Interview with Caroline Semin, CEO of Semin

Batirama.com 19/11/20200

Caroline Semin, 28, takes over the reins of the family business Semin, a coatings manufacturer whose activity has diversified. Interview with a very determined young leader.

"Transmission, I see it as a staircase, it is done step by step. We learn, we observe, we listen, we understand..."

The Semin company is similar indeed a success story: it shows a growth in turnover of 10% per year (170 million euros in turnover expected at the end of the year) and has a clear ambition: to become the international leader in interior design solutions. in the habitat.

The family business is now run by Caroline Semin, as part of the passing of the torch by her father Philippe: he himself represents the 5th generation presiding over the destiny of the company. Born in 1838 in the East of France, with the manufacture of plaster, the activity remained in the same family but it evolved and above all grew a lot. It is a great challenge that awaits the 6th generation embodied today by Caroline Semin. The young leader reveals her determination and her character through a few questions and answers.

Bâtirama: Can you introduce yourself and indicate your training and background before joining the company?

Caroline Semin: I was born in Thionville (57). Once I got my baccalaureate, I joined Istec, a post-baccalaureate business school in Paris. It was very important for me to quickly set foot in professional life and to combine theory and practice. My first professional experience was in distribution at Chausson Matériaux, at the Fenouillet headquarters, where I had the pleasure of learning a lot within the Cadre Vert team, which leads the Club of Energy Renovation Craftsmen.

Cadre Vert supports craftsmen and helps them to be more efficient in the renovation market. A very enriching experience, which dates back to 2013 at the very beginning of the systems put in place to boost energy renovation with the CEE. It was a great introduction before joining, a few weeks later, the Actis work-study teams for my 3rd year, a French family business specializing in the manufacture of innovative insulation solutions.

A professional experience that marked me considerably, first of all, I loved being a salesperson in the field as close as possible to customers and I am proud and happy to have had the opportunity to contribute, at my level, the development of Actis, the European leader in reflective insulation and a true pioneer in the field. Then, I had the chance to join the Actis UK team for 6 months, a superb adventure on a professional and human level! I came out of it really grown and with a certain desire to continue my journey in the world of construction.

I then graduated with a master's degree in Finance - Business strategy & development at Istec.What made you decide to join Semin and what were your goals?

C.S: During my experience at Actis, I fell in love with the building sector. It was then quite naturally that I joined the Semin teams, initially in Ile-de-France. I was immersed in the Pros sales force.

We worked in pairs and our mission was to approach construction companies and more specifically painters, in order to develop our range of Semin Peintres coatings. It was a great mission to start, it allowed me to learn the products, the technique and to be closer to the applicators of our products.

Caroline Semin's crush on the construction industry was revealed to her during her professional experience at Actis, a manufacturer of reflective insulation.

The first steps in the company: how did they go? What missions did you have to accomplish?C.S : After this 2-year experience in the field, I joined the headquarters in Kédange-Sur-Canner, in the east, as Executive Director. I work daily with my father, with two clear objectives: to sustain the company and continue its development. It's a huge chance to be able to experience this handover and continue the Semin adventure, which began in 1838! I am the 6th generation, it is a great challenge, which inspires me on a daily basis.

We have grown rapidly in a short time, in fact when my father joined the company, the team was made up of 14 employees. Today, we are 650. One of our major challenges is therefore to develop the performance of our internal organization, in order to make it evolve with the growth that the company has experienced.

And this, while being very vigilant about maintaining and developing what makes up Semin's strengths, our flexibility, our responsiveness, our sense of service and our customer proximity. Our international development is also a major challenge for the years to come. We realize 40% of our turnover through more than 50 countries in the world. Last Semin flag planted a few days ago in Dubai!

Can you try to describe a “typical” weekday workday?

C.S: A typical work day starts with waking up at 5:50 a.m., I scurry into the dressing room, put on a jogger, my Nikes, my Airpods and I go for a run and cross the heart of Metz, passing next to the still lit cathedral, a few abs, a shower, brushing your teeth with toothpaste made in France – Breathe of course, I jump in the car with James my dog, a stop at the bakery at the corner of the street, a brioche for me, a pâté from Lorraine for James, head for the head office. Review of the day's schedule, review of the emails, a coffee with Claudine, my assistant and off we go, the day begins!

