From leather goods to textiles, the Atelier de Julien.H, an exemplary manufacturer serving brands

Prototypiste autodidacte depuis 19 ans, le fondateur des Ateliers Julien.H mise aussi sur le bien-être au travail de ses salariés. DR

Out of concern for a job well done and the well-being of its employees, Atelier Julien.H has established itself as a demanding and exemplary manufacturer serving brands. ;nbsp;

Belgian and former professional rugby player, Julien Hanchir, founder and director of Ateliers Julien.H, fell into trouble very early on. From the age of 12, surrounded by his parents' horses, Julien Hanchir devoted himself to one of his passions: saddlery and harnessing. Later, he trained in computer graphics and learned technical drawing.

100% self-taught prototyper for 19 years on his own, 15 years ago he met those who would become the creators of the Bleu de Chauffe brand, who offered him to take care of the production part. The adventure began at 3 and continues to this day for these two distinct and interdependent societies.

L’Atelier Julien H initially offers leather goods and extended its offering with textiles in 2019. "In leather goods, we work with leathers from Italy and France, the tanning is exclusively vegetable. We do not work in a production line, each employee produces an entire product which considerably improves the quality of life at work in terms of gestures and postures and fulfillment. Each person is independent and responsible for their work, explains the business manager who has been working for 10 years with his wife, responsible for the textile part.< /p>

4 day week

He adds: "There are 30 of us who are passionate about the profession. We work 35 hours in 4 days, we never do more than 4 months in a row without vacation, we have up to 8 different schedules because we adapt to the family constraints of the employees. We have many foreign workers, some of whom do not master the language, others wear the veil, we also have workers with disabilities, develops this great humanist for whom motivation, support and exemplarity are cardinal values. 

"At Atelier Julien H, we don't make a difference, we simply expect motivation and quality. We make the workshop and machines available to those who wish to create their business with their own brand by testing themselves without financial risk. Overtime is valued for those who wish to increase their monthly income. Finally, 1/3 of the workforce has a company car that can be used personally. All of this put together means that we have a team that is very motivated by the company's project and that wants to move forward.< /p>

Ambitious CSR component

Surrounded by nature, with a view of the Millau viaduct, the 1,400 m²  building is equipped with photovoltaic panels, a rainwater recovery tank which allows, among other things, water storage and storage. rsquo;watering the vegetable garden set up for employees. What's new for Julien Hanchir is the creation of a training center whose first class will begin on September 9, 2024 (read below).

"At the workshop, it is mainly people undergoing retraining for whom training is done on the ground and takes time. The center is a project that is close to my heart, which will ensure the sustainability of my business but more widely benefit the Millavois leather sector,  confirms Julien Hanchir.

Julien.H also focuses on training

The result of a year of internal work in conjunction with the Region and the City of Millau, the School of Artisans has obtained Qualiopi approvals and becomes the only examination center professional titles from the South of France.

Eight candidates were selected for this condensed training of 420 hours over 3 months preparing for the « Leather goods stitcher and preparer. Two trainers, currently employees of Atelier Julien H, will work on the system based at the Maison desentreprises (MDE) in Millau.

"They have theoretical background, 8 years in the field and they already train new arrivals internally. They will alternate between training and production. It's important to change everyday life, to propose developments, especially when it comes to reliable people, explains Julien Hanchir. The next session will begin in February 2025. The school will also offer leisure workshops managed by a third employee.

I subscribe to read more