Philippe

On the occasion of the Industry Week which takes place from November 21 to 27, let's Discover the employees who contribute to the life of our industrial sites in France.

One can like to challenge gravity without having the head in the clouds. One can enjoy dreaming, while having one's feet firmly planted on the ground. Almost rooted. When one meets Philippe, it is clear that he is like that. In life, as in work.

The Industry pot... you fell into it when you were a kid?

Ahah almost! In fact, I dreamed of being a fighter pilot when I was a child. And then at some point, I became interested in airplanes, in their manufacturing process. That's how it happened.

So you wanted to have your head in the clouds but finally technology caught up with you?

Yes, well, it's not so much the technology as the fact that you can transform the material to make a piece or a product. That's what I liked right away, this perpetual ability to invent new transformation processes!

So you had this idea: "why not work in the Industry"?

Yes, I did. And as I loved Physics and Chemistry, I followed a technical training focused on materials, with a ’DUT’ in Materials Science and Engineering followed by a General Engineering degree with a Materials Specialization.

Then you join the working world?

Yes! I joined a small business, for my first job. There, I was in charge of developing a new manufacturing system for honeycomb networks that would allow the design of light and resistant panels for different fields of application (railways, naval, building...). I stayed with this company for seven years, before joining the Group.

What led you to join Groupe SEB?

I wanted to have a different vision of the Industry. You know, working in a Group with greater clout inevitably leads to higher ambitions. And Groupe SEB offered me this opportunity by integrating the design office dedicated to food preparation in Mayenne. Having said that, I would like to point out that being a large Group does not prevent us from having sites on a human scale, like Mayenne. And that's what I like.

On a human scale... in terms of surface area?

No, what I mean is that there are men and women who are passionate about their work - and this can be seen in their daily commitment - people who have the will to create products that are both quality, functional, aesthetic and above all durable.

And you, what is your role on the site?

I am a Project Buyer. My mission is to support the project manager in the development of new products, and for that, I have to target the team's needs and identify - thanks to our panel - all the suppliers able to meet those needs. Then, once the suppliers have been selected, I have to challenge them to make sure that everything will be in line with the commitments, both in terms of cost, expected quality and deadlines.

It seems to be a very collective work... a bit like the ultimate frisbee you practice in competition?

Ahah! It's true that there is a big common point. Ultimate Frisbee is a collective and self-refereed sport, where the goal, as in American soccer, is to score points by progressing on the field by successive passes with the objective of catching the disc in the opponent's zone. It is a sport where each individual must perform well so that we can all advance together!

Since you like to take the high ground... how do you see the Industry in France?

In my opinion, French Industry is both innovative and robust. And it has nothing to be ashamed of, because it knows how to constantly renew itself!

Finally, what is your favorite product?

As I am a project buyer particularly dedicated to food preparation, I would naturally say the Companion Touch Pro. And then with its integrated scale with remarkable precision, it's impossible to miss your recipes!

Focus on the Mayenne site

Present in Mayenne since 1973, the site has a wealth of combined expertise: on the one hand in the manufacture of fully automatic coffee machines, and on the other in the manufacture of food preparation products. Blenders, food processors, coffee machines... Mayenne is involved in many product launches, making them stars. The plant is also the only one in France to manufacture automatic coffee machines.