«The Good Mood at IGP is Contagious.»

Mathis, 21 years old, studies at the University of Applied Sciences in Esslingen. For the practical part of his studies, he chose IGP as his place of assignment and complemented our raw materials team for the last 6 months. In the process, he was able to develop professionally and also gain many new impressions from a personal point of view. At the end of his internship, we took the opportunity to ask him a few questions:

"Chemical Engineering, Paint and Coating" – What particularly appealed to you about this degree programme?

The passion for chemistry has been with me since my school days – not least because my father had taken the same course of study. Early on, he gave me insights into the world of paints and chemical processes – and my interest in art and architecture strengthened my decision to complete this course.

What can you tell us about yourself personally?

What probably distinguishes me most is that I am extremely "tough". When I'm passionate about something, it won't let me go and I keep at it until I finish it. This perseverance has often benefited me during my internship and during my studies in general. In my free time, I regularly do sports, such as road cycling and football. Now in winter, I enjoyed the proximity to the ski resorts here in Switzerland and went snowboarding in Arosa. On the weekends, I often visit my parents and I love to go out for a good meal with friends.

For the practical part of your studies, you chose IGP – how did you come across us?

I've always found the powder coatings industry very exciting and IGP has a fantastic reputation. In addition, IGP is present at Esslingen University of Applied Sciences and has been able to make a name for itself there. Now in retrospect, I know that my choice was right and that I can recommend IGP as an internship company in every respect.

During the internship, you were able to handle your own project – what did a typical working day look like for you?

For my project work, I analyzed and collected a wide variety of data and prepared information about the influences of specific raw materials in powder coating. This also included documentation work in Excel and carrying out various experiments in the laboratory. The result of my work was a "generator that makes a pre-selection of raw materials for reformulations"

What was your highlight during your time at IGP?

Definitely the canteen! The food was outstanding and as an intern I got a huge portion for only 5 CHF. There were varied dishes every day and the quality was fantastic. For me personally, the team members of the canteen, thanks to their excellent cooking skills, were not just once employees of the month.

And how did you perceive the IGP culture?

Very good. Especially in the area of technology, I was quickly integrated and the raw materials team was great. I also found the working atmosphere across departments to be remarkably positive. The good mood is downright contagious and you could feel that everyone is pulling in the same direction and wants to achieve the goals they have set. I have never experienced that to this extent!

Dear Mathis – we would like to thank you very much for your commitment to the raw materials team and wish you continued success in completing your studies!