He joined us in 2009 and since then has worked for Nefab in four countries. He is currently involved in developing our Last Mile Optimization service.
- People
Employee Stories
Meet Alexandre
Alexandre is the Frenchman who has been around the world before he established himself in Son, Netherlands to work for Nefab as a Senior Packaging Engineer.
Can you tell us about your current situation and day-to-day work?
Well, the good thing about being a Packaging Engineer at Nefab is that each day is different. There are so many customers in different segments with a wide range of products and needs, which brings new challenges and the opportunity to design unique packaging solutions every day.
Lately, I have been focused on developing our new LMO (Last Mile Optimization) service for one of our global customers. My part is operational, so I am looking at a way to deliver this service in the most efficient way and am responsible for the training of the new “Logistic Planners.” I appreciate this as it is quite different from my normal engineering routine, which is more focused on design, drawing and testing of new packaging solutions based on customer requirements. Regardless, my main objective is always the same: to help our customers achieve excellence through smarter, optimized packaging solutions
What is the best part of working as Packaging Engineer at Nefab?
Again, each day is different from the last, as we supply a wide range of customers with packaging solutions. We can be working on a design for a heavy truck engine one day and a very sensitive medical device the next, which helps make the job never feel boring.
What I also like is the fact Nefab is a global company that allowed me to travel to different countries, meet people from very different cultures. I learned a lot from these experiences personally and professionally.
I also enjoy being part of the Global Engineering Network, which connects a group of amazing people from all around the world. Every engineer at Nefab is part of it and we meet each month to share our knowledge and experience with each other.
How would you describe Nefab?
Nefab has a family business kind of atmosphere, but on a global level, which I find unique. The culture is open and human, and people are open and approachable, independent of their position. I have been working for Nefab in 4 different countries and one thing that is in common is the openness of the people and especially my managers. Regardless of backgrounds or cultures, it has always been possible to speak freely with all of them.
Also, it is a place where new challenges arise every day and you get a chance to have contact with all kinds of people from all around the world. It is also a place where innovation thrives, ever since it all started around 70 years ago with an innovative packaging solution.
Can you tell us about your journey at Nefab?
I started working for Nefab in France as a trainee back in 2009 when I was looking for a packaging company with a global footprint. Since then, I moved from being a trainee to Senior Packaging Engineer in the Netherlands. Between all this, I have been working in UK and Brazil, so the Netherlands is the fourth country I work in.
It’s been an amazing journey so far, especially with the exceptional people I have met and worked with, always ready to help and move Nefab forward with creative ideas.
I have learned a lot already and there is still much more to learn, even though I have been involved in various projects, worked with different kind of materials and been to places all around the world. For instance, last year I participated at an internal training program in Wuxi, China. It was challenging, but at the same time great to see how much there is to learn from all the skilled people Nefab has managed to gather!
Can you share a memory from your time at Nefab?
I remember one time in Brazil we had an electricity cut for over 36 hours. Energy shortages happen more frequently in Brazil, but they are not often that long and when this happened, the production was in the middle of an order for wooden crates, usually produced using nail guns. So, without energy for the compressor, there was no way to finish this order, unless… The team decides to use those good old hammers to finish this order and deliver on time! This is a memory that truly shows the dedication of Nefab’s employees.
What are your thoughts about the future?
For the next couple of years, I would like to continue developing Nefab’s Last Mile Optimization services both locally and globally. I am curious about what the future will bring, both for me personally but also how the world of packaging and logistics will look like!
