S
o
n i
a
M
i
e
l
k
e
FELT SPECIAL
Hat bodies entering one of the felting machines
terms of demand, but the factory has limitations, not only in terms of space but also in equipment and qualified workers. Besides that, there is a limited amount of raw material available when it comes to fur. Rabbit skins are a by-product of the meat industry, and a little bit comes from hunting, both of which can’t be a source of supply endlessly. Therefore, after Covid, we decided not to accept
any new customers, so as to avoid our service levels going down. We focus on our existing customers to make sure that they keep receiving a high-quality product.” To maintain the quality level,
fepsa needs to have outstanding workers who are paid accordingly, as Ricardo points out. Therefore, salaries need to be a bit above those of the other production companies around them, and in
addition workers need to be trained well. Before, training could be done on the shop floor by the regular management team. Currently, fepsa is in the process of improving their training programmes. There is a group of people who are specialised in training new workers, so the managers can continue with their work. “Two of our managers are doing a PhD on subjects regarding the factory at the moment. We try to improve technology and processes, also in terms of organisation and personal development. I think it creates a good mood and this translates into a happier working environment and a better quality product. “In the end, all this is only possible if
you have customers who share your view and are willing to pay a little bit more for a good quality product from a company that respects the environment and cares about the wellbeing of people and animals. Our company is driven by very good customers, and we are blessed to have them.”
More information
www.fepsa.pt
MontCapel Sonia’s mother, who is of French origin,
moved in the mid-1960s to Ireland, where Sonia was born and raised. Because of family connections, from the age of four Sonia used to spend all her summer holidays with her grandparents in Montazels, a small village located in the south of France. Since that time, she has
While many craft factories and workshops have had to close their doors definitively in Europe, a cooperative in the south of France is working on an ambitious project to get an old felt and hat factory not only working again but also to make it financially profitable. The initiator and driving force behind the MontCapel factory, which was restarted at the end of 2019, is Sonia Mielke.
MontCapel’s collection of hat blocks includes over 500 different models
had a strong connection with the village. “After I finished my studies in Ireland I went to Paris, where I found a job in IT at an American company and got settled there,” says Sonia. “On one of my visits to Montazels in 2018, some friends told me the hat factory was closed for good. In the old days, 600 people worked there, but since the 1980s I had constantly heard stories that there were fewer people being employed. This place was the last of originally 15 factories around the region, which over the years were all knocked down.”
>>
november 2022 | 53
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102