Story | Midrex - Company
“To Love and Serve Others” Really Sold Me – Paul Kazalski
September 19, 2024
Paul Kazalski joined Midrex in late 2022, with an interest in transforming raw materials into things that people need. With steel being essential to so many things we use every day and direct reduction being the best first step in converting iron ore into steel, Midrex was a natural fit for him.
After spending 15 years in the energy sector designing equipment for coal-fired boilers, he began his Midrex career as a Research (Process) Engineer and was actively involved in the operation of the Catalyst Pilot Facility (CPF) at the Research & Development Technology Center (RDTC). The Technology Center is the principal facility for ferrous and non-ferrous reduction technology development for Midrex and its parent company, Kobe Steel.
“I started by sizing and designing burners, then I moved on to executing research projects to improve our products,” Kazalski recalls. “After that, I worked on pulverizer projects, which involved very large machines, and then created proposal drawings for Heat Recovery Steam Generators.” Although the ultimate goal of his previous job was to maintain coal-fired power plants, the fundamental engineering and safety principles Paul developed before Midrex would allow him to serve a special role in the Technology Center.
Now he is the lead Midrex researcher working with Tutco Sureheat to develop an electric heater for heating the process gas for MIDREX H2™ technology.
“Not only are we doing something that has never been done before, but we are also doing it to answer the need for a ‘clean’ way to transform iron ore into steel. It’s the kind of work that many engineers only dream of doing.”
Kazalski says Midrex has changed the way he views research & development (R&D), engineering, and thinking in general.
“It’s easy to buy into the fantasy of a bunch of smart people getting together in a room with a little bit of imagination and walking out with the next big thing. Now I understand that the best innovations are the ones that endure the tests of the real world,” he observes. “There’s no substitute for taking your ideas from the imagination room and seeing how they look in the light of day.”
He credits Midrex with fostering a culture of professionalism and camaraderie. “You sense the feeling that we have a lot to do, you are being trusted to do it, and if you want to do more, just let someone know.” But it was the corporate slogan, “to love and serve others,” that really caught Kazalski’s attention and drew him to Midrex.
It gets you to grow and participate in ways you never expect … to go beyond job duties and tap into how you engage with the world around you … and enjoy doing it.”
He explains with a smile that he has clothes for the various activities that define being a Midrex teammate. He has clothes for work [khakis and golf shirt in the office, fire resistant suit and personal protection equipment at the RDTC], clothes for a community painting project, clothes for a pickup tennis game, a corporate softball team uniform, a costume for a child’s Make-A-Wish party, and formal wear for the company Holiday Party. “Each outfit represents the fulfillment of part of a career at Midrex that goes beyond work.” Kazalski says. 
When he is not engaged in something work-related, Kazalski says he likes to play sports, brew beer, work on crossword puzzles, and visit new venues in the North Carolina area. What he winds up doing is maintaining a house with an acre of property that is owned by him and his fiancee, Kellie, and keeping their dog and two cats fed and entertained, which is also time well spent.