personality. Every experience abroad has been unique and I wouldn't replace it with anything else. Of course, not everything is easy. But with a positive approach, taking the step to work abroad could be the best decision of your life.

Which stay had the greatest influence on you and why?
Without a doubt, France. Because it was the country where I lived the longest (almost 20 years). It is the country that has shaped me as a citizen, as a parent and as a professional. Its heritage, culture and traditions fascinate me. I will always feel strongly attached to it.

Have you learned anything in another culture that you have adopted and integrated into your daily (work) life?
Often, people say that the French are never satisfied. But I see things from a different angle. In reality, for me, the French are always striving for excellence. It is definitely a mindset that I have adopted and that follows me in my private and professional life. Challenge the status quo and constantly seek to improve!

Sr Sales Engineer and Dealer Development Manager

How many countries have you lived and worked in?
I lived in three different countries (France (+ French Polynesia and La Reunion), Germany and USA) but in a lot of different places inside those countries. I travelled everywhere in France and lived in Lille, Clermont-Ferrand, La Rochelle and Cherbourg mainly. For Germany I lived in Karlsruhe, Augsburg and Aschaffenburg. And for the USA I lived in Detroit, shortly in Atlanta and I am now in Dallas.

Did you ever put your foot in your mouth as a "stranger" in another culture?
Maybe at the beginning couple of people looked weird at me when I kissed some friends to say hello (as we usually do in France) but it did not happen often as I tried to adopt the culture instead of imposing mine. But what happened often, and keeps happening regularly, are more mistakes in translation that make people laugh [mixing up “air” and “desire” in German: “Ich habe kein Lust auf dich momentan” statt “ich habe kein Luft fur dich momentan (dir zu helfen)]”.

Is there anything you miss in your current country that you had in another?
Cheese. Coming from France cheese is really important, we can find some good in the USA but this is really expensive. Otherwise the family of course, but with internet (skype, whatsapp, …) it is easier to stay in contact.

Have you learned anything in another culture that you have adopted and integrated into your daily (work) life?
The German discipline at work. Making sure that everything is planned, thought of and calculated in advance.

Diana Jakob

Marketing & Communication Expert KION ITS EMEA Iberia

Would you also advise someone else to work abroad?
I would definitely advise anyone who has this desire to do so. Such an experience will certainly challenge us on a personal and professional level. The process often happens slowly but as we observe, learn and adapt, step by step this new culture around us also becomes a new part of ourselves. This makes us grow and enriches us. New contacts, new friendships, learning the language ...this is the so-called jump into cold water - but as far as I know, no one has ever learned to swim in a bathtub.

What does cultural diversity mean to you?
I think the exciting thing about different cultures is the different customs, ways of looking at things, or especially in everyday work: the different approaches. In my opinion, the important thing is: there is no right and no wrong. There are simply many ways to reach the goal. Often, it's different perspectives, different experiences, and different influences that make us think and act so differently. What works in one culture may not work in another. I therefore think it is very important that we listen to and trust each other and do not impose anything on each other. For me, cultural diversity means above all richness. We are rich in ways and possibilities. We just have to recognize and use this wealth to reach our goals together.

Have you learned anything in another culture that you have adopted and integrated into your daily (work) life?
Late lunch, late dinner. How can Germans have lunch at 12 o'clock?!

CMS Design Engineer KION India

How many countries have you lived and worked in?
I am an Indian citizen. I joined KION in 2012 as a Graduate Engineer Trainee and was working in R&D department at Pune. I moved to China in 2015 for a role of Assistant Design Engineer at Linde Material Handling, Xiamen factory. I worked there for 2 years working on Linde and STILL projects.

Have you learned anything in another culture that you have adopted and integrated into your daily (work) life?
Usually in China, the usual dinner time is around 6-7pm, this is kind of early as compared to India. It became a habit and I continue to follow the same even after returning to India. Eating before 7pm in the evening is considered the best eating time.

Is there anything you miss in your current country that you had in another?
I miss authentic Chinese food which I relished there during my stay. And my colleagues who supported me while my tenure as R&D Engineer in Linde China

Would you also advise someone else to work abroad? If yes, why?
I would definitely like to recommend my colleagues and friends to work abroad and get that rich experience and learnings while working in a different country. The best thing here to learn is to stay out of our comfort zone and grow in a collaborative environment. This enables us to be humble and respect the diversity around us.

