Eric was hired as an IT support technician in 2003, following the installation of an IT service. 

He is now head of the three-man Support Cell and is responsible for the maintenance of approximately 1,000 PCs. 

After passing his professional “Maintenance of Office Technology and Telematics” baccalaureate, Eric went on to obtain a BTS (Advanced Technician’s Certificate) in IT Support in 1997. He started his career in the banking sector before joining Saint-Gobain Recherche in 2000, via a service company. In 2003, he was hired by the head of the IT department. “I was hired following a decision to set up an internal IT team” Eric said. 

“I am responsible for helping users and for handling their day-to-day requirements. Before you can solve the technical problem they may have, you first need to fully understand it. So good interpersonal skills are essential, you need to be able to listen. In my opinion, being a good technician is not 80% technology and 20% relations, it’s 50-50” Eric explained. “You need to be able to put yourself in the user’s shoes and explain to him or her, in simple terms, what you are doing during the visit.” 

Eric considered that working for a company like Saint-Gobain Recherche was an advantage. “Researchers do need their computer, but if it isn’t working there are other things they can do, so that gives us time to solve the problem without being overly pressurized.”

The other advantage that Eric sees in working for SGR, is that there is an internal IT team. “Whatever the user problem, we can handle it, because we set up the network, the servers, PCs, software, we know how it works, which is not the case when you work for a service company.” 

In early 2012, IT migrated towards “site” IT. 
”This gave me opportunity to become head of the Support Cell” Eric explained. Today, Eric and his team are responsible not only for SGR’s IT support, but also that of the other two Saint-Gobain Group companies located on the Aubervilliers site. 

Recruited in 2000 to take over the running of the entire IT department at Saint-Gobain Recherche, Christophe took on the challenge, and today with a 7-people team, is responsible for some 740 machines. *





"When I arrived at Saint-Gobain Recherche, after several years’ experience at Isover Saint-Gobain, outsourced companies managed the office and data processing parts etc. The goal set for me was to recreate a complete in-house IT department that was reliable and with the proper safeguards to deliver the best possible service for the scientific or administrative services," Christophe explains.

A real challenge that required in-house expertise to be re-established. Mission accomplished, since today 7 people make up the department. "We are in charge of the office part which also includes both preparing and maintaining the computers for all the staff as well as the management of the servers and development of the network. Starting with a 10 MB network, we transformed it into a 10 GB redundant network. We also took control of all the technical part of the data processing centre. In 2000 we had 32 calculation processors compared with almost 500 today."

And for the last two years, an emphasis has been placed on software tools, the production or development of tools for the administrative services or for the researchers. "We have set up deliverables tracking software for our internal customers for example."

"We also do a lot of work on databases for managing the laboratories, product tracking, the analyses etc. Finally, we work for the researchers who are seeking new applications for their studies. We often develop specific software internally to meet their requirements."

Similarly, to be at the forefront of the latest technology, the IT department sets up partnerships with companies offering innovative solutions. "Saint-Gobain Recherche allows me to develop in a very varied position and gives me the resources to progress. We have developed the department and are constantly looking for new products. It's very exciting."

* since 1 June 2012, Christophe has evolved in Research Centre (SG CREE) in Cavaillon near Avignon. He is responsible for information systems.