Discover the portrait of François, an emblematic figure at the MERGER workshop, who looks back on 48 years of a career spent mastering precision mechanics, from fine gears to 20-ton gearboxes. On the eve of his retirement, this lover of mechanical precision shares his perspective on the evolution of the profession and the values that allow the company to endure.
Through this interview, the entire MERGER team pays tribute to a significant figure in the life of the company.
Hello François. Can you tell us about your professional background?
Francois: Hello. My professional background? I started with a vocational certificate in turning. After that, I progressed within the company where I worked: I did turning, milling, gear cutting, gear grinding… I was a team leader, then a workshop manager. Before MERGERI worked for AEP (Precision Mechanics) on ChassieuOver the last ten years, I've mainly done editing work at the company Merger. We started to create the department establishing That's how we started in society.
And what sparked your interest in this profession?
Francois: It was the assembly workSince I worked in the gear industry, I was very familiar with gear teeth. It's a very diverse field and quite a job. technicalThat's what I like and that's why I continued in this sector.
How has the profession evolved for you since you started?
Francois: The profession has evolved, yes. We started with a reducer which weighed approximately 200 kg And, with evolution, now we are mounted on 20-ton reducers. In the 80s and 90s, several florets French industrialists have faded awayOthers were bought out, notably by German or Italian companies. We saw the development of geared motors. At that time, the gearbox sector had declined significantly in France. Some companies still remained, and this presented an opportunity to...try to progressWe had some competition, but the gearbox sector in France isn't talked about much. There are companies in the North, but few in the Rhône-Alpes region. We stayed and we're trying to diversify in the high-speed gearbox.
Do you remember your first day at Merger?
Francois: My first day at Merger was at Chassieu Also. The Merger company, which we bought from StrasbourgIt was closing. We had a loss of approximately 30% in production and machining. So the owner at the time, Mr. Jacques Monmessin, bought back the Merger company, which was then called Merger Factories and then asked us to rebuild the company in Chassieu. It's wonderful what has been accomplished with... Anthony (Resp. BE ed.l.) in particular. It's been about ten years I think, time flies so fast… around 2012. Yes, I think that must be it.
What has changed in your profession since you started?
Francois: I don't have any particular changes in mind. What I do remember is how much handling equipment has evolved compared to before. The job of a fitter is quite a job. meticulous and the concern of detail remained the same. After that, it's true that today we're no longer working with mass-produced, standard gearboxes. We now have all types of gearboxes, so it's quite technical, quite close to the industrial haute couture We can say that.
"What's important is the shrink fitting or keying of a wheel onto a shaft."
At what point can we say that an editor is good?
Francois: An editor is good as long as they are meticulous in their work. I think that to become one good editorYou need about a year of training for the standard Merger gearbox. After that, you need a few more years when you're working with a variety of gearboxes. What can be difficult is that there are some gearboxes where, sometimes, you just don't have no planSo we took enough photos to try and reassemble the gearbox exactly as it was. We also reworked some gearboxes that weren't from Merger, like Comelor for example, and as we disassembled them, we tried modifying two or three techniques to make things easier later on.
If you were put in front of a speed reducer, what would you look at first?
Francois: First, we look at the input and output of the gearbox. Then, we check if it's a parallel gear gearbox, a single-piece gearbox, or a worm gear. What's important is the fretting or keying of a wheel on a shaft. The direction of the keyingThat's the first thing. It's an important point: knowing which position fretter a wheel on a tree.
"Good times: the memory of each day"
What are you most proud of in your career?
Francois: Especially my evolutionCompared to when I started at the age of 17 and a half. I remember the date: October 10, 1978. That will soon be 48 years ago. My best memory in the workshop is, in general, that is... the teams that we had. We went from good moments is the memory of each dayI think that without a team, you can't move forward in a business. The worst memory is of the "unicorns," when there are puzzles with multiple possible outcomes.
Do you have an anecdote that has stayed with you?
Francois: It's personal… One day, I arrived in the locker room to change and realized I had one black shoe and one brown shoe. I had left home so quickly! Work first !
What do you think makes Merger so strong today?
Francois: What has always been important to me is the team. In a company, if you're not weldedWe're not making any progress. The knowledge I have, I have learned from the elders And that was an important point in the evolution of my career. We had difficult times and we always tried to to stick togetherI feel that we still have that today, and it's fortunate that the WITHIN GROUP LeGoff managed to maintain this state of mind.
Having known the old workshop, what struck you most about the new building?
Francois: Even when we first entered the workshop, it was truly a fun to work. A brand new workshop with the equipment we already have, frankly, it's really great. The arrival of the second overhead crane This was also an important point for safety and ergonomics, given the heavy reducers that are now being fitted.
What will be the first thing you do in retirement?
Francois: Spending much more time with my granddaughters, hobbies, activities… even though I will always have a thought for Merger. I'm really going to miss the team.
Is there a tool that has been with you throughout all these years?
Francois: The caliper! We can't do without it. pied à slideThis is the basic measuring device.
What advice would you give to the new generation?
Francois: We must always stick together. For me, it's essential.
Thank you François for these years of passing on knowledge, know-how and interpersonal skills.