Huaxin Huang

Supervisor of Business Development, Export Department at KION China

How many countries have you lived and worked in?
I come from China and worked from May 2017 to May 2021 at KION North America in Summerville, South Carolina, the USA.

Would you also advise someone else to work abroad? If yes, why?
Yes, I would. Because working abroad will not only give you a chance to work in a new environment, but also a chance to experience a totally different culture. This experience is fabulous.

Did you ever put your foot in your mouth as a "stranger" in another culture?
When I first came to the US, my English was not so good and always ordered the dish with the most ingredients without even knowing what it was. Then it was always something I didn’t wish for. And I had no idea about tipping because we don’t tip in China. So the first time I ate out in the US, I didn’t put any tip on the check. When I was ready to leave, the waitress came to me and asked me if she did anything wrong. It was really embarrassing…

Director Validation, prototyping and pre-development, Mobile Automation

How many countries have you lived and worked in?
I lived in Germany and China and currently work regularly in Belgium

Would you also advise someone else to work abroad? If yes, why?
Yes, sure. It is the best way to start to understand different perspectives in the world. When you travel for short business trips or for holidays, you cannot understand those differences. So only when you live in a country you can start to realize the cultural differences.

Did you ever put your foot in your mouth as a "stranger" in another culture?
At start, I was very direct with my colleagues in China. It has been reported to me that I should be more careful to my communication way. But, in some cases, you may surprise locals by using local rules… For instance, Chinese people would not expect you to speak Chinese, so if you try they might even not listen [at first, because they expect you to speak English].

Have you learned anything in another culture that you have adopted and integrated into your daily (work) life?
I married a Chinese woman… so yes I integrated a lot of the Chinese culture and our son benefit of all our experiences.

Alexander Heimann

Senior Manager Rental, Used & Asset Management

How many countries have you lived and worked in?
I have had the chance to work for STILL in Germany for many years, as well as in Spain for 3 years. Additionally, I was fortunate to having lived many years in the United States.

Would you also advise someone else to work abroad?
Always! Moving to another country, to live in and experiencing a new (work) culture on a day-to-day basis, is a real adventure. This kind of experience broadens your understanding of the business and of how things can be, and are done differently. Sure, learning a new language and adapting to the new culture is a huge challenge! But it really does pays of…

Have you learned anything in another culture that you have adopted and integrated into your daily (work) life?
Since language is the key to culture, I am very happy, that I was able to learned Spanish (medium level). My family and I are still sometimes speaking Spanish at home and trying to keep the language alive which is working surprisingly well thanks to great Spanish movies.

Director Key Accounts KIOn North America

How many countries have you lived and worked in?
I've lived in the US, Germany, and South Korea

What does cultural diversity mean to you?
Cultural diversity means being aware of other cultures and open to their many differences. Through diversity, the United States has become one of the top destinations.

Have you learned anything in another culture that you have adopted and integrated into your daily (work) life?
Some of the things I use every day are planning and organizing things which I learned in Germany. Also, focusing on topics and ensuring they are brought to a close before jumping to the next topic is something I took from many meetings in Germany.

Would you also advise someone else to work abroad?
Most definitely! I feel that seeing other cultures and understanding how and why they do things gives additional perspectives to consider. This insight gives one an added advantage when working with people from different cultures.

Rodrigo Eraso

Demand and Portfolio Support

How many countries have you lived and worked in?
I have lived in 3 countries Germany, Australia and Ecuador which is the country I was born in and have worked in Germany and Ecuador.

Which stay had the greatest influence on you and why?
I would say that the stay with the greatest influence was the time that I was working in the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. The main reason is that we were working to bring a new kind of tourism to the island, very high end but very Eco friendly and helping out the communities around the lodge at the same time. Most of the staff used to be farmers and our main challenge was to train the staff to deliver a professional service with high standards. For me, it was a very fulfilling task as they were willing to learn and deliver each of the tasks we got to them and with high standards, nevertheless, I must say at the end of the day I learned more from them than they from me, they show us that nothing is impossible and that they were willing to share everything they had even though they had less than us. I´m very happy that I was part of this project and it is very comforting to see the lodge being nominated each year as one of the best lodges around the world.

Is there anything you miss in your current country that you had in another?
I do miss going to the beach doing some snorkelling in the afternoons or scuba diving and enjoying the view of Sharks, Mantas or different kinds of fish passing by. Also, I do miss enjoying fresh seafood and exotic fruits.