Joana Saraiva is our Plant Manager at our pilot factory in Montemor-O-Novo, Portugal. She's specialized in lean manufacturing and brings us the energy and the experience to lead Mykor’s Production Team to merge our vision into our sustainable products.

In honour of Women's Month, we made a brief Q&A with Joana to share real insights of women in the construction industry and you can read it below.

• How did you first become involved in the construction industry?

“I got involved in this industry quite early and grew up in it professionally, working in production management roles in both the automotive and aerospace industries, as well as in the environmental sector with water and waste water treatment. I am passionate about the transformation of materials, the efficiency of the processes involved and the need to respond to the daily challenges of demanding production quality requirements. This is why I specialised in Lean Manufacturing, where I found tools for continuous process improvement which i can apply to this fascinating opportunity at Mykor. Here I now have the challenge of transforming raw materials into a finished product that has a direct impact on people's wellbeing and comfort.”

• What's a career highlight or accomplishment you're most proud of in your time with us?

“Work at Mykor means being able to implement a process that transforms waste and by-products from other industries into an eco-friendly and innovative product, reducing the environmental impact of construction and ensuring a more sustainable future for all. Ultimately, it's about integrating human life with nature, not against it. I'm very proud to lead the pilot factory in Montemor-O-Novo and to contribute to the formation of a diverse, dynamic and multidisciplinary team in the construction industry, capable of adding value to one of the most important sectors of the Portuguese economy.”

• How do you see diversity benefiting our team's dynamics and performance?

“The richness of a team lies in the diversity of its members' profiles. In other words, an organisation like Mykor that accepts diversity is a group that is more likely to succeed, because it is diversity that allows for different ideas and opinions in order to find the best answer, the best solution for the common interest.”

• What advice or encouragement would you offer to other women interested in joining the construction industry?

“The construction industry has traditionally been a male sector, fulfilling a social and professional stereotype. For this reason, it is still a difficult challenge for any woman to join work teams in this sector. However, I would say to women that this is also an opportunity to make a serious commitment to this paradigm shift, to break down cultural and gender barriers to make this sector more equal.”