It has already been one month since Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, accompanied by Gérald Darmanin and Jacques Mézard, walked through the doors of our company as part of the French government’s efforts to boost French exports. While this event attracted a great deal of attention and our colleagues still feel the emotion and pride it generated, can we say that this visit actually changed things? I carried out my own little investigation!
After a quick coffee to get into work mode, I grabbed my notebook and favourite pen to fully step into character — all that was missing was the cap and magnifying glass. The interview could not wait, so I climbed the stairs four at a time to reach the highest office in the highest tower and meet Mr Despatures, CEO of Pronal.
Interview with Pronal’s CEO after Prime Minister Edouard Philippe’s visit
Me, Marketing Department: What did the Prime Minister’s visit inspire in you? What did it mean to you as CEO, but also personally?
Mr Despatures: I would not say that I had dreamed of this visit, but for some time I had been thinking that it would be great to welcome a “famous” person to showcase Pronal and share our company project. This became a reality with the Prime Minister accompanied by three ministers, we could hardly have hoped for better! I really appreciated the energy of the teams during the preparations. Nothing could be forgotten and it was a genuine success that we will all remember for a long time.
Me: Are you planning any changes following this event? Have you modified or added any ambitions for Pronal?
Mr Despatures: We had already undertaken and implemented many changes over the previous two years through the “Dare to Move” project and now “Move to Transform”. This visit is not the end of a cycle, quite the opposite. It showed us that we need to continue, and the Prime Minister’s visit was a message of encouragement and congratulations to all the teams. We must continue this momentum to achieve the vision we have set ourselves.
Me: You can tell me, are you planning to organise this type of event again in the coming months or years?
Mr Despatures: Not every month! We also need to devote time to our customers. But yes, it is important to remain open to the outside world and talk about what we do. We need to seize every opportunity. Not only does Pronal’s visibility increase, but external communication also gives us the distance we need to think clearly, discover new opportunities and make the right decisions. This is how a company should be managed in order to transform and adapt to tomorrow’s world.
We now know a little more from the management side, but what about production? I run, or rather fly, towards the heart of the company. Here, the sound of production machines, the technical jargon used by employees and the smell of the textiles leave no doubt. We have arrived at our destination. Almost everyone here had the opportunity to meet the ministerial delegation, particularly in the laboratory. And when we talk about the laboratory, we have to talk about Sandrine Wesse.
Interview with Sandrine after Prime Minister Edouard Philippe’s visit
Me, Marketing Department: Did you feel that the Prime Minister was interested in what you were doing? What did it mean to you personally and professionally?
Sandrine: Yes, the Prime Minister was very interested in our technical presentation, whether it was the one given by Julien J. (Project Manager), Julien Forestier (Project Manager) or mine. His questions, as well as those from Mr Le Drian, were relevant. Personally, I was very stressed and I think I forgot half of what I wanted to say! Speaking in front of the Prime Minister and under the eyes of journalists was impressive. But professionally, it was a good exercise and it helped highlight our profession and our day-to-day work.
Me: Did you notice any changes in the company after his visit? Any changes among colleagues?
Sandrine: I already noticed changes before his visit, during the preparations and our rehearsals as a group of three, and then in front of other colleagues to get feedback and improve our presentations. I also noticed changes during the visit: we were all nervous and attentive to the ministers’ reactions, and afterwards we were almost stunned, gathered in front of the tank and impressed by what we had just experienced together. Whatever the department, we had all experienced the same thing, and that shared experience seems very important to me. I think this visit helped us grow as a group, strengthened our relationships and made us even prouder of our company.
Me: Would you like to see more events like this at Pronal? Why?
Sandrine: Well… not too often, we need to spare our nerves! I admit I was reluctant at first because I was very, perhaps too, stressed, but the outcome was positive, including the tidying up of our workspaces! So yes, I think this type of event should be developed at Pronal to shake up our daily routine, strengthen the relationships between Pronal employees and help make our company more visible externally.
As I thanked Sandrine and headed back towards my office, I wondered whether the sales department also had something to say about the story. Our field sales representatives were more than happy to welcome the Prime Minister on the day itself, but what about afterwards? Who better to ask than François Berteloot, Export Area Manager, for a short interview ?
Interview with François Berteloot after Prime Minister Edouard Philippe’s visit
Me, Marketing Department: What did it mean to you to have the Prime Minister visit Pronal? Did you feel that he was interested in your work and in what Pronal does?
François: It was a great honour for Pronal, but also for the teams! What could be more rewarding than having the number two figure in the French government block two hours in his schedule to visit us, tour our factory and showroom and understand our products and processes? For those of us, like me, who had the opportunity to speak directly with Edouard Philippe, it is first and foremost something that probably will not happen twice in a lifetime. But it is also a great sign of trust from the company, allowing us to showcase part of its know-how and history.
Me: Did you feel any change in the company after his visit? Any change among colleagues, morally or physically?
François: Even before his visit, there was a real sense of enthusiasm among the Pronal teams: we were welcoming the Prime Minister! Everything had to be perfect, even cleaner than usual. Everyone contributed in one way or another, and that was great for team cohesion. Since Edouard Philippe’s visit, who has not been proud to show a photo with the Prime Minister? Who has not told their friends or family, “I shook Edouard Philippe’s hand”? In short, nothing but positive things. It was a great source of motivation!
Me: Would you like to see more events of this kind at Pronal? Why?
François: It is always interesting to present your company, your know-how, but also your own profession and daily work. A minister, a customer, a member of our families, everyone is welcome at Pronal! With products and markets as technical as ours, it is important to see things in order to understand them.
The Prime Minister’s visit therefore motivated our teams and created a desire to go even further and continue the momentum we had already started through our internal movements “Dare to Move” and “Move to Transform”.
Many of us believe that we are heading in the right direction, and I will finish with this quote: “The brain feeds on change and is destroyed by routine.”
To learn more about our company, discover Pronal’s history, expertise and international development. You can also discover how Pronal continues to develop custom-made flexible solutions through its engineering and design office and explore some of our industrial projects and applications.