Yong Yan’s career at Crimppi has been a story of steady growth, driven by curiosity, commitment, and a willingness to learn. Since joining the company in 2007, Yan has advanced from a production operator to a procurement specialist, building her expertise step by step.
Building a foundation in production
When Yan first joined Crimppi, she worked as an operator on the production line. The work required focus, precision, and patience, and it gave her the solid base for everything that followed.
“The work on the production line may seem routine, but every step is crucial to the quality of the final product. It taught me to pay attention to details and appreciate teamwork.”
Through this experience, Yan learned to recognise the dedication behind every stage of production. Those seemingly ordinary days became the starting point for her later growth and her understanding of how much every role contributes to the whole.
Learning to lead through trust and encouragement
In 2009, Yan was promoted to team leader, a new role that combined her own hands-on work with the responsibility of guiding her team. At first, the role came with new challenges: how to allocate tasks fairly, how to motivate the team, and how to handle unexpected situations.
As time went on, she began paying closer attention to each team member’s strengths and assigning work accordingly. By building open communication and feedback practices, she learned how powerful encouragement could be.
“I realised that less criticism and more affirmation could unlock the team’s potential. When someone faced difficulties, I focused on supporting them and solving problems together.”
This experience helped Yan grow as a leader and deepened her understanding of responsibility and accountability, lessons that continue to shape her work today.
Turning production experience into strength in procurement
After more than a decade of experience in production, Yan took on yet another challenge in 2022 when she joined the procurement department as a material planner and buyer.
“Even though procurement seems very different from production, they are closely connected. My years in production have given me both technical understanding and a gut feeling that helps me anticipate material needs and plan purchases efficiently.”
Always learning, always growing
Looking back, Yan sees each phase of her career as a valuable part of her development.
“From operator to team leader and now procurement specialist – every stage has taught me something new. I plan to keep learning and building on my experience, because growth never really stops.”
Crimppi’s Suzhou site, where Yan works, has been part of the company’s story since 2006. Today, around 40 professionals deliver high-quality products and solutions to an increasing number of customers in the Asian market, as well as in Europe and globally according to demand.
