Our team – Nicolas Henri
The story of ESA is above all the story of the people who make up its team.
It is with great pride that we introduce you to the men and women who make our company what it is today.
What is your job at ESA? I am a technician, so I take care of everything related to production and installation. I know the ESA-1000 devices like the back of my hand.
How long have you been working at ESA? It’s been 2 years in November 2020. I arrived at the same time we opened the new ESA factory, so I was able to actively participate in the organization of the production plant!
What led you to ESA? I used to work as an electrician and as a welder, so I have a lot of experience in manufacturing, production and I have learned a lot from working at BRP. Growing up on a farm, I quickly developed my resourcefulness. You could say that I am a jack of all trades! I always manage to get creative with few things. I knew Gabriel, he thought I would fit in well with the people here. He made me an offer and I joined the team!
In three words, how would you describe ESA? I would say respect, evolution and authenticity.
What is the challenge that inspires you the most at ESA? That everything continuously has to be improved! Start from the base, find the best processes to improve the product, improve production speed. These are the kind of everyday challenges that inspire me!
And how is your typical day of work at ESA? What are your main tasks?
90% of my time is spent directly in the factory building the units. I am there every day. However, it may happen that I receive a call at the last minute. So, I also go to the farms to do installations or repairs.
What do you bring to the company that is unique? I manage all production at the factory. Like I said earlier, I helped set up the factory we have right now. I have a good background in assembly, good logic, so I quickly see where the time is wasted. We always have improvements to make and I keep bringing my ideas!
In other words, you play an important role in the optimization process? I often participate in design meetings and brainstorms, just like I get involved in production. I do it all with ESA, that’s the fun. I have production experience as a former welder and having done mechanical work. I understand the steps necessary to arrive at the final product. So even though I don’t really have any design experience, my vision is useful in assessing the feasibility of ideas. Let’s say I have a good imagination!
What do you like about your job at ESA? I love that we are making a real difference for farms and for animal welfare. We give them a better quality of life.
I like that we have a great team. Each person is an integral part of ESA. If someone is missing, you can tell right away. There is enormous respect for people. I also love that I can do everything at the same time, my job is never routine. In addition, there are plenty of advancement opportunities and challenges.
What is your wish for ESA in the coming years? For the future, I hope that we can make a real difference. When people want to build a farm, I hope it will be obvious to everyone that an heat exchanger is essential. We want to show producers that it is necessary, well beyond monetary investment. I wish it wasn’t even possible not to have one anymore. In our houses, we have to have heat exchangers, so why is it not the same for a chicken barn where 10,000, 15,000 birds live?
An initiative that you like at ESA? Every Tuesday and Thursday, the whole team is invited to chat. Each person talks about their projects, everyone is kept informed of the news. It’s fun, it makes sure that everyone has their place, everyone knows what the others are working on. A much appreciated transparency !