The core business of Požega-based company Inmold Plast is the production of high-quality tools for injection moulding of plastics and non-ferrous metals. It specialises in tools for injection moulding of thin-walled packaging and tools for injection moulding of technical parts, while it is additionally engaged in the production of IML robots
I nmold Plast is a family-owned company that has changed a lot in the 15 years since it was founded. Apart from the uncompromising quality of its products, of which founder and owner Goran Janković is extremely proud, he is equally proud of his four children who are already involved in the business.
As a graduate mechanical engineer, Goran started his private business in a 1994 partnership. He then became independent in 2006 and founded family company Inmold, which has become a serious company over the past 15 years, growing at an average rate of more than 30 per cent annually. He and his wife, Milka, began including their children in the company’s work to a greater or lesser extent, with daughters Dušica and Nevena and sons Slobodan and Dušan joining the business. Although they were all educated abroad, they see their future in Serbia, in this family company that employees don’t leave. Their parents are their role models in both work and life, while they are each other’s greatest support.
What compelled you to decide to stay with the family company, despite having the clear possibility of working abroad?
Dušica: Our father started gradually including each of us in the work before our studies. We travelled a lot with him and met many people from the business world. I quickly realised that a job with the family business would allow me to travel and study.
How much of the knowledge that you acquired during your studies have you managed to apply at the company?
Dušica: I apply a lot of what I learned during my studies on the job, mostly at fairs, trips, conferences and meetings.
Nevena: At work I currently mostly use the way of thinking that I acquired during my studies.
Slobodan: I had the good fortune to study in a country that has a very developed industry, where we also operate, so I learned many things that we’ve applied in our company. One of the main advantages of studying abroad is that a person matures more than they would by studying in their home country.
And how useful was the knowledge you acquired at the company during your studies?
Dušica: Everything I’ve ever learned could also be applied during my university education at some point. Nevena: Working at the company during my summer holidays changed the way I viewed my studies – I acquired a better notion of what work I wanted to do and how to apply the knowledge I gained at university.
Slobodan: The way of thinking and professional knowhow that I mastered at the company helped me to initially pass exams in production engineering.
Dušica and Nevena, what is it like to work together in the same company with your sister?
Dušica: Work has been easier and more relaxed for me since Nevena joined me, because from that moment I’ve had someone to share the responsibility that we bear on our shoulders, as children of the owner.
Nevena: Dušica broke the ice, so it was easier for me. I work with her like I do with every other colleague in the company.
Slobodan and Dušan, how did you end up studying at the same faculty? How much was your brother a factor?
Slobodan: We were influenced the most by our father, of course in a positive way. If I’d been asked, I would have suggested that Dušan study something else.
Dušan: My decision to enrol at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering was influenced by the whole environment, not only my father, but great “credit”, or “blame”, for that belongs to Slobodan.
Is there anything you would change at Inmold Plast?
Dušica: The company is growing ever more year-on-year, which is why I think we need better organisation and an amendment of the current system and way of working. But we’ve already started working on that…
Nevena: With us there is constantly something that’s changing, in accordance with the growth of the company. I also have some new ideas that we’ll work on in the period ahead.
Slobodan: We’ve become an extremely complex system over the years, which must be viewed as a whole and constantly improved as a whole. All the knowledge acquired abroad – at fairs, in visits to other companies and working with suppliers, customers and partners – should be adapted to our company and implemented to bring us growth and progress.
Dušan: I wouldn’t comment on this topic as yet. The others have more knowledge and experience than me.
Is there anything that you’re particularly proud of when it comes to your family business?
Dušica: I’m very happy that we invest a lot in young personnel and employees generally. Inmold Plast really offers many opportunities for further development, for travel, participation in conferences, fairs etc. I’m proud of the fact that we collaborate with many companies that are synonymous with quality, not only on the European market, but also worldwide, but I’m also proud of our membership in the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce. Nevena: I’m proud of the fact that, unlike our peers who study here and then move abroad, we did the opposite – we returned to Serbia to work for ourselves. I’m proud of the way our company works with students. I’m proud of the employees who view this company as their home, the people who participate in changes, the organisation of the company, the list of customers who place their trust in us over many years etc.
Slobodan: I’m proud of the fact that my father, with his knowledge, work and experience, succeeded in developing such a successful company in a small community like Požega.
Dušan: I constantly think about the rhythm at which we’re developing and the ambitions of my family that drive us forward, and that makes me very proud.
Do you have a motto or something that guides and directs you?
Dušica: You shouldn’t go through life, but grow through life.
Nevena: If you can dream something, you can also make it happen.
Slobodan: There’s no way I could decide on just one… I have multiple lessons: whatever happens, a solution can always be found, you just don’t need to panic. Whoever stops advancing starts regressing. Work, work and only work! One needs to move forwards at all costs.
Dušan: Hard work pays off.
What is the most precious thing in your life?
Dušica: My family is my most precious thing: my husband and my son Matija. Knowhow, family upbringing, dear people.
Nevena: Family, proper friends, honest advice and the positive people around me.
Slobodan: A family that I can always rely on and that I know wants the best for me. In the first place are my daughter Dunja and my wife, who is a great pillar of support for me in everything.
Dušan: Family and friends.
What have you learned from each other?
Dušica: That we should fight if we want something and not give up easily.
Nevena: We are constantly learning from each other and pointing out each other’s flaws and mistaken moves, but we also know how to offer praise when someone does something well. I learned to more quickly and easily accept constructive criticism. We learned tolerance and how to work together to solve problems. We apply that both in life and work.
Slobodan: That each of us, with our own characteristics and abilities, is unique in this community of ours. We differ from each other greatly, which provides us with lots of room to learn from each other.
Dušan: I learned from my three older siblings to be tenacious and persistent in everything I do.
What are your plans?
Dušica: I plan to work on myself, to improve, and thus contribute maximally to the further development of the company.
Nevena: On the business front, I intend to dedicate myself to learning and improving my knowledge, and on the personal front I want to travel a lot and meet new, interesting people.
Slobodan: I want to continue developing Inmold, together with my family.
Dušan: My plan is to contribute as much as possible to the progress of our company with my knowhow and fresh ideas.