Visiting Hilmi Kurtoglu's construction site in Kaarst: First, we are greeted with a wet nose from Frida the dog, then we can get started.
The foreman takes the time to show us around the completed shell. It is a construction site to his liking: clean, safe, and right on schedule. He leaves no doubt that this will remain the case: "I have never completed a construction site that even came close to exceeding the deadline."
That's why he's not stressed by the special challenges, such as the technical commissioning of the data center , which is planned for July 2025. Or the necessary six-month adjustment phase, for which all safety technology must also be in place, such as ensuring an uninterrupted power supply to the data center.
Experience and teamwork as the secret to success
The 56-year-old learned his trade from the ground up: carpenter training, formwork carpenter, foreman, site supervisor, and finally senior site supervisor. "If someone tells me that something can't be done, I quickly show them how it can be done," he says and laughs. "I know what to do when things get complicated and how to help a subcontractor." That's exactly why the chemistry is so good – not least with the many subcontractors on every construction site: it only works as a team.
"We can't complete a construction site on our own, it can only be done together." And that's why Hilmi Kurtoglu cultivates constructive and trusting partnerships: "With 95 percent of all subcontractors, I know that if I have a problem in the evening, they will pull out all the stops to ensure that the problem is solved by 8 a.m. the next morning. That has worked well for decades."
"You can't complete a construction project on your own; it can only be done together. Then it will turn out well."
Hilmi Kurtoglu / Senior Foreman at ZECH Bau
He has now been with ZECH Bau for seven years, which has been a thoroughly enjoyable time. Before that, he spent 27 years at Bilfinger, where he worked on major construction sites: Mediapark Cologne, for example, where he personally installed the nine-meter-high columns of the Cinedom cinema, or Terminal 2 at Cologne-Bonn Airport.
For the senior foreman at ZECH, this is already his second landmark project after the kite in Cologne: "The chemistry was right from the very first moment. It was completely on the same wavelength. From day one, it was like working with our own team." You can feel the mutual respect and appreciation for everyone who contributes. And that's a good thing: "Everyone involved in construction is important, even the craftsman with the smallest job."
The team is like a family
In Kaarst , ZECH Bau is the general contractor with a large team on site: seven additional foremen and a total of 35 people in construction management. It is a large construction site that is being driven forward excellently in lean cycles. Hilmi Kurtoglu has known many of his colleagues for a long time. The team is like a family, and sometimes it really is a family: his son Kevin, who also works at ZECH, has followed in his father's footsteps. The two worked together on the kite in Cologne and enjoyed it very much.
He could tell many stories from his 40 years of professional experience, which you would never guess from looking at him. At most, you might notice the laugh lines, because fun is part of the job. "It's a stressful job. If I didn't enjoy it anymore, I would quit immediately. I spend more time with my colleagues than with my family. If that stopped working, it would be a reason to throw in the towel."
The tour ends at the site hut, where Frida the dog has been waiting and has received a few cuddles from her colleagues. She is not allowed on the construction site itself. After lunch with the team, it's time for a quick walk, then back to the construction site. After all, it has to be finished on time.
