At INFACO, there are faces that everyone knows, but there are also people behind the scenes who have become pillars of the company. Olivier Fraysse is one of them. Now head of the supply chain, he has seen the company evolve from a family business of 20 people to an internationally recognised industrial player in the field of battery-powered electric pruning shears. And he has never left the adventure.
Olivier discovered INFACO during his studies, in the course of a summer job. He unpacked, cleaned and helped out in the workshop during the revision period. The warm, friendly atmosphere made a lasting impression on him. When he returned for his end-of-studies work placement, he was working on the design of the Electrocoup F3002 electric pruning shears, the model that preceded the now emblematic generations such as the F3015 or the INFACO F3020 pruning shears. At the time, it was still a very small team, with everyone doing their bit. And that's exactly what he liked about it: "I liked the friendly atmosphere in the company and the character of the manager, Dany. He was a leader of men. By his side, I learnt how a company works and how to manage people.
Olivier joined the company in 1999. He quickly became involved in procurement and production, and then in the overall structuring of the industrial chain. At the time, Dany Delmas, the founder, was still managing everything himself: purchasing, production, logistics, sales, etc. Olivier took over some of these functions. This enabled the company to evolve.
The organisation has changed a lot since then. INFACO has expanded, become more professional and gone digital. New workshops have sprung up. Production lines have become more agile, with optimised management of components such as the lithium battery, the blade, the cutting head or the carrying waistcoat. We are able to adapt them to the needs of each market (electrical voltages, multilingual instructions, specific regulations, etc.). But one choice remains firm: INFACO does not rely on excessive automation, but on the know-how of its technicians. Olivier explains: "We work on small and medium-sized production runs. Our strength is flexibility. We prefer to keep our assembly lines versatile, run by loyal, committed teams."
Since his arrival, Olivier has seen a number of models come and go. He remembers the F3002, the first model to be designed, the F3005 with its progressive release and the iconic Electrocoup F3015. These generations mark a new era for the brand. What's more, each range launch is a highlight: it's the culmination of a long process of cross-functional work, and it's an opportunity for the INFACO family to get together (teams, distributors, customers, partners, etc.).
At the head of the supply chain, Olivier has also structured the teams by recruiting several managers: "Today, they are the ones who drive the company forward!
For Olivier, one of the major challenges ahead is clear: to continue to grow, while retaining the INFACO soul. We'll be able to do that because we're very loyal to our suppliers, our partners and our customers - whether they work in vineyards, orchards or green spaces. We'll always have a little something extra.
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See you soon for episode 6 of our special 40th anniversary series, with an interview with Laurent Rigal! To celebrate our anniversary, the company's key figures look back at its history, from the very first Electrocoup to flagship models such as the F3010, F3015 and F3020.
It's called "INFACO, the series" and it's broadcast all year round on our website and social networks in 11 episodes!
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