Interview with Ing. Jaroslav Fiala from the company Xella

These days mark 30 years since the then state enterprise PREFA in Brno began production of aerated concrete in Hrušovany near Brno. Over the past 30 years, 7,370,000 cubic meters of aerated concrete have been produced in Hrušovany. To put it into perspective, that’s enough for 100,000 family homes, equivalent to a half-million city. The number of blocks produced in this plant would stretch 98,257 kilometers and would wrap around the Earth 2.5 times.

Since 1976, the plant has undergone a number of significant changes. After becoming independent in 1990, during which it still operated as a national enterprise, it merged with YTONG in 1993. In 2002, the company HANIEL took over, and with former competitor HEBEL, the entire company came under one roof, namely under XELLA Porobeton CZ s.r.o. XELLA now has more than 30 plants for aerated concrete production in Europe and around the world.
Today, the aerated concrete produced by the company ranks among the most progressive building materials. Its excellent thermal and technical properties make it increasingly used for all types of building typologies. And the development of this material is certainly not over yet.

We briefly reflected on the past three decades of the Hrušovany plant with production technical manager, Mr. Ing. Jaroslav Fiala.

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The plant celebrates 30 years of production. What can change in 30 years in the field you are involved in?
People change, products change, equipment changes. The products produced thirty years ago would probably go straight to the crushing line today. This was due to both the condition of the machinery and the approach of the supervising authorities. Aerated concrete was used to improve the results of the then Prefa Brno. At that time, there were no specialists in aerated concrete, so the company was not treated as it should have been. Investments were almost non-existent, and this inevitably affected the quality of the products back then. When I later visited the Dutch plant in the early 1990s, I was astonished to find their line was 25 years old. But they continually innovated it. They replaced old parts with new ones, and of course, technologically more advanced ones. Today, you can hardly distinguish their lines from ours. We acquired new ones. They evolved to that point. We were, of course, marked by the times.

How have the people you work with changed over the past 30 years?
There are 72 workers now compared to the original 245. All investments in the past were directed at quality. Today, we are in the top ten in assessing the quality of aerated concrete production. An inspector comes once or sometimes twice a year, randomly selects pallets with products from the warehouse, and evaluates quality, packaging, workmanship, etc. In the last assessment, we even moved into the top five manufacturers of aerated concrete. Today, we no longer make investment decisions based on saving workers and whether it affects the quality of the aerated concrete. On the contrary. Today, we are still improving quality. We can no longer reduce the workforce. We are returning to finished products and improving what can be improved. In several waves, we faced the decision of whether and how to reduce the number of employees. Unfortunately, many very qualified people left. Today, I feel I can say that a large part of the people here really enjoys their work. They often come from around our plant. They feel professional pride in the environment where they operate. When their acquaintances or family come here, they brag about the environment they work in; they are proud of this plant. They know the plant is developing and has a future. They do not work out of self-interest. Our employees have proposed and implemented a whole range of technology improvements themselves. Suddenly, you see that you have a team that, as they say, is rooting for the company, and that is a wonderful realization because you know you can rely on them and that they stand behind you. We provide our employees with a range of benefits that they receive from us. We also meet outside the work environment.

You are one of the few employees who have been with the company since its inception. What has been the genesis of your career progression?
Yes. I am lucky that, with two years off, I have also been here for a total of 30 years. At the time I started, the “Baťa” system was used, or rather – my superior used that system. It really helped me a lot because I worked in production, and only after I got acquainted with production did I start working as a shift foreman. Gradually, things accumulated, and I had the opportunity to try a number of positions. I also worked for nine years as the plant technologist. Having gone through technical production this way, I acquired all the processes. It’s truly an experience that cannot be matched by anything else.

30 years with one company – isn’t that demanding? Do you suffer from any kind of professional deformation? When you pass by a construction site, do you wonder if it’s made of your blocks?
The future neighbor across the street is building with aerated concrete. Of course, I know what thickness it is, whether it's smooth blocks or ones with grooves and grip pockets, and I also watch how they do it, without asking them. Sometimes I suffer when I see how, for example, around other construction sites, our material is combined with something else. Yes, there might be something to it.

