In Guillaume Laurin’s office
CEO of ZODIAC MILPRO
We met with the CEO of Zodiac Milpro, in the company’s Parisian offices near the place de la Bastille.
French poet Paul Elouard used to say, “Il n’y a pas de hasard, il n’y a que des rendez-vous” (“There are no coincidences, only rendez-vous”). Guillaume Laurin told us about his career and what led him to manufacturing: a series of influences and chance meetings, backed by a strong family heritage.
Let’s step into the privacy of his office, packed with memories, souvenirs and anecdotes.
The rowlock
A rowlock is the device that holds an oar in place on a rowboat.
Guillaume feels there is a certain value in this vintage object. You can see the passage of time on the old, weatherbeaten metal. It symbolises “man transmitting his strength” through rowing, with the rowlock acting as a pivot.
The tampions
Originally, tampions were used to plug the muzzle of a ship’s cannons. Over time, they became decorative objects with designs evoking tradition. Two of them come from ships on which Guillaume has sailed. The oldest tampions in the collection belonged to his father and his grandfather, and the emblems represent the family’s three generations of sailors. These are but a few of the tampions in Guillaume’s impressive collection, set under the watchful eye of an old machmeter.
The book of Japan
We were surprised to find this book among a collection of marine objects, but then Guillaume explained to us that he spent seven of his childhood years in Japan. During this time Japanese cultural values were instilled in him: aim accurately, seek progress, use resources efficiently, get it right the first time. These principles would come to characterise his managerial style.
The FC470 scale model
Guillaume was proud to present Zodiac Milpro’s legendary inflatable boat, the FC470, used in all marine commandos. Its strapline, “The legend never dies”, speaks volumes about its colourful history.
This limited-edition collector’s item was produced by Hasbro in fulfilment of a special order from Zodiac. There is no connection between Ken and the commando, regardless of what the fans of the former’s perfect physique might think.😊