It can be extremely varied, a board meeting with our German subsidiary Rug Semin, which specializes in the manufacture of inspection hatches, a meeting with the sales, marketing and supply teams to respond to a call for tenders, a update on current and future recruitments with the HR team, the construction of the communication strategy on social networks for the next 2 months, the review of the script for an advertising spot for an ongoing project, an update with R&D, industry and the marketing team for the launch of a new eco-responsible product, etc.

Not a day is alike, it's super fun!

A jog is on the program every morning for Caroline Semin (here, near the cathedral of Metz) before facing her day at work.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

C.S : The foundations of Semin, its DNA, its spring, it is the Human. The development of Semin is not due to one person, it is a team effort. We very recently worked collectively on the construction of a project, Semin 2025, and I can't wait to be able to carry it out with the teams and present it to all the group's employees.

The main objective is to get everyone on board, set the course and row together in the same direction. What is our project ? Where are we going ? Why are we going there ? Gather around strong values ​​in line with Semin's state of mind. We are all mobilized around a common project and I think it is a huge driving force, an exceptional strength to build the years to come together.

Today my role is to provide support to all departments to encourage them to evolve and adapt to new challenges and the direction we have decided to take.The fact of being a woman, does it imply a different management? How would you describe him in relation to the paternal model?

C.S : We start from a strong history, family business, created in 1838, we must keep the foundations, the values, rely on what has made the company there today and on its achievements, while bringing new life. The transmission, I see it as a staircase, it is done step by step. We learn, we observe, we listen, we understand. And then we go to the next level, we discuss, we challenge the visions, we agree and we move forward.

Each step has its share of difficulties. I think that above all there must be a real desire to transmit on one side and to take over on the other. Then, the important thing is to communicate, listen to each other and always remember that the main objective is to move the company forward.

I think that being a 28-year-old woman inevitably affected my management, especially at the beginning, it takes listening, character, determination, and time to find your place, to be inspired by the management in place, add its touch and assert itself. This is essential to get the teams on board around a future project that makes sense for everyone.

I grow daily with the teams. And I keep one phrase in mind: “I am neither above nor below anyone. I find that when you avoid believing yourself to be above or feeling inferior, that's when you give your full potential” Philippe Zimmerman, CEO of ADEO.How do you view this world of construction, and in particular the craft companies who are your contacts and your customers? C.S : Our raison d'être is to develop quality technical solutions providing them with installation comfort and a saving time on construction sites. We are in a context where things move very quickly and where we must constantly adapt. Our sales teams work closely with construction companies. They are the ones who use our products on a daily basis on construction sites and it is very important to establish this proximity, in order to be able to continuously adapt our products and our services according to their needs.

And it is with this strong physical and digital proximity via our community on social networks that we will be best able to respond with agility and relevance to the challenges of tomorrow. For example, we have just launched the Reboucheur PRO, this new product was designed in close collaboration with professionals. Our community plays a major role in the development of new products. We are particularly followed and supported by the community and this is an enormous strength! Our challenges lie in innovation and changes in consumption patterns, with the growing importance of Made in France, the rise of eco-responsible materials, sustainability, data, and digitalization.How can we help them meet the challenges that await them in the face of recruitment difficulties in the sector?

C.S: Semin is committed to training and apprenticeship in building trades. Our teams have also set out to meet the next generation of craftsmen during a CFA Tour. We have traveled the regions of France to train young people in new innovative solutions, discuss with them the future of the sector and present them with job opportunities that can open up to them in the industrial world #frenchfab

The promotion of building trades is a subject that is close to my heart, we are moreover about to sign a partnership agreement with a very good player, which will allow us to act with concrete actions going in this sense in 2021. I can't wait! Stay tuned!

How is society doing today in this context of economic and health crisis and what are the upcoming projects?C.S : Our number 1 priority has been to put all the security measures in place to best protect our employees and be able to continue the activity. Export countries such as Germany, Portugal, Poland performed well during the first lockdown, which allowed us to minimize damage. In addition, many people have taken the opportunity to embark on small renovations, painting, reviewing the decor, which is beneficial for us.

We hope to end the year with slight growth and thus exceed €170 million in consolidated turnover. This second confinement is different from the first in France, indeed the will of the government is clear, the construction sites must continue, the distributors must thus remain open and the industry must supply. The teams are all mobilized to continue to support our customers as well as possible.

In addition, the recovery plan announces good prospects for renovation, which represents more than 60% of our activity. Our ambition is to become the international leader in interior design solutions for the home. Our challenge is to develop quality solutions that are really useful for building professionals.

Source: batirama.com/ Fabienne Leroy