This is part two of a three-part series for International Women’s Day 2026.
See Part 1 – See Part 2 – See Part 3
Driven by decades of persistence and study, the female presence has grown significantly, bringing a new mentality to the BiW stamping and assembly sector. The arrival of new generations, accustomed to collaborative and technological environments, has consolidated this change, transforming the market into a more diverse space receptive to innovation. In this blog post, two women from ArcelorMittal and Gestamp explore the inclusion of women both on the ground and at higher hierarchical levels. This plurality of voices and the exchange between generations increases the industry’s repertoire, allowing it to communicate in a more targeted way to the public. Today, we explore the voices of women in stamping.
Francislaynne Dias – Research and Development Specialist
ArcelorMittal: Francislaynne Dias
Connecting experiences, Francislaynne, who graduated in Metallurgical Engineering at UFMG and is a research and development specialist at ArcelorMittal, commented that in the research environment she has always been surrounded by women, from graduation to her current position.
She shared a striking perception about how different perspectives complement each other: “I have always noticed that the female gaze finds details that often go unnoticed by men. I remember situations in college, when we were in front of the microscope: we, women, visualized nuances in some challenges that they did not notice. But I don’t see this as a competition, but as a complementarity. The gazes add up, and it is precisely this junction that makes collaboration richer, actions more complete, and results stronger.”
Furthermore, Francislaynne experiences intergenerationality daily and believes that the technologies approached by the new generation, combined with the experience of those who have been working in the market longer, have a high potential for contribution to the field. “I feel in the middle of two generations, as if I were a bridge. On one side, the youngest talk about technologies and artificial intelligence; on the other, the most experienced bring know-how, experience, and classic proposals. I like to transition between these worlds, because I learn and teach at the same time. The gaze of youth opens new perspectives, while experience consolidates paths. When we join modern tools with traditional knowledge, innovative and powerful solutions are born.”
Michelle Landim – Process Coordinator, Marcela Cursino – Project Coordinator and Bruna Cursino – Senior Project Analyst
Gestamp: Michelle Landim, Marcela Cursino, & Bruna Cursino
Continuing this analysis of intergenerationality, the case of Gestamp, where three women work together in the same department, offers an inspiring perspective on how daily industrial life can be transformed when different generations of women decide to work in partnership.
Bruna, when describing the team’s day-to-day, emphasizes that the interaction goes far beyond meeting goals; it is an environment of continuous learning where the experience of the veterans serves as a key that opens doors for the younger ones. “I have enormous admiration for Michelle and Marcela. The support they give me daily is what allows me to grow without fear of making mistakes,” says Bruna, highlighting that her colleagues’ trajectories are an inspiration and proof that there is space.
The interaction of this team in everyday life reveals a breaking of paradigms of the old “female rivalry” that often prevailed in high-pressure environments. Michelle, with the vision of someone who has already faced a more rigid industry, describes her leadership as a mission of transformation and preparation. In addition to managing processes and leading people, she strives for a more receptive environment for everyone: “I feel obliged to make the new generations have a much more welcoming, respectful, and egalitarian environment than what I found when I started my career. Our role today is to filter the difficulties so that they only worry about being excellent professionals, ensuring that the space is one of mutual respect, regardless of age or gender.”
Marcela reinforces that this daily interaction is proof that intergenerationality is a strategic advantage. For her, visibility and shared knowledge in the sector are what make this transformation permanent. “We need to occupy this space and show that this union happens in practice, on the shop floor and in the offices. When one of us gains a voice, all generations of the team win together,” she adds.
The daily life of this team is guided by practical sorority, where the experience of Michelle and Marcela merges with Bruna’s new energy. This direct collaboration allows typical conflicts of the industrial environment to be resolved with more empathy and a focus on the solution, creating an environment where generational diversity is seen as an addition of competencies, and not as an ego dispute.
