July, 2021 – “What a way to start! When you placed your trust in me to chair our Federation last year, COVID-19 was already affecting our country, the men and women, our loved ones, our companies and therefore our employees.” – Laurent TARDIF, President of FIEEC

At the time, this was just the beginning of a crisis whose end we still can’t see, even if hope is gradually returning in light of the progress of vaccination.

Taking the helm in the midst of a storm was, and remains, an unquestionably exhilarating challenge. As a lover of the sea, I won’t deny it. But if the ship has steered the right course, it’s first and foremost thanks to your unfailing support: that of our member unions, who have perfectly adapted their course to best meet the needs of our industries. In the not-too-distant past, intermediary bodies came in for some criticism. But in managing the crisis, they have proved their worth to society as a whole, by proposing lasting solutions and providing the necessary support and solidarity between the various links in the industry. On behalf of the Board of the Federation, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the unions for their commitment to our industrial fabric.

While our Federation’s roadmap has been adapted to the consequences of this pandemic, it is no less necessary to continue our battles. As we regularly emphasize to our public contacts, the crisis is not relegating the challenges facing our industries to the background. Rather, it reinforces them. Today, the electrical, electronic and digital industries play an important role in the day-to-day management of this crisis. Our technologies are essential for the smooth running of our hospitals, for teleworking, and for homecare. Tomorrow, they will have a fundamental responsibility in implementing the digital and environmental transitions to which our society aspires.

But to make this possible, we need strong industries, of course, but we also need skilled men and women. A frigate captain won’t get very far without a crew. That’s why we wanted to place particular emphasis in our work on the attractiveness of our professions. Our sector’s assets are immense; it’s up to us to make them known, to attract new people to the profession. In this respect, our investment in the Fée Électricité masterpiece embodies a new and original way of attracting young people to an industry whose contributions to the society they are discovering are considerable.
to the society they are discovering.

Allow me to express my affection for two men, and more precisely for two predecessors.

I’d like to begin by thanking Gilles Schnepp for his confidence and for leaving behind him a Federation in excellent working order. I know that he remains committed to our work and to our profession, and I would like to offer him, on behalf of all of us, our full support as he embarks on the new journey towards the agri-food industry. Finally, last April, François MAUDUIT passed away in his 81st year. President of our Federation from 1999 to 2003, I had the honor of sitting on our governing bodies alongside him, and I have fond memories of a captain of industry deeply committed to serving the profession. A profession that today expresses its deepest gratitude to him.

In conclusion, a final word to wish you an excellent reading of this report, which will attempt in a few pages to summarize the main actions of our Federation during this very special year.

Our industries are ready to move beyond resilience and refocus on growth, for a better future.