My story in a big manufacturing company

FEBRUARY 2017

Today Echo Shen is Plant Director at the Prysmian factory in Wuxi: her role represents the latest stage in a pathway of growth that began 27 years ago in the same Chinese plant.

“Actually, Prysmian Group is a really great platform for a young professional to learn what they want and to grow professionally, no matter if you are male or female.”

Managing and supervising operations to respect delivery times, making quantitative analyses to improve the production process in terms of efficiency, reduce costs and guarantee excellence and sustainability at all levels: these are Echo Shen’s everyday tasks.
“The most important issues for me are the improvement of housekeeping within the factory and a high focus on quality and delivery time. Thanks to this opportunity, I would also like to work on my soft skills, such as stress resistance and control.”

Training in the field

Echo Shen’s entry into the big Prysmian family dates right back to 1989: it’s striking to think that such a young manager can already boast of a baggage of nearly 30 years’ experience in the telecom cable manufacturing sector.
A marked sense of responsibility and a propensity to teamwork make Echo’s profile ideal for this role. But in addition to her excellent performance and the skills demonstrated in her previous positions, it has been particularly her thorough familiarity with the factory and the know-how gained in the field that have earned her the position of plant director.

“My working rule is: do every single thing to the best (even not the best, but I always try the best. I believe this is the right way for young people to do things and I’m confident that this way they will learn more than others.”

Growing with the company

In this period a lot of things have changed; technology has made processes faster, safer and more efficient than ever. Over these years, innovation has had a considerable positive impact, not only for the introduction of increasingly advanced products but also for the growth of people within the company.

“I may have been working here a long time, but there’s always something new to learn. Now, as plant manager, I’m drawing on a different set of skills as I work closely with our teams, and share my knowledge with the next generation of engineers.”

Echo Shen

Plant Manager

Don’t just make something. Make something extraordinary

Echo’s history is a living testimony to the key role played by production for the Prysmian Group, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of energy and communications cables. The company mission consists in improving people’s lives, developing front-line solutions. Production is thus a fundamental means for pursuing the mission and developing the Group’s business. To us, manufacturing isn’t just part of what we do. It’s everything.

“Being a Plant Manager is a huge responsibility. I strongly believe in the importance of building a strong, reliable relationship with your team and colleagues in order to solve problems and achieve common results and goals together.”

“I still remember that one day somebody asked me: ‘What’s your purpose of working in the company?’ I thought about it for a while then replied: ‘First of all, the basic: making money to support my family. Second, more important: learning skills and enhance comprehensive ability. Third, but most important: growing with the company.’ If you are standing on the point: growing with the company means you are the owner of the company, you will learn more, do more, think more, make more effort... And finally, make the company better.”

Echo Shen

Plant Manager

/ Project facts:

She’s the youngest female plant manager of the Prysmian Group.
She spent more than 20 years in telecom cable manufacturing.
She started 27 years ago in the same Chinese plant where she works today.
“Don’t just make something. Make something extraordinary” is the Prysmian engineers manifesto.

My story in a big manufacturing company