Industries / Production / Materials

For Jean-Étienne, working at Colas is first and foremost a family affair. “I am the third generation to join the Group. After a DUT technical degree in electrical engineering and industrial computer science, I started my career at a mobile asphalt plant." With his unit, he and his team crisscrossed the country between highway projects and airports, and even went to Hungary in 2008 on the M6 Motorway project. Three years later, he headed back there as head of industries for Europe. “At the very beginning, the idea was to have a better vision of the situation on our asphalt plants and emulsion plants in the areato initiate improvements when needed . After that, the mission extended to monitoring production. My job is also to foster knowledge sharing and harmonize practices. When I travel, I try to convey the spirit and values of Colas." And when we ask him what he likes the most? “When I arrived, one of my first assignments was to build a team of asphalt industry managers. Working with them today is exactly what we were aiming to do!".
 

As far back as he can remember, Jenjob always dreamed of sailing around the globe. Determined to make a career of it, he started out as a ship cadet before joining Tipco. His job? Captain of the Tasco Tara, a 129 meterlong bitumen tanker, which sails the world’s seas and oceans with its crew of 17 men from a variety of backgrounds and a cargo of up to 12,000 tons of bitumen. “Between Australia, New Zealand, China and South Korea, I discover new landscapes and cultures with every crossing”, explains Jenjob, who spends an average of seven months of the year at sea. “My primary responsibility is to ensure the safety of my crew, the cargo and the ship. That’s what drew me to Colas, an international Group that makes safety its number one priority.” Now 41, this captain is proud of belonging to a Group that has trained him in the art of people-oriented, responsible management.
 

As an Aggregate Specialist, Adam is very familiar with the production of materials. Working for NPA Ltd, one of Colas’ companies in Canada, he collects and analyzes data for the quarries and gravel pits. “In Alberta, we have more than 100 aggregate sites; regularly visiting them is a huge part of my job”, Adam explains. From conducting site inspections to flying a drone in pits to get volumetric measurements, being on the work sites provides him a wealth of information. He also needs the feedback of his trusted colleagues to develop strategies. Thanks to his experience, Adam keeps operations running smoothly throughout the province of Alberta: “Using data is also about filtering the information for those who are not familiar with the process; I teach them how to read at the information.” When he is not on the road, visiting one of the one hundred sites, Adam is at the office, pulling reports for operation staff, or making sure with the environmental regulation team that everything is up to standard. “I want to keep pushing the envelope. This job and the people I work with are making this possible!”
 

In northern Morocco, Fatima Zahra is Head of Quarry Operations at Concassage.ma, a subsidiary of Colas, where she supervises daily business in two limestone quarries. The aggregates produced on the two sites are used for road construction, and also for ready-mix and precast concrete. "You don't open an operating site every day, but I take care of all the stages in the life of a quarry. From prospecting, to permits, to the day-to-day management: these are long-term projects" she explains. Dividing her time between the field and the office, Fatima Zahra is never very far from her teams. Her responsibilities also include management, relations with local residents, equipment and, particularly close to her heart, HSQE (Health, Safety, Quality & Environment). With her colleagues and her sub-contractors, Fatima Zahra promotes respect, safety and mutual assistance: "Communicating with each other, helping each other, this is essential! We can learn from one another, and that makes the whole business move forward."
 

Colas Materials Manager for France, Bruno, coordinates the Group’s materials business throughout France. “Nearly 1,600 people work in Materials, over a multitude of sites scattered across the country, "he explains. Within this large scope, he is in charge of developing the sales, logistics and production strategies hand in hand with teams from each zone. He also works on rolling out tools to facilitate the daily life of operational staff. To reach his goals, Bruno can count on the teams with local roots in each community. “They are our contacts every day. On paper, I'm on my own, but in practice it's a team effort. Coordination is not possible without sharing issues and expertise in field operations. "Having a global vision the entire chain is a necessity to provide structure to the business and standardize actions at a country level. “The projects I put in place meet concrete needs, so going to the production sites and meeting the men and women in the field allows me to understand the real issues. "A cross-business approach, which helps Bruno involve the right people on specific topics. He truly enjoys being a coordinator, and goes to work every day with the intention of helping build a sustainable future for the Group.