Patrick Donzé, Production Manager at Maison Charlois

Our friend and colleague Patrick Donzé — a historic and emblematic figure of Maison Charlois stave mill and of Murlin — passed away peacefully in his sleep during the night from Friday to Saturday.

We pay tribute to him by republishing the portrait written about him in 2019. An unforgettable Patrick.

All of us at Charlois extend our deepest condolences to his wife Nathalie, to his children Loïc and Jérôme, to his grandchildren, and to all his colleagues and friends, for whom Patrick’s passing will leave a profound void.

THE MAN OF MURLIN!

If there is one person who truly knows Maison Charlois, it is him. Patrick Donzé, 57, was the Production Manager at the Murlin site. His mission: to ensure the smooth succession of operations that transform logs into staves.

His mobile phone always within reach — he had to adapt to the times. A discreet and modest man, when he was offered the position of Production Manager in 2012, one of his first thoughts was, “Why me?” No doubt because Patrick knew the House better than anyone. Over the years, he had worked on the site as a sawyer, splitter, grader, edger, forklift driver, and finally sharpener — “the key position,” Patrick would say. “Without a properly sharpened saw blade, the entire production chain is affected. The sawyer sets the pace. It’s a responsibility that can generate a certain amount of stress.”

The stave mill was something of a second home to him. “I lived in Murlin from the age of 12 to 18. My parents and I stayed in the presbytery. From my window, I could see the men working in the stave mill. At the time, there were only three of them. On Wednesday mornings, I would sometimes go and share a snack with them — I remember it as if it were yesterday.”

Although surrounded by the scent of oak logs, Patrick initially turned toward stone cutting, apprenticing with Serge Fontaneto on the heights of Murlin. With his CAP diploma in hand, he left for military service, with the promise of a professional future in the Lyon region. But fate decided otherwise. The accidental death of his employer left Patrick without work. He took a job delivering bread to bakeries in the villages and hamlets around Murlin — seven days a week. A brief experience in Paris followed, which left him with little fondness for the capital. A local at heart, raised among the Bertranges forests, he knocked on the door of Maison Charlois through an acquaintance. “Tell him to come on Monday!” Denis Charlois had said at the time. That was in 1990 — thirty years ago.

In addition to knowing the House, he knew the family — almost as if he were part of it. Denis, the father; Lionel, Xavier, Romain, and of course Sylvain, the sons. He carried the House’s values and principles within him and was determined to convey and pass them on. From the stave mill to the “GreCon” — the optical automatic saw used to resize staves by removing defects marked in luminous chalk by the graders (these shorter pieces would then be used to craft barrel heads) — Patrick commanded respect.

In his office, set up in the sharpening workshop (fittingly enough), there was no computer. He reviewed, managed, anticipated. As Production Manager, he ensured that every position was filled and that no one was missing from the line. “It’s true that the job is physical. You have to be brave, work cleanly, take care of the machines…” — and of the men and women whom he had, for the most part, recruited and trained. And if lending a hand was needed, he did so willingly and wholeheartedly — neither compelled nor reluctant. “I like it,” he would say.

After the teams had left, he would once again make his rounds, move pallets of staves to the timber yard, tidy something here, adjust something there. “The site has to be clean — it’s the image of the House!”

Three questions for Patrick:

After 30 years within the Group, what is your perspective?

The Group has evolved considerably — that is undeniable. In Murlin, we are now more than 80, whereas 30 years ago we were barely a dozen. But the values have remained the same. There is still a “family” spirit — everyone knows one another.

And regarding your own journey?

I’d say I’ve been lucky. I love my job, and I take pride in work done well. Over 30 years, I’ve worked in nearly every production role. But if someone had told me when I joined Charlois that I would one day become an executive… It’s proof that the House places its trust in its employees. And that’s motivating for everyone.

You are now Production Manager — what exactly is your role?

It’s a broad role. I manage the staff in coordination with Human Resources — that’s a significant part of my work. I start each day by greeting everyone and making sure everyone is at their station. If someone is missing, then we have to ensure operations keep running. The teams are organized to cover any potential absences. Then there’s a whole range of other responsibilities: checking the machines, organizing workflow, recruiting, training, ensuring hygiene and safety, supporting team development, improving workstations when they can or need to be improved… And being ready to listen.

Photographs : Christophe Deschanel