EADS Global Website - The Great Craftsmen

Innovation

Airbus Military’s José Bello Ibáñez and Astrium’s François Baras were inducted into the EADS Hall of Fame as the 2011 Great Craftsmen. This category represents the cross-divisional and cross–hierarchical spirit of the EADS Hall of Fame, awarding employees with unique skills who contribute to improve business performance and customer satisfaction.

Astrium’s François Baras

Great Craftsmen 2011 François Baras is an acknowledged technician in the manufacturing and integration of sensors for space applications. Working for Astrium satellites in Toulouse, his sound experience in Computer Aided Design makes it possible to optimize the design and manufacturing of the production tools. His skills and innovation also contribute to the successful assembly of the focal planes used in Astrium observation satellites for export programmes.

François started in the company in 1986 and he was trained by some of the senior employees. “From them I was able to acquire the technical skills that have provided me today with an overall perspective of all that is important in assembly work and also with the ability to design tools and inter-linking components,” said François, who is also the training leader of all the newcomers in manufacturing.

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Airbus Military’s José Bello Ibáñez

Great Craftsmen 2011 José Bello Ibáñez is a reference for his colleagues at the Airbus Military Final Assembly Line for Medium & Light Transport aircraft in Seville. He has more than 42 years of experience in the company and in his role as group team leader he s developing a daily labour for improvement of visibility, quick reporting and solving of problems. Always focused in guaranteeing the delivery on time to the internal and the final customer, José Bello Ibáñez has brought down costs through Lean manufacturing techniques. “The biggest challenge is to keep on improving continually,” he underlines.

José is a vivid example of that saying that says the most successful people are those who are good at Plan B. When a new version demands complex and innovative assembly processes, for example, a parachute door that comes with certain problems, he provides technical solutions to solve it. “I believe in the dialogue with my workmates, understanding them and putting myself in their shoes, doing something for them before I do something for me, and for their good, and for their good of the company. That is what I have always tried to do,” he highlights.

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