Aurélien Pochet
R&D Manager and product leader at LEBON
“What is your role in the LEBON group? “
“The main purpose of the R&D department is to develop LEBON product lines to fulfil the requirements of PPE users. We also have to make sure the created products comply with the various European and international standards through testing and experiments. Our key word is innovation! “
“What are you currently working on? “
“Obviously there are many subjects, but the most important is the launch of the production line for our new product range which will come out in 2021. It’s a product line that we’ve been preparing for several years now and which will be a real opportunity for LEBON”
“How do you feel working for the Lebon group? “
“Our installations at Montigny-en-Ostrevent are the most recent, with an open setting and a brand new lab. As colleagues we really get on well, each department works with the others and provides them the information they need for the business to run smoothly. Moreover, the expansion of the LEBON group in Europe and globally means we can work with colleagues from different countries and cultures to enrich ourselves both at the personal and professional levels. “
“How would you define the LEBON group’s approach to innovation? “
Our innovation is based on being very attentive to the market to be able to fulfil our customers’ requirements when they occur, but whenever possible to also anticipate future needs for protective gloves. To do that, we use the strong relationships we have forged with our raw material suppliers to be able to develop the solutions we need for our customers’ issues.
“What are the challenges facing the LEBON group? “
There are many. We must give our customers the appropriate technical and economic solutions that also meet an increasing number of durability and sustainable development criteria to reduce the impact of our production and the use of our gloves on the environment. Taking into account those CSR criteria is an increasing factor in our customers’ decision-making process.
“What was your most outstanding professional project at Lebon? “
“Without question it was the launch of the first PU line [the first glove factory specific to the CLEAN PU® line which meets environmental and health protection requirements] in 2007 in Kolkata, as we started from scratch and suffered every possible and imaginable problem, we’re pleased to see that the product line was a success and continues to be so with several specific production lines now running. “
“How has the workplace changed over the past years? “
“Society in general currently requires us to be more responsible in our production processes regarding the environment and product quality. This means we need to question our processes and products to improve them, a real challenge we try to meet every day. “