FB Procédés celebrates its 30th anniversary! - Guillaume Dupré

Guillaume Dupré took over from his father at the head of FB Procédés six years ago. A handover that, dare I say it, went off without a hitch, with the support of all staff. Despite a completely different profile to that of his predecessor, Guillaume has succeeded in breathing new life into the company and modernizing it, while maintaining the course set many years ago. He talks to us about his first memories, his arrival at FB Procédés and the challenges that lie ahead.

Hello Guillaume. You were 7 years old when FB was taken over by your father Patrick. So you grew up at the same time as the company. What memories do you have of it?

Immediately 3 memories come to mind.

The first memory is of me and my 2 sisters filling transparent pouches with sales literature. As my parents were separated, I went to my father's every other weekend, and as Patrick also worked on Saturdays and Sundays, he took us to the office with him. At the time, the company didn't have the means to print brochures, so we had to rely on the "système D". I treated it like a game, and the pay was excellent: a meal at McDonald's!

My second memory is of going to Mart'Inox to wire bar screens, when I was maybe 12. I had no idea what a bar screen was for, and I was very impressed by the boiler workshop and all the big guys in blue overalls working there. For a "city boy" like me, it was a whole new world. It was then that I met Pascal Dollet, our current workshop manager. If someone had told me that day that I'd be his manager 20 years later, I think I'd have thought it was a good joke!

My third memory is again at Mart'Inox with my father. We had to wire and test a bar screen in a hurry. I remember because it was a Saturday evening, it was pitch dark, and Claude Martin (the owner) had opened up the workshop to us so we could wire up the bar screen at night so it would go off on time. It's not necessarily a good memory, because as a child I wasn't too keen on staying until midnight in an empty boiler shop. But looking back, I believe that the strength of FB Procédés lies in these stories, in people like my father who didn't count the hours they worked to satisfy an order. It's very instructive and humbling.

Later, what prompted you to take over?

It wasn't written down, it was always in the back of my mind, but it wasn't an end in itself. I wanted to make my own experiences first, and above all, I only wanted to take over if I had something to contribute to the company. During its first 20 years, FB was a company made up mainly of technicians, and France was practically its only market. Since my profile was more management-oriented, and especially since I was working abroad, the company didn't need someone like me. I said to my father: "The day you start exporting, I'll think twice". And that's exactly what happened: exporting became a strategic area of development, and I decided to take up the challenge.

What doubts did you have when making your choice?

I was living in Asia when I decided to take over. I had an established life there, a job that I really enjoyed, so naturally coming back to France was an important decision. Would I be able to readjust to life in France? Was I ready to turn the page on a life abroad?

From a professional point of view, I had the fairly common "boss's son" complex: would the employees accept me? How could I be legitimate? How could I manage people who had been working there for 20 years, some of whom were 30 years older than me? The trigger came from the employees, when they said they would be reassured if the company was taken over by Patrick's son, thus ensuring continuity and security for their future. It's a fact that family-run businesses are statistically more sustainable, with children keen to carry on what their parents started. Since I wanted to come and the employees wanted me to come, all I had to do was come! I'd also like to thank the whole team, who have always trusted me, because taking over a company is a challenge, and without their unfailing support, it would have been impossible.

You've been running the company since 2015. What was your initial vision? And has the company's evolution matched your initial expectations?

When I arrived at FB, we were a well-functioning company whose team members were motivated and passionate about their work. Our customers returned the favor, telling us that our products were of high quality and reliable, and that we were always on hand to help when problems arose. It's an ideal scenario when you take over a company, because the operational side of things is very time-consuming, and many company directors can't get away from it enough to take the necessary step back.

At the time, my vision was very clear: the company was technically and operationally well established, and was the market leader in France. The next step was a natural one: our screening technology makes life much easier for operators, providing real solutions in terms of reliability and ease of operation. So we had to take our organization to the next level, so that our technology could cross borders and spread internationally.

Our main focus has been on internal structuring, so that our teams can become more autonomous and flourish. When you're lucky enough to have highly competent people who are passionate about their work, you mustn't restrict them by micro-managing them; on the contrary, you must give them responsibility by "giving them the keys to the truck". As soon as you give people a sense of responsibility and trust, the momentum naturally comes from them, and the whole company rises.

Looking back, a lot has happened in 6 years! I'm very proud of what we've achieved and where we are today. In fact, we recently passed the symbolic milestone of 5,000 bar screens installed in over 40 countries. Beyond the figures, my greatest satisfaction is that we've done it while preserving our DNA as a small, innovative French SME, and keeping a good-natured spirit internally!

If you had to remember one date, one fact since you took over the helm of the company or since FB came into being, what would it be?

A few more days and I'll certainly reply that the date to remember was September 25, 2021 when we celebrated FB's 30th birthday as a family! 😊

At the end of this month, FB Procédés celebrates its 30th anniversary. What does this mean to you?

Just this year, we interviewed Mr. Fernand Barré, the 89-year-old inventor of our screening technology. Among other things, we owe him the "FB" in our logo, his initials. At the time, he was describing his very first bar screen, which was in fact a wooden model with a crank handle, which he carried in his car to show to operators and convince them of his solution. He talked about it as if it were yesterday.

On the day of the 30th anniversary party, Mr Fernand Barré will be present, surrounded by our 50 employees and their families, as well as the many people and partners who have participated and are still participating in the great adventure he initiated.

I can't think of a better symbol for such an occasion!

What do you see as the challenges for the years ahead?

We make a point of designing and manufacturing our products in France. As our products are mainly stainless steel boilers, I hope that politicians will not forget the importance of preserving this know-how and training young people in these fine trades, so that SMEs like ours can continue to grow.

The question is a difficult one in the "Covid" context, when raw material shortages are rife and prices are soaring. The immediate challenge is to get through this delicate period, while hoping that international flows return to a certain normality.

Since its creation, FB Procédés has decided to specialize in one product, unlike many of its competitors who offer a wide range dedicated to sanitation. Why did you make this choice, and what are the advantages?

This was the choice made by my predecessors, and I am convinced that we must continue along this path.

To put it bluntly, it's a bit like going to see a general practitioner or a specialist. Both are perfectly capable of prescribing a treatment, but the specialist who has dedicated his life to a particular pathology will be better able to propose a targeted treatment.

After 30 years of designing bar screens, we still often have to "go back to the drawing board" to find solutions to new problems. We're constantly learning and challenging ourselves.

I don't think there's any good or bad strategy in deciding to sell one type of product or a wide range of products. It's simply a different business orientation.

However, I remain firmly convinced that we can only master an area of expertise better if we focus all our energy and resources on it.