Since his secondary school studies, Pavel Lazar has had a passion for four wheels, which led him to graduate from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at VSB-TUO. He has worked in top management positions in engineering companies in the Moravian-Silesian Region and gradually rose to the management of TATRA TRUCKS a.s. He has been working as Managing Director since 2019.
Tatra is a company with an inspiring tradition that has been perceived as a regional company from an employment perspective. What values do you share with your employees today, and why might it be interesting to work for you?
We put TRADITION fi rst. Tatra is the oldest manufacturer of transport vehicles in the world, with an uninterrupted history since 1850. It has always been at the forefront of technical development, inventing products admired for their echnical performance and aesthetics. The region is also part of the tradition. Since its foundation, it has operated in Kopřivnice, employing generations of local families and contributing to the prosperity of the region. We put UNIQUENESS second. This embodies the unparalleled essence that distinguishes Tatra from traditional car companies. Unique and unrivalled chassis design results in amazing possibilities of using Tatra as a means of transport in extreme terrain and climate.
The third value is RESPECT, which is linked to the previous values. We have respect for our tradition, respect for those who built Tatra before us and a commitment to developing their legacy. We respect our customers and their specific needs. We respect our employees because we are aware that people are not a cost but an asset. We respect the environment, which is why we work to reduce emissions.
You mentioned the recruitment campaign “Tatra Is Looking for 500 Employees”. I assume that for its purposes, you had to convert corporate values into practical slogans and information to help candidates navigate your offer.
In the recruitment campaign, we communicate several key principles:
• We honour patriotism.
• We have our own product.
• We are looking for people, not robots.
• Where others end, Tatra continues on.
• We support tradition and history.
We would like to stress that Tatra is not an assembly plant or a mass automotive company. We produce a final product with high added value. Our employees do not stand at a conveyor belt, and they do not do the same job all the time. They have varied jobs and learn multiple professions. Our activity is not only profi t-oriented: we help Czech firefighters in their deployment at home and abroad, we renovate Tatra classic cars, we support museums and sports. And we are a 100% Czech company.
You have a corporate vision set up so that you always do things a little differently. Can you explain it from a manager’s perspective?
Tatra, as a custom car company, is oriented towards customers and their individual needs. It is not a truck from a catalogue. Each Tatra is tailor-made. We select the optimal combination of chassis, engine, transmission and other components. In order to be flexible, we are able to produce all the key parts of the vehicle under one roof. Or we use the components from our partners that are best suited to the business case. To make everything work, we need to beflexible and constantly learning. This is true throughout the entire order fulfi lment process, from sales to design and production.
The history of the car factory is concentrated in the museum, which the whole region is rightly proud of. What does caring about history mean to you?
Caring for the historical legacy of Tatra fulfi ls several objectives. It recalls the industrial tradition of the Czech Republic. It makes Kopřivnice an attractive tourist destination for those interested in the history of technology. It also has practical significance, as it convinces the customer that we have been producing trucks for more than 120 years and are constantly improving. When this is combined with the experience of driving a Tatra on the test polygon, the customer understands that the Tatra is an excellent machine worth investing in.
The design concept of your vehicles is also making its way into rescue and defence applications. Is it just due to the concept or is it also thanks to the approach to the customer?
Tatra has the best off-road chassis for heavy commercial vehicles in the world. This is not an advertisement, but a fact, confirmed by customers worldwide. That is why it is logically used by fi refi ghters and soldiers, who need equipment that will never let them down. It is not just about the performance in the fi eld. It is also about variability. It can have any number of axles, some of which are steerable. It can be used for a variety of attachments and applications. Of course, despite its ingenious concept, Tatra will not sell itself. We have to convince the customer that it is our vehicle that will meet their specific needs. Since Tatra was taken over by Czech owners in 2013, this has been successful.
The Tatra company is located in a historical industrial complex. How important are relations with the environment and the public for you? Is Tatra a good neighbour and partner?
Tatra is a key employer in Kopřivnice. We are working closely with the town to ensure that the co-existence of the car company with the municipality and citizens is mutually beneficial. We support a number of cultural events, including Kopřivnice Days of Technology. The Větřkovice dam is an example of our approach. It is a reservoir whose original purpose is to supply water to Tatra. Still, thanks to investments in recreational facilities, it has become an important place for regional tourism, swimming and fishing.
How is Tatra preparing for the future? Do you think you can prosper even in a situation where fossil fuels are being phased out and where the geopolitical situation or the pandemic is causing problems in the global supply chain?
Tatra has existed for 172 years and has survived all social upheavals, pandemics, wars and regime changes. It has always been able to adapt and develop new excellent products. Unlike most car companies, we did not stop production for even a day during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are currently working on a hydrogenpowered vehicle that we intend to present as a prototype later this year. Tatra will also build an extensive infrastructure for the industrial production of pure hydrogen and its refuelling. I am convinced that Tatra will continue to prosper in the coming decades thanks to the diligence and ingenuity of Tatra’s people.
Thank you for the interview.
