After years in research, chemistry, and biotechnology, Harm was looking for a role where science connects directly to people. He found it at ABENA. Today he ensures that ABENA’s diapers and incontinence products are safe to use by families and healthcare professionals across the world.
What is your role at ABENA?
I work as a Product Safety Specialist, focusing on diapers and incontinence products. My role is to make sure that the raw materials in our products are safe and suitable for the people who use them.
In simple terms, I help ensure our products can be trusted.
My day usually starts with samples that colleagues leave on my desk. They need to be prepared and sent to external laboratories for testing. Then it’s calls and meetings: with the labs about results, with suppliers about quality, with colleagues in R&D about qualifying new raw materials for production... Different conversations, but always the same outcome: the products that leave our factory are safe and reliable for those who use them.
How did your journey lead from research into product safety?
I am a trained chemist and biochemist. Early in my career I worked in research. But at some point, I wanted a broader focus, where science translates directly into something tangible that I can hold in my hands, something that people use every day.
I moved into product development, and that is where I saw how lab work eventually becomes a product on a shelf. When my family moved to Southern Denmark, I looked for a fitting challenge, and I found it at ABENA. Science is still at the core, but now the results of my work directly reach hospitals, municipalities, and homes across the world.
What makes the work meaningful to you?
The motivation comes from knowing why my work matters. Customers and users should know what is in the products they are buying and be able to trust the claims we make. If we say a product is suitable for sensitive skin or can absorb a certain amount of liquid, we need to test it and provide evidence to support those claims.
Before we start production, I carry out chemical analyses to confirm that the raw materials do not contain harmful substances. I also arrange dermatological assessments, where materials are patch-tested on people with sensitive skin. This means they are applied to a small area of skin to check for irritation.
Another thing that keeps me going is the direct connection to people. Every four to six weeks, we invite families to test our products. It is a great reward when their feedback shows that the improvements we have worked on make a difference. A recent example is an extra pocket in the back of baby diapers to help prevent leakage when babies sit in a car seat or at a table. To make that kind of improvement work, we need the right materials, the right documentation, and a production setup that can handle the change.
What keeps the role interesting after more than eight years?
The variety. Some days are about samples, test reports, or technical documentation. Other days are about qualifying new raw materials, supporting customer service with a product safety question, or helping provide documentation for large customers, municipalities, or public institutions.
That mix keeps the role interesting. I get to use my scientific background, but I also need to understand production, customer needs, regulations, and communication. It is science connected to products, people, and decisions.
The colleagues also make a difference. Making sure our products are safe is not something one person can do alone. It requires cooperation across departments, and it makes a big difference that people are willing to help each other, share knowledge, and find solutions together. We have a good spirit in the team, built on cooperation, and trust.