They went back to the factory. Some at the usual post, others at the workshop for making surgical masks. All are there to help restart the Michelin factories.
This Friday morning, on the site of La Combaude, in Clermont-Ferrand, the Bibs present had the visit of the big boss, Florent Menegaux, himself out of a confinement of three weeks in his apartment in Clermont-Ferrand. “We are restarting, so here I am too. “
Training in the manufacturing of surgical masks
There, it is first in the training room for the manufacture of surgical masks, where a dozen volunteers learn new gestures, just above a confined workshop, health precautions oblige, where other trained operators sew masks.The textile reinforcement workshop, at La Combaude, in Clermont-Ferrand.
The workshop still looks handcrafted. Soon, the site will produce 20,000 masks per week. Ten sites in Europe have been chosen for this new activity. Ultimately, the group hopes to produce 400,000 masks per week, primarily for its operators.
Gradual resumption in France
Most of the shutdown Michelin factories are in the process of restarting. Despite general opposition from the unions, management has launched procedures to restart its fifteen sites in France. Four of them (Bourges, Montceau-les-Mines, Cataroux and Chantemerle in Clermont-Ferrand) had not stopped but had been reduced to the minimum and will ramp up. Ditto for Blavozy, Clermont-La Combaude and Troyes, relaunched on April 2 for so-called priority markets (civil engineering, specific molds, agriculture). The others, including the factories producing automobile tires, will be getting back into working order in an equally gradual manner. Cholet, Epinal, Joué-lès-Tours and also the Gravanches, in Clermont, the Ladoux research center and the Carmes headquarters will resume activity on site. Volunteering prevails everywhere.
Florent Menegaux, President of Michelin, in front of a parts workshop for medical respirators.
Florent Menegaux, President of Michelin: “We have to restart the chain”
For now, it remains moderate as in Clermont-Ferrand, where 500 people are expected at six sites, but the 15% to 20% of the workforce mobilized could be 30% in two weeks. And all factories in France should have restarted by the end of the month.
Drastic health measures
Michelin has implemented drastic sanitary measures for this restart: systematic temperature taking at the entrance, distancing in the workshops, masks available, etc. And all the agents who have returned to their posts are volunteers.
Like Maxime, turner at the mold workshop at La Combaude: “ It feels good to get back to work. We are less numerous, we all wear masks. There are measures to apply, but it is not binding, just a habit to take. “
A habit that will probably last, as will the wearing of a mask. Cassandra Fernandes, a technician in Cataroux at the metal reinforcements workshop, is one of the volunteers for the manufacture of these famous masks. “It is important to do it. I will be in production on Tuesday. Training is specific gestures but also all hygiene measures. “
The first workshop for making surgical masks is in place at La Combaude.
These new workshops, Sylvie Jamon-Gachet, director of research on textile materials, designed them with her teams: “By teleworking and pooling our experiences, we studied the standards of masks, the products necessary for manufacturing. We have adapted our know-how. “
Michelin now produces masks and the ubiquitous hydroalcoholic gel on the sites. The company clearly displays the priority of the moment: equip its employees to assume its raison d’être, produce tires.
The specific mold workshop at La Combaude.
Unions opposed to recovery
Unanimously, the unions of Michelin speak out against the announced recovery. For SUD, Jérôme Lorton explains: “Having employees work at this time means taking risks for them and the population since the only way to prevent the spread of the virus is to stay at home. All the factories are in working order, but management’s speech is becoming more and more serious. Behind, we fear the consequences of this crisis for employment. “ For the CGT, Jean-Paul Cognet completes: “Restart to make masks, why not, but to make tires, certainly not. They are not essential items. We restart to give pledges to shareholders, to finance. But for us it is too early. We are still in the midst of a health crisis. “
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Patrice Campo
Rémi Dugne pictures
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