The courage and selflessness of Chargeurs employees allowed the Group to quickly produce protective masks and hand sanitizer, the first line of defense against the coronavirus. Teams from various businesses around the globe pulled together to create effective action plans.
We’re taking a closer look at the stories of our frontline operations staff during this crisis. Their commitment helped Chargeurs to become a corporate citizen:
Christophe Ricaux, Supply Chain Manager at Chargeurs Fashion Technologies:
“Lainière Santé™ is the product of highly effective collaboration across the Group’s various subsidiaries. Each and every subsidiary played their part; whether it was receiving masks, quality control, packaging, or preparing orders.
I manage the daily activities of our dedicated Masks business teams and oversee administrative reporting (inventories, billing, etc.). I am in constant contact with sales and transportation staff, which is essential to meet deadlines for shipping and express delivery across France. My personal commitment to the Chargeurs Group since 1998 has helped me stay fully operational and fully committed to face this extraordinary health crisis.”
Julie Fouilland, Marketing Manager at Senfa and in charge of Lainière Santé™’s social media:
“Initially, we needed to shut down all activity. While in lockdown, but still connected, we drafted weekly newsletters for employees and our customers. Our goal was to keep lines of communication open.
We also needed to be able to react very quickly. Leveraging robust in-house synergies, Lainière Santé™ developed a mask offer that was the first of its kind. Our mission was to support products on the market while factoring in end products, BtoC and e-commerce. From product creation to packaging and managing activity on our social networks, to creating tailored offers for key accounts, our polyvalent team was the key to staying competitive.
Then, we needed to diversify. By harnessing our synergies, we began to produce personal protective equipment, thereby transforming Lainière Santé™ into a supplier of fully-integrated solutions.”
Daphnée Newland, Financial Controller at Lainière de Picardie:
“To respond to substantial sales flows, the Financial Controlling team had to adapt quickly by redesigning flows within the Group. This involved duplicating systems and reorganizing teams. During that time, the plant had to urgently produce industrial composites. In terms of management control, this meant increased reporting on inventory and our working capital requirements, creating supplier records, etc.
During the first few weeks, our biggest challenge was to collect information to facilitate our operations staff’s daily activities. The goal was for Finance to provide invisible but nonetheless impactful support, to monitor customer contracts and to pay our suppliers on time. It would have been an impossible task without our team’s full commitment!”
Michèle Naulot-Besson, Director of Business Development at Chargeurs Protective Films:
“Our agile methods, which include closely monitoring and anticipating market needs, thinking outside the box and beyond our core business scope, and a streamlined decision-making process, allowed us to create four cutting-edge products in under a month: hand sanitizer, antimicrobial film, sanitary gates and hand sanitizer stations.
At the height of the fight against Covid-19, CPF Business Development implemented effective operating strategies to find new business partners, negotiate and sell health products, which addressed material shortages. It was essential to act fast to avoid widespread infection.”
