Our people: Nancy Xue

As a project engineer for tools at MAPAL China in Shanghai, Nancy Xue is making her way in what is supposedly a male domain.

Nancy Xue, Project Engineer at MAPAL China

The Chinese site requires intelligent solutions for the growing requirements in terms of tool inventory, warehouse optimisation and tool management. Project Engineer Nancy Xue specialises in tool manufacturing. What inspires her about her employer is the drive towards constant improvement, but also the interpersonal aspect.

“I am responsible for designing the tools and calculating the prices”, Nancy Xue says, describing her area of activity at MAPAL China Ltd.


In addition to the sales company, MAPAL also has a large production company in Shanghai that specialises in PCD tools, solid carbide tools and indexable inserts. Nineteen sales offices in strategically important metropolitan areas ensure short response times in terms of customer support, sales and service.

MAPAL is the first professional stop for the engineering graduate, who joined the company in 2012 and has been able to gain experience in sales and purchasing along the way. Today she is an experienced project engineer in the Technology Expert Team. “As a project engineer, my first priority is to meet the demands of the fast-growing Chinese market. I deal with how we can implement the machining of a complete workpiece for our customers and optimise the accuracy of machining.”

Customer satisfaction as the ultimate aspect

In a recent project, she and her team designed the machining process of a component from an electric motor and successfully offered it to the customer. The tools have now been produced and are being used for pre-machining in Dalian in northern China. Nancy tested the tools in close coordination with the machine engineer right from the start. “If we encountered a problem during the machining process commissioning, I had to check whether it was due to the tool design, the cutting data or the production conditions on site. And then I solved the problem together with the machine manufacturer’s co-workers.”, Nancy elaborates. Good surface finish, long tool life and perfect lead time – these are just some of the criteria that determine the success of a workpiece. If customer requirements are met, nothing stands in the way of series production. Nancy knows then that she has done a good job with her team.

“Muito mais importante do que receber um pedido é que a produção funcione sem problemas e com sucesso com nossas ferramentas”

A liberdade de se desenvolver

Dentro do grupo MAPAL, a formação contínua é um fator decisivo. São realizados regularmente cursos de treinamento para diferentes tecnologias, setores e componentes, nos quais os funcionários aprendem conhecimentos práticos. O conteúdo é desenvolvido para se adequar de forma precisa e se baseia principalmente nas últimas descobertas e nas necessidades atuais dos clientes. “Sem treinamento adicional, há paralisação. Portanto, acredito que tais ofertas são bastante motivadoras. Elas me ajudam a melhorar e a progredir profissionalmente”, diz Nancy.

Como um bom e velho amigo

A união entre funcionários, bem como a colaboração dentro das equipes, são duas das muitas razões pelas quais Nancy está na empresa até hoje. Se e a MAPAL fosse uma pessoa, ela provavelmente seria um “bom e velho amigo”. „Alguém que me ensina muito. Em quem posso sempre confiar e que me traz novos amigos em minha vida.” Nancy credita em seu empregador pelo envolvimento ativo da MAPAL na melhoria do ambiente de trabalho e dos métodos de treinamento. Um espírito que contagia: pois, agora são organizados muitos eventos de team building pela própria força de trabalho.

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