Andre Citroen / "Citroen"

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Paris, 1935, the Champs Elysée. Shining advertising radiate one name. It is written in heavens by airplanes and parachutes. Huge letters shine in night on Tour d'Eiffel. All glorifies CITROEN. Peak of Its glory.

Each firm, something achieved in this world, has a certain starting point with which the way to success has begun. But such start and such finish as at Andre the Citroen, anybody cannot brag more.

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The brilliant businessman, - speak about him one. Vain sumasbrod, not able to consider money, - consider others. And all it about one person, Andre the Citroen which has created one of the most known automobile stamps.

Andre the Citroen was born on February, 5th, 1878, and Paris, in a family of the successful businessman. His father was the co-owner of the enterprises which were engaged in processing and sale of jewels. But not the father learnt Andre to knowledge of business. When to the future avtomobilestroitelju was only six years, Levi the Citroen has committed suicide. However, the family it has left much: the huge inheritance communication plus in financial and industrial circles of Paris.

In those days the son usually continued business of the father. But Andre trade did not involve. In 1889 it has entered Polytechnical school and after its termination has started to work in masterful friends to brothers Estenov where details were made for steam locomotives.

In 1905 the Citroen became partner Estenov, having enclosed in business all inheritance received from parents. It has adjusted at factory release of cogwheels (gear wheels) - much more absolutely that competitors did. The known Polish mechanic-self-educated person has designed them to nobody. And the Citroen has made out in time, that the new technology is very perspective, and has bought the patent for its use. Very quickly gear wheels began to be in demand in the international market - in London, Bruxelles and even Moscow that brought to owners of firm huge profits.

In 1908 of the Citroen invite to a post of the director of the largest French avtomobilestroitelnoj the companies «Cars the Berry juice». Before its arrival of business here went not very well. The Citroen has developed rough activity: has employed fresh minds, modernised a design of let out cars and has suggested to reduce the prices for them. The success has come immediately. Sales have sharply increased.

But the Citroen of it has not enough. It goes to America to study experience of conveyor assemblage of the cars for the first time introduced at factories of Henry Ford. Similar the Citroen is intended to organise something in shops "Berry juices". But war crosses out plans of the ambitious businessman.

I World war has burst. Andre has been called in army. But enterprise has not left it and here. He has managed to convince the heads, and then and the minister that will urgently adjust release of sharply not sufficing shells in large quantities: 50 thousand a day! It had a recipe - fordovsky the conveyor. Having received credits, it has hastily constructed new factory for which has bought the American equipment on the former kitchen gardens (!) of street Javel. Manufacture has begun in some months from the building beginning when still cases were completed and there were no roofs. Was issued shells more than by all factories of the country together taken. The French industrialists in confusion: «As it was possible to it?»

The Citroen explains the successes of all in a word: or-hectares-for-tsi th. The front has received the necessary ammunition. The businessman uses any possibility to save time which leaves on various factory operations, since personnel catering services. The dinner passes in some changes in the huge table area 3000 sq. m where ten numbers of little tables are established. The menu one for all - from the worker to the engineer. On food intake 30 minutes are taken away. And thus to each change the colour which signals about its beginning is appropriated: on tables one-colour cloths and napkins vary, and having dinner and waitresses put on one-colour bandages. Thus, the dinner turns in carefully srezhissirovannoe the action saving each working minute.

And salary payment process? At all enterprises of that time it occurred so. Cashiers bypassed workers and is direct at machine tools gave out them money. On all some hours left. The Citroen could improve and this process. At its factories of payment to the personnel became in a time off. Calculation was made in the sums approximated to tens of francs and centimes, and the rest was enlisted the next month. At last, as well as in a dining room, the system of different colours has been entered: the coupon on reception of money of certain colour was accepted strictly in a certain window. As a result for salary payment to 2500 workers-men it was spent about 10 minutes, to 2600 workers-women - 15 minutes!

But also it not all. At the Citroen enterprises, besides a working dining room and shops, rooms for feeding of chest children, a day day nursery, a laundry, kitchen, a polyclinic have been organised. The dental surgery help appeared worker of factory even free of charge. But it is not simple from charity. «The toothache breaks a rhythm of job and reduces labour productivity», - frankly explained a reason Citroen on which he cared of the workers.

That was the first conveyor line in Europe. The success has stunned all French industrialists urgently studying a new method of firm CITROEN. Andre the Citroen became the national hero, having shown active patriotism.

Even at the height of operations Andre the Citroen has reserved to engineers drawings of the car which has received subsequently his name. Now, when guns have ceased, it had everything to organise and develop own automobile manufacture: experience, the highly skilled command, industrial premises where shells earlier were issued, and the huge financial assets earned on military orders. In 1919 there is the first avto, decorated with the logo of the company of the Citroen - double shevronom, - and till the end of a year is issued by 2,5 thousand cars.

