I spent 1.5 years developing several effective and creative hygienic solutions for decanters in 2020–2021. I fully acknowledge that the intellectual property belongs to Alfa Laval. However, instead of receiving recognition, a colleague from the test department produced a video presenting my design solutions. Management was aware but did not inform me; the video was shared on LinkedIn and other social media, and the test engineer — who had limited involvement in the project at the time — received public recognition from the CEO and broad visibility online. Few people knew I was the designer.
When I raised the issue, I was threatened by senior R&D management with legal action if I continued to pursue the matter. While the actions may not have been illegal, I found them unethical. Even after involving IDA, there was limited recourse. As a result, I moved on and now have a much better role at Novo Nordisk.
Advice to design and development engineers: be careful about sharing detailed designs widely. If you consider working at Alfa Laval R&D, be aware of the potential for your work to be taken out of context or claimed by others, and take steps to protect your contributions.
