Kanthal employee benefits: Meet Leyla Koort

Today, Leyla is a Process Engineer at Kanthal in Hallstahammar, working close to the heart of production in the melt shop. Since joining Kanthal in October 2023, she has embraced both the technical challenges of her role and the opportunities to keep learning across different parts of the business. 

“My responsibilities vary from day to day,” Leyla says. “I’m often on the production floor, ensuring specific melts are going according to plan. If there are deviations, it is my job to pinpoint the error. I work closely with the operators and team leaders, which I really enjoy. The role also includes time in the office, where I analyze and simulate data to ensure melts are produced correctly.  

Even though Leyla is assigned to the melt shop, she has had opportunities to work in other departments. For her, that cross-team experience has been one of the most valuable parts of the role. 

“The managers really listen to your interests and what you want to explore. I worked in the wire drawing department for a few months while a colleague was on parental leave. I also had an opportunity to work in the finishing department for a short time. The melt shop is the first step in the production line, so working cross-team gives me a much wider perspective.” 

Leyla describes Kanthal's culture as friendly, knowledgeable, and open. Starting somewhere new can be intimidating, she says, but experienced colleagues made it easier. 

“It’s always scary when you are just starting, but here I have a lot of very experienced colleagues. They helped me a lot. There’s a lot of knowledge in the corridors. You always feel welcome to ask questions.” 

Leyla commutes weekly between Hallstahammar and Stockholm, where her family and nine-year-old son are based. Her work week follows a routine that lets her balance her on-site role with family life at home.   

“I travel from Stockholm to Hallstahammar on Monday mornings, work and stay there until Thursday, then travel back to Stockholm. On Fridays, I work from home in Stockholm doing administrative work or data analysis. I really appreciate the flexibility and being able to spend the weekends with my family.” 

When Leyla isn't working or spending time with family, she enjoys fika whenever she can and describes herself as a “gym rat”. She also enjoys after-work activities with colleagues, especially when they reveal unexpected talents. 

“It’s always a lot of fun to have after-work get-togethers with colleagues, especially when we have an activity planned as a part of it. You always find hidden talents in people and discover how surprisingly good or bad you are at new things. I love it!” 

Looking ahead, Leyla plans to continue developing one of her biggest projects to date: exploring an alternative approach to descaling wire beyond the current pickling process. It is the kind of challenge that fits well with her curiosity and interest in continuous learning. 

Her advice to others interested in process engineering? Be open-minded and don't limit yourself too early. 

“Don’t be afraid to try different things. During my studies, I thought you had to pick one field and learn as much as possible only within that field. But now that I have tried different things and been in different departments at Kanthal, I realize how valuable that is. You will learn much more than you think, and it will help you see the bigger picture.”