Christian, what do you do for a living?

As a manufacturer in the field of planners, it means thinking globally about the product: from the pre-press phase up to printing and all the way to the manufacture of the covers. I create the technical manufacturing files that are used for all the machines that are used in bringing the final product to life. These technical files contain all the information needed for the production of the products, such as printing rules, formats, etc. I ensure workflow continuity between the different stages of production. A large part of my job is anticipating and managing unforeseen events or technical problems that may arise. Finally, I also work on advertising products ordered by companies, as the direct interface in contact with clients who wish to design a planner featuring their brand. Based on their requests and with our technical constraints in mind, I provide advice to make the project feasible.

Who do you work with in the company?

I work in a team and with all departments: Methods who assess the feasibility of a project, the Sales department who dispatches orders, Planning who ensures that deadlines are met, Marketing who develops new products, and finally all the production units with their very diverse skills. Ultimately, my job is a kind of “control tower” in the sense that we have an eye on each different stage of production to make sure that everything is running smoothly.

What skills are required to be a manufacturer?

Of course, you need to be familiar with all the steps involved in making a planner which means having technical expertise in the graphic chain, and knowing how to use digital machines but also office automation tools. An essential quality is also to be able to provide solutions quickly and not hesitate to take the reins of a project!

How has your job evolved over the years?

I enjoy my job because it belongs to the graphic arts sector, a sector that brings together professions with unique types of know-how that have always existed. With the evolution of equipment and innovations in recent years, the business has remained as exciting as ever. Finally, as a manufacturer, we are in the middle of different people, machines and products. So no two days are the same, and time flies!