Techninis Projektas – an engineering network built from the ground up

Techninis Projektas could be seen as a continuation of Panevėžys’ engineering history. The company developing equipment and automated systems for different branches of industry, is a case in point that innovative solutions designed to save time and reduce production costs are thriving both in Europe and in Lithuania. CSO Ringaudas Urbanas says it all started with the bankruptcy of Ekranas – the only colour cathode-ray manufacturer in the Baltics and one of the biggest in Europe. As the saying goes, critical situations open up possibilities – the challenge is to notice them.

Persistent refusal to stop learning and always being on the lookout for new opportunities

Ever since the beginning of my career in 1982 at Ekranas, I have worked in the field of mechanics. I remember how, in 2006, when the company went bankrupt, management laid off almost 4,500 employees. Most were saying that both they and the city itself were in for a disaster. What actually happened was quite the opposite – specialists of all kinds spilled out across Lithuanian cities and put their knowledge to work in other companies.

Ekranas had accumulated plenty of engineering potential by that time, so I had the idea to start my own company and tap into that potential by hiring the best and the brightest. That’s how Techninis Projektas took off – its founders and core members being former employees at Ekranas.

Even though in Panevėžys, industry was undergoing rapid change, it wasn’t the only city in the country – after many years working at Ekranas, we knew which companies might be interested in engineering proposals and know-how. There was a kind of exchange – the clients we knew from before enabled us to start a new company, and in return, we didn’t leave them in the lurch when facing bankruptcy. Over time, what at first was a small kernel, grew into a fairly robust network.

Following the first 6 months, our team started to grow rapidly, and in 2015 a breakthrough occurred – we realised that we’d not only survived the company building stage, but also the 2008 crash. Our business was beneficial to Panevėžys and Lithuania alike. At that point, we expanded our premises, hired more electronics specialists and programmers, built a marketing team, and picked a dedicated supplier and assembler of materials and components. Once our team grew to 20 people, we became more autonomous and were able to take on more significant projects. We were not as dependent on subcontractors, which finally allowed us to solve clients’ problems from start to finish.

As things settled, Techninis Projektas became specialised in the food (milk and bread), wood processing (drying), furniture, panel, and metal goods industries. We always try to consider all available options and tackle even the most complex problems by exclusively offering individualized solutions. This principle still guides us today.

 Challenges and benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

 Taking a step towards Industry 4.0 isn’t easy. Scepticism and hostility are prevalent at companies that we’ve built solutions for because, once automation is implemented, people start to fear for their jobs. And that’s partly justified – automated or mechanised equipment replaces procedures that are dangerous to people’s health. I call this a lack of information and a fear of change, which, however, eventually dissipates once people’s emotions calm down. Today companies see automation positively because they’re now facing the opposite problem – a shortage of employees.

Automation phases out monotonous, low-skill work, improves safety, and boosts efficiency because machinery can be run around the clock, 7 days a week. Additionally, parts made by machines flawlessly match technical drawings, and human error is all but eliminated. Automation and mechanisation enable the highest possible quality and production speed. It’s also important to keep in mind that machines serve humans, not the other way around. They merely provide assistance, while humans remain the real engine of the operation.

Effective and meaningful solutions

In nearly every case, the equipment designed by Techninis Projektas meaningfully changes production. However, this depends on the level of innovation the client’s business achieves, the successful clarification of need, and the ability to formulate an appropriate solution. For instance, we once had a client who owned a chair manufacturing company where a dedicated employee performed each stage of product assembly manually. To help them accommodate a growing order volume, we designed a special line that increased production by 280%. By automating production, either in full or in part, companies secure a higher output and product quality, as well as better working conditions for their employees. In this case, another important criterion was the elimination of heavy, monotonous labour.

Working in common helps clients see innovation deployment as an ongoing process. Over the years, we’ve had clients who were initially sceptical about automation, call us later to express their gratitude, once the advantages became obvious. Most of the orders we get come from long-term clients who keep returning with new needs. That’s one of our key strengths. In addition, we perform scheduled preventive checks (a team of specialists inspects the equipment) that often generate new ideas for further improvements to production.

Given that each company has a unique manufacturing process – experience and professionalism are required to achieve such results. The design and implementation of our solutions wouldn’t be possible without an excellent team and leadership. We’re happy that our experience allows us to offer custom solutions, rather than copies of existing ones.

 Flexibility and adaptation to client needs

Even though we do collaborate with Finnish, Latvian, Estonian, and Swedish companies, most of our clients are from Lithuania. Meeting the growing demand for innovative solutions to production challenges requires quick learning and the ability to guide companies toward Industry 4.0. For this reason, a key strength is geographical location – upon receiving an urgent call, we can arrive at any client’s premises within four hours.

Our solutions are exceptionally competitive among companies producing for international (e.g., Italian and German) markets. Foreign companies are often averse to change and rather inflexible – once work has commenced, they follow the agreement, specifying individual activities and the solution itself, to the letter. Our experience, however, shows that the client’s needs and the problem only become apparent during the development process. Therefore, we work closely with our clients and remain flexible throughout the project. To get clear about the situation, we speak both with management (clarifying the overall vision) and with production employees (clarifying the current work process and possible improvements). Looking for compromises and conducting analyses of the specifics, available resources, and investment don’t end with the technical drawing, but continue during the implementation process. Our key values are flexibility, adaptability, and the capacity to meet clients’ expectations.

 Preserving engineering competencies and upholding tradition

I dare say that our company provides education in tackling challenges, rather than doing monotonous work. I call Techninis Projektas a school because we help our young specialists to improve their practical skills and inspire them to seek professional advancement.

Long-term employees whose knowledge reaches all the way back to Ekranas form the core of our business. Since we spend a lot of time and resources on training, we’re not afraid of hiring both students and lecturers. This allows them to link theoretical knowledge with practice, thereby improving the quality of learning and giving lectures. Young specialists train on the job for at least two or three years, until they can design and implement a piece of equipment not only in the drawing but also in reality.

We also collaborate with various educational institutions – universities, colleges, and trade schools – both in Panevėžys and other cities. It’s no secret that interest in engineering studies has been decreasing year after year, forcing us to look for locksmiths, welders, constructors, project managers, and mechatronics specialists both in Panevėžys and its neighbouring towns, like Pasvalys and Kupiškis.

 Importance of fostering the next generation

One of the city’s priorities is to strengthen the Panevėžys division of the Kaunas University of Technology, and the Panevėžys University of Applied Sciences. Each young person is a bundle of potential, and education is the main driver behind occupational prospects. In my view, the only way to secure the future of engineering companies is by encouraging curiosity in young people, including school-age children, and showing the attractiveness of these professional fields. Even though we’re training future professionals, no business can produce enough of them for today, let alone for the future. It’s encouraging that educational institutions of Panevėžys are happy to work with business, enabling us to accomplish quite a lot together.

Moreover, good specialists tend to leave for other cities and countries, so it’s essential to develop programmes to attract them here. Since Panevėžys is rapidly developing and seeing interest from investors, I believe it’ll go a long way to preserving its industrial engineering traditions.

The series of articles “Industry 4.0 Solutions in Panevėžys” was prepared as part of the project “Connecting Panevėžys: Improved Business Environment through Better Collaboration”, funded by the Panevėžys City Municipality.