Franck Thuillier has worked at SPIE for 36 years, starting as a Technician and rising to his current role as Department Head in charge of SPIE's petrochemical activities in northern France. As Department Head, he manages multi-year contracts with large customers. SPIE provides services to control customers' installations on site to optimize plant performance through accurate measurement of temperature, pressure, and fluid flow related to fertilizer, plastic, and oil production. Recruitment is a challenge as there are few engineering schools that offer training in the petrochemical industry, so SPIE has a training program to share its knowledge and encourage students to study and gain work experience in this field.

1. Franck Thuillier, 55, started working at SPIE in 1982 as a Technician, and rose through the ranks
to become a manager in the 1990’s. Today, he is a Department Head in Normandy and is in charge
of the petrochemical activities in the Seine Valley.
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INTERVIEWS
WITHOURSO SPIEPEOPLE
“Few engineering
schools offer training
in the petrochemicals
industry”
Tell us about your career at SPIE.
Franck Thuillier: I’ve been a Technician, a Business Manager assistant, a Business Manager,
a Department Manager, a Site Manager… Over a 36-year career, I’ve done a lot of various jobs
at SPIE. Since 2014, I have been a Department Head in charge of our petrochemicals activities
in northern France. I’m responsible for managing multi-year contracts with large customers.
What do SPIE’s petrochemicals services consist of?
F.T.:Wecontrolourcustomers’installationsonsitesothattheirplantshavethebestperformance.
Using very accurate instruments, our technicians measure and calibrate the temperature,
pressure and flow of gases and fluids resulting from the manufacture of fertilisers, plastics and
oil.Wearealsocommittedtoensuringthatalltheproductscarriedinthepipesarefullycompliant.
What are the challenges facing this very specific area?
F.T.: Nowadays, it’s difficult for us to recruit because there are few engineering schools that offer
training in the petrochemicals industry. That’s why SPIE organises a training programme so that
we can share our knowledge and know-how with the applicants. I regularly give talks there to
encourage students to graduate in this field, but also study at engineering schools and gain work
experience by doing their apprenticeship at SPIE. I explain to them that it’s not a routine work in
any way, that we use the latest technologies and that there are great career perspectives.