Thursday, April 30, 2015

François Michelin: leave is to die a tire – Liberation

During the forty-three he directed the multinational tire, François Michelin told “only boss after God” of its business. On Wednesday, he was eventually recalled to its creator at the respectable age of 88 years. He had taken the leadership of the French tire manufacturer which he headed in 1959, and remained in control until 2002. The Auvergne patriarch had made the company bequeathed to him by his grandfather Edouard Michelin reference World Auto gum. A family story that began in 1832 as a small factory of agricultural machinery and rubber products created in Clermont-Ferrand in 1889 and taken by Michelin. In 2002, François Michelin had spent the hands of the family business to his son Edward, but he was drowned in 2006, 43 years after the sinking of the fishing vessel off the Ile de Sein, Finistère …

“Rigor”. Tributes have not failed on Wednesday. “Under the leadership of François Michelin, the company has experienced unprecedented growth, driven by its passion for innovation as well as by its requirement of rigor in the quality of service,” said the ‘clermontoise company in a statement. For his part, President François Hollande welcomed “one of the largest French industrial postwar” who was able to “a regional family business one of the largest French groups “. It is, in fact, under the leadership of François Michelin Bibendum that the company has experienced tremendous growth abroad. Especially in the US, thanks to the success of the radial tire in the 60 François Michelin was also known for his taste very thorough discretion. He had earned its nickname of “the secret boss of France” . Only after leaving the helm of the company in 2002, a communication service will be launched at Michelin. François Michelin knew perfectly all the workings of the group.

At 25, after studying mathematics, the orphan who lost his parents early family had integrated factories under a false identity in order to learn its business “on the job” , including that of workers. His “listening skills and attention” and the “Opportunity to ease his interlocutor” did not fail to impress, as his strong personality driven by an imposing stature.

“Divine Right”. François Michelin was also, of course, the Incarnate paternalism, a Christian Democrat mode. In 1998, Libération dedicated a portrait to the person concerned. Here is what our colleague: “ Champion tire divine right boss and catho shock, François Michelin is the contemporary monks soldiers of the Middle Ages, the inventors of the Industrial Revolution, or master of forges builders factories cities. [...] Michelin, so that would be the original business, pure and unchanged. The industry against finance. The province against Paris. . Paternalism against co-management “ In business, François Michelin has obviously maintained a stormy relationship with the unions, like severe strikes that shook the Auvergne manufacture of tires in 1977. Illustration: after agreements Grenelle in 1968, “Mr. Francis,” as the boss liked to be appointed internally, had left the CNPF, Medef of the time, accusing the employers’ organization making the bed of union representation.

By taking his professional bow there are thirteen, François Michelin had left Clermont in the collective memory the image of a single boss, wearing raincoats and gray suits, who visited its factories in 2 CV Citroen. A man and a car from another era.

Ph.B.

LikeTweet

No comments:

Post a Comment