Torben Passes on the Baton in Good Time

After 26 years as installation manager, Torben Larsen is passing on the baton with the same integrity and responsibility that have characterised his entire working life. He is now looking forward to retirement, with more travelling, morning exercise at six o’clock and perhaps a motorhome in the driveway.

A year and a half ago, Torben Larsen approached his manager, Claus Rathmann Barnewitz, COO at DS Stålkonstruktion, with a clear message:

“When I turn 62, I will no longer be in charge of installation.”

After 26 years as installation manager, it was important to Torben not to stop from one day to the next, but to gradually reduce his hours.

“I want to ensure a smooth handover, so the baton is passed on properly and responsibly,” he explains.

The fact that Torben chose to share his retirement plans well in advance says a great deal about him. In his view, it was the only right way to do it. Even now, as retirement approaches, he remains deeply concerned about his responsibility towards his colleagues and his desire to leave everything in good order.

“The fact that Torben came to us well in advance and told us that he intended to retire is very much in keeping with the way he has always been. He thinks not only of himself, but also of his colleagues and the department he has
helped to build up over the years. It means a great deal that there is time to pass on his experience gradually, and this provides reassurance for both his colleagues and the company. Torben’s role encompasses an enormous amount of knowledge that cannot simply be taken over from one day to the next. Thanks to Torben’s early notice, we have already appointed his successor, who now has the opportunity to settle into the role properly,” Claus explains.

Torben will now gradually reduce his working hours as he approaches retirement.

“At DS, we know that people’s needs change throughout their working lives. We therefore try to find solutions that work well for both the employee and the workplace,” Claus adds.

Our Colleagues Create the DS Spirit

It is precisely this sense of integrity that has characterised Torben’s approach to his role as installation manager throughout his 26 years at DS Stålkonstruktion.

“Our company is built on integrity. We treat our employees, customers and suppliers properly, and if conflicts arise, we resolve them. The company has always treated me well. So I also want to do right by the company by giving plenty of notice that I intend to retire,” he says.

One of the things that has motivated Torben to put on his work clothes every day for 26 years is the constant development taking place at DS Stålkonstruktion.

“No two days are dull. There are always new markets, customers, challenges and, in particular, exciting projects,” says Torben.

According to Torben, the distinctive DS spirit at DS Stålkonstruktion has been built on long-standing relationships and partnerships. His colleagues and the management team in particular have meant a great deal to him during his time at DS.

Several of today’s installation colleagues were also there when Torben started in 2000, and many more excellent colleagues have since joined, some of whom he has worked with for 10 or even 20 years. Torben also highlights how much his close collaboration with the service and electrical departments, as well as his other colleagues, has meant to him.

“We have a strong sense of camaraderie, and we are there for one another. That makes it worth staying,” says Torben.

Operations Are About People

For Torben, the role of installation manager has been a way of life. Ensuring that day-to-day operations run smoothly has been particularly important to him. The installers, customers, production and equipment must all work together so that people have the best possible conditions for doing a good job.

“When problems arise late in the evening—for example, when someone calls in sick, there is a puncture, a hotel room is missing or a customer reschedules an installation—I have always been happy to be the problem-solver,” says Torben.

According to Torben, good working conditions and job satisfaction are closely linked. That is why it has been important to him to ensure proper equipment and quick solutions whenever employees need them in their day-to-day work. When people have the right conditions to succeed in their work, it motivates them to keep going. It is a positive cycle, which Torben compares to sport:

“When you take part in sport, you gain more energy, which enables you to perform better. When you perform better, it in turn gives you more motivation and energy,” Torben explains.

An Evolving Industry

Although Torben’s job title has remained the same, the industry has evolved over the years:

“In the past, a 100-tonne building was a huge project, which we celebrated with cake at the office. Today, we erect several 100-tonne cattle sheds a week without batting an eyelid,” Torben explains.

One project that Torben looks back on with great pride is a site in northern Sweden, where the installation team delivered and erected 15,500 tonnes of steel over the course of 12–13 months in 2025.

Torben explains that the paperwork has become more complicated over the years:

“There are now far more documentation requirements, notifications and documents that need to be reviewed when, for example, a cattle shed is to be erected. Today, there are almost more people in the office than out in the field,” Torben explains.

This development can also be felt internally at DS Stålkonstruktion. When Torben started, there were around 30 salaried employees at the Christmas party. Today, that number is approaching 135.

A Proper Handover

For Torben, the decision to pass on the baton is also about knowing when it is time to take a step back.

Although Torben is leaving DS, he will always have orange blood in his veins and feel a sense of responsibility for the company and his colleagues.

“The company must have my knowledge of the steel industry before I walk out of the door for the last time. After all, it is also the company’s knowledge,” he explains.

It has not yet been decided when Torben will walk out of the assembly department for the last time.

A Passion for Travel and Morning Exercise

Although Torben will miss his colleagues and the dynamics of everyday working life, he is also looking forward to a new chapter.

Over the years, he has visited some 45–50 countries, and his passion for travel has not diminished.

“Whenever I see a world map, I get excited. There is nowhere I would not like to visit,” he explains.

In June, he and his wife will travel around Canada for three weeks in a motorhome. In August, Torben will set off on his own for a train journey to and around Switzerland. And who knows – perhaps we will see Torben travelling around in his own motorhome in the future, provided the trip around Canada goes well.

Besides his travel dreams, Torben intends to maintain his good habits. Morning exercises on the kitchen floor and an evening activity such as walking, cross-training or spinning have, over the years, been a good way to unwind while also doing something beneficial for his body. “I am looking forward to not having to get up at 5 o’clock to do my morning exercises. I can easily move that back an hour to 6 o’clock,” Torben says with a smile.

About the Author

Signe Rafael Jensen

Signe is a student assistant in communications, and as a student at the Danish School of Media and Journalism (DMJX), she brings the latest knowledge and perspectives from her studies directly into her work at DS. At DS, Signe contributes to the internal and external communication of DS Gruppen and its subsidiaries. She creates content for websites and social media, and with a particular interest in CSR communication, she works on everything from employee profiles and stories about our sponsorships to articles for our employee magazine.