You mentioned that your company has previously invested a significant amount in modernizing the plant. Do you continue to invest in the development of products and technologies?
In 1990, when we became independent, we faced the decision of which direction to pursue. We decided to buy a cutting line. It was a huge investment of about 180 million crowns. At that time, that was an astronomical amount. In hindsight, it turned out to be a very good move. Today, I see that our colleagues in the field would also like to make such an investment, but there are no longer enough funds. They have to work with the original equipment and need to evolve to the technology in a similar way as our friends in the Netherlands – that is, through gradual improvements and replacements of segments of production. This investment significantly boosted the quality of aerated concrete, which was immensely important for the further development of the plant. I am glad we did it back then. It was still before the merger with YTONG, and when their experts came and evaluated our plant, they said: “You did it well”. From there, it was much easier to implement further steps to streamline production. Today, the entire facility operates automatically, requiring just one worker to oversee the production process on the line. Previously, one worker was needed for each machine. Of course, we haven’t stagnated and are preparing further investments to modernize the production of aerated concrete. It will be another breakthrough in technology and its management.

How does the Czech Republic actually stand in comparison to neighboring Europe regarding the frequency of using aerated concrete? Are we lagging behind, or have we caught up? Is there still distrust towards this relatively young material?
I have the advantage that I studied building materials. In college, I focused on technologies, and my thesis was on the topic of aerated concrete. For years, I then worked as a technologist. I know that bricks, i.e., ceramics, have a long tradition in Europe. Of course, aerated concrete still lacks this. Aerated concrete is a young material. Occasionally, I get calls from former classmates asking me about the advantages and disadvantages of aerated concrete. I recommend our material and have very convincing arguments for it. Even so, they may still decide on bricks. They trust the traditional material, even if it’s not suitable for them. In the end, the state does not implement any motivational policies leading to energy savings either. With aerated concrete, you save right from the rough construction, but we know that the decisive savings are yet to come. In the long term, the savings are indeed significant. Perhaps what we lack compared to Europe are precisely the experts who would advocate such an approach to building. This would help not only aerated concrete but also other materials that lead to energy savings.

So you view the future of aerated concrete as a building material positively?
Certainly. It’s mainly about energy savings. As a country, we will always be dependent on purchasing energy. We all see what is happening in the market with prices for oil, gas, etc. Practically all energy prices are continuously rising, and the outlook for the future is no more optimistic. I think that anyone who decides to build with aerated concrete will make the right decision. Our material continually offers new possibilities, and we are continually supplying new products to the market. We are reducing the heat transfer coefficient, so concerns about secondary insulation are eliminated. And it’s not just the ideal physical properties, but also, of course, the easy and clean handling of the material, its precision, and versatility.

The company XELLA offers not only building materials but also services for builders. How does your collaboration work? Do you try to help builders adhere to construction technology in any way?
There is a so-called demonstration master who establishes and supervises the construction and oversees insulation. This is a service we offer for free. We also provide all tools and accessories. We also have several partner companies that are certified and trained in using our building materials. Incorrect application is the most common error in constructions with aerated concrete.

May I ask what material your house is built from?
It’s a coincidence. Years ago, I bought a house nearby that is made of aerated concrete.

Do you have a favorite building? Which one is it?
I am fascinated by buildings that withstand the test of time. Even as a boy, I enjoyed reading Mr. Zamarovský's books about the pyramids. In today's age, it seems to me that materials are heavily suppressed. Sometimes materials are chosen that only create a shell and, from an operational point of view, those buildings are not well thought out. You asked which building I like – competitions happen every moment, and eventually, they are overshadowed by impressions from another competition. It’s difficult. I might stay with the pyramids.

When you get home, how do you relax? Or rather, how do you fill your free time?
When I'm not working – it’s probably not a hobby; I feel it more like a lack. It’s German. I’m taking a course and, to catch up, I found a tutor...

...with whom you converse in your free time?
Yes. Besides that, I enjoy cycling, being in the woods, mushroom picking, swimming. And I have another hobby – a small vineyard. I wouldn't be a Moravian if I didn't have a vineyard. Unfortunately, I don’t have much time for it anymore. It's in a beautiful area – the route Pohořelice–Kyjov. Because I’m tied to a computer during working hours, I compensate with movement there. I’m establishing a small orchard. It’s beautiful there, I look at the forests.

Thank you for the interview.