World famous brand is looking for specialized employees, urgently. The announcement could appear on the website of the Buffet-Crampon company. For several weeks, the famous manufacturer of musical instruments has been facing recruitment difficulties.
Based in Mantes-la-Ville (Yvelines), the group is renowned throughout the world for its expertise in clarinets. Between 15,000 and 20,000 of these instruments come out of the Mantaise factory each year before being shipped to the four corners of the Earth, in particular to professional musicians.
But this flagship of French excellence now lacks the skilled labor to manufacture them. “It is particularly problematic for positions that require a high qualification, testifies Jérôme Perrod, president of Buffet-Crampon. There, we are missing between five and ten people to be able to meet the demand. »
A context of recovery and strong demand
If it seems low in absolute terms, this figure is very important. Because among the 248 employees of Buffet-Crampon, some have a strategic role: they are the finishers, those who arrive at the very end of the production chain and are responsible for making the final corrections to the instrument and ensure its compliance.
“The problem comes from their place in the manufacturing process. Their absence creates a bottleneck upstream which prevents us from producing more downstream”, abounds Nicolas André, the director of human resources.
This situation is all the more problematic as it occurs in a context of strong recovery, after two years of Covid. The company is returning to pre-pandemic demand levels… without, however, being able to adapt its offer.
Positions paid between 2,200 and 3,000 euros per month
Direct consequence: the turnover is seriously affected. Management has done its accounts: “With the ideal number of finishers, we could sell 10% to 20% more,” says Jérôme Perrod. The salary is however interesting: a beginner receives almost 2,200 euros per month and the average salary is close to 3,000 euros.
This is not the first time that this company has sounded the alarm. Like its neighbor Selmer, who specializes in saxophones, Buffet-Crampon regularly faces difficulties in the job market. Recruitment and communication campaigns have been launched with local authorities, Pôle Emploi or the Local Mission. Without much success.
The profile of the employees sought partly explains this tension. In addition to being highly skilled, workers must be specialized in musical instruments. Unthinkable, therefore, to find them in temporary work agencies, whose flexibility is nevertheless interesting in the event of a sudden economic recovery, as has been the case for a few months.
Overly specific research “which collides with the reality of the job market”
Apprenticeship could emerge as a solution. But the only center specializing in musical instruments is located… in Le Mans (Sarthe). “This example is very symbolic. Companies of excellence like Buffet-Crampon have extremely precise searches that come up against the reality of the job market. By definition, we will always be on a hypertensive recruitment, analyzes Azmy Ahriz, director of the local Mission of Mantois. Faced with these imponderables, companies have not sufficiently anticipated their needs. They should invest for the duration and bet on the long term. We’ve known for years that the training center is in Le Mans, but no one had the idea of a “detached” class in Le Mans. And yet, local training centers and communities are all volunteers. »
It remains to find candidates for these courses. This specialist points to the weak impregnation of manual trades in college and high school, as noted by other companies which are struggling to hire. An elected representative from the region also wonders about the motivation of young adults for these trades. “It is sometimes complicated. Some of them refuse training. In our region, the social emergency makes them hope for work and a salary right away, says Alssin Yamfu, municipal councilor responsible for youth, access to employment and training. However, these are professions of patience, which require specialized training, rigor and daily discipline. »