Unlike the European competitors, the Citroen has constructed manufacture by the American principle, having begun with release of the one and only model. During that moment transformation of the car from inaccessible "wonder" in the mass goods was its main objective. The midget cars offered consumers under the low price, dispersed, as hot pies. Gradually the lineup has extended, and for first ten years of job the company has increased release of cars almost in 50 times.

In 1923 the businessman has again crossed Atlantic and has visited the largest American factories. From a trip it has brought weight of new ideas. The Citroen buys import technologies, splits up production for small operations and replaces expensive manual skills by quickly paid back product lines. The first of French avtomobilestroitelej, on a habit using for manufacturing of a body a tree, it has got the licence for manufacture of an all-metal body. It has allowed to reduce the price of manufacture and to raise reliability of cars of the Citroen. And in the subsequent it constantly got the new technologies, helping to improve a design of the car and to lower industrial costs. The motor on a "floating" suspension bracket, a covering of a body quickly drying nitropaint, diesel engines for lorries and buses, - here only the little, that has introduced the Citroen at the factories.

The major making control system of the Citroen there was a constant discussion of questions at issue with all workers, irrespective of their status. «To avoid conflicts, the owner should support constant contacts to workers. But meetings should pass not in huge halls … At the big congestion of the people hardly the original exchange of opinions» can take place, - confirmed the Citroen.

At the factories it will regularly organise professional study: courses of improvement of qualification for workers and seminars for engineers.

In 1925 by the Citroen it has been let out more than 60 thousand cars, and in 1929 - almost 100 thousand Such high results have allowed the Citroen to come out on top on manufacture volumes in France, and then and in Europe. But to make the goods is yet all. He still needs to be sold. And, to involve the future consumers, the Citroen has developed grandiose system of advertising of the cars and the name which has become by the automobile stamp.

One of the first among industrialists he has paid attention to children as on the future buyers of production. Its firm has adjusted release toy "sitroenjat", in accuracy repeating the big cars for adults.

That the logo of factories of the Citroen was constant before eyes of drivers, across all France indexes and the traffic signs topped «double shevronom» have been established.

For the sake of attraction of potential clients «advertising run» on the remote areas of France were arranged so-called. Along the line cars experts of the company told through loudspeakers about features of this or that model of "Citroen". Words were supported with bright posters, posters, entertaining quizes and lotteries which were organised during parking. As a result from 3 % to 15 % of visitors of exhibitions «on wheels» left home on own avto.

On advertising the Citroen never regretted money. So, in 1929 it has constructed an autoshop as which facade the continuous glass show-window in height in 21 m served and in the width in 10 m. Through this transparent wall on which 19 tons have left has flown down, it was possible to see directly from street set of the cars placed on six circles.

Somehow, having heard about one English pilot, able to deduce on a heavenly background of the letter by means of a white trace left plane, the Citroen has lighted up idea to draw in the sky an own name. The trick has been executed: in the sky have appeared chetyrehsotmetrovye letters of a surname of the businessman, stretched almost on five kilometres. In some minutes the inscription for which manufacturing enormous money … has been spent was dissolved in air. But what effect! In 1933 the Citroen has decided to reconstruct completely factories on quay Zhavel. Having spent huge means, it has carried out reconstruction in record-breaking short term - all for 5 months. At the enterprise the total area in 55 thousand sq. m had been placed the huge continuous product line by productivity of 1000 cars in day. So much at that time consumed all French automobile market.

But the gigantomania which has seized the Citroen, finally, has turned back against it. The financial side was an Achilles' heel of the businessman always has put. He always lived debts, involving huge investments under the risky projects. Its requirements for money constantly advanced its financial possibilities. To pay for risk it was necessary in 1934, spent a world economic crisis. Creditors have given up to the Citroen in new loans, and falling of demand for cars has deprived of its possibility to get out at the expense of own means … After several attempts to find sources of financing Citroen was compelled to declare itself the bankrupt.

And in March, 1935 of the businessman did not become. The French newspapers explain its sudden death by three reasons: «Mr. the Citroen has died of incurable illness. But it is quite possible, that its leaving from a life was accelerated by the financial difficulties which have fallen upon it and death of the daughter».

Each person not only the smith of the happiness, but also the woodcutter of own well-being. This reason ideally describes a course of life of the fifth son of the Dutch jeweller of the Polish origin: a continuous train of launches and falling, constant hassle and as natural result - the ulcer which has sent it to the grave.

The Citroen in a root is not agreed that is better to sit down ten times on a hedgehog, than once on kol, however the passion to desperate risk finally has immortalised also him, and the firm based by it which have appeared unlike is more viable many cautious competitors. «If the plan is good, the price has no value», - spoke Andre the Citroen.