Lima Zheng
Engineering manager | Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. | Himeji, Japan | Age: 38
What was your first job in the industry?
Mechanical engineer.
What attracted you to the industry?
Knowledge from university and the opportunities for international candidates.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career?
Organizational development for engineering. Developed engineering organization to quite an efficient organization with a full team by engaging and promoting internal talents as well as attracting talents from outside.
Who has had the biggest influence on your career?
Ricardo Pinto, director of Americas manufacturing operations.
What is your biggest accomplishment in the industry?
I led a bladder inserter project that reduced cost by $10 million scale with an alternative approach while avoiding huge tire loss during the project execution period.
Tell us about your current job and responsibilities. How do you spend your workday?
Working as engineering manager to oversee whole plant-wide maintenance, facility and project activities. During the workday, I spend most of my time in the plant to interact with people, and connect daily operation (including organizational development and people growth) with business needs.
What's been the biggest surprise of your current job?
The heavier responsibility and workload from daily operation versus simple job title.
Tell us about your family.
I was born at small village in China and my parents are farmers. My mother has never been to school in her life, but she believes education is important. My parents spared no effort to support my education and I became the sole kid who graduated from university from among 20-plus cousins.
If you could wake up tomorrow with one new skill, what would you choose?
Coaching skill to better motivate people to encourage their potential.
In a single word, how would your friends describe you?
Energized.
If you could switch jobs for a day, what job/who would you choose to swap with, and why?
A teacher for kids. I could bring my insight and arouse souls for better human life.
What's the biggest issue facing the tire industry?
We still rely on physical labor to perform heavy work from tire-making processes while the labor shortage issue is spreading worldwide.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Engineer.
What goal did you set for yourself this year? Are you on track to reach it?
A specific automation feasibility study to benchmark the tire industry. Yes, we finished study and are on track to make it true.
What do you expect to be doing 20 years from now?
Coaching to help young people and energize them to make their dreams come true.
