What is the PO Way?

The PO Way is what makes us different, our trademark in a way. Independence is its foundation. Plastic Omnium has always been a family business, which has been evident in its ownership structure since the beginning. This has enabled us to grow at our own pace while providing us with the freedom to say and do as we see fit. While few companies are so fortunate, we mustn’t forget that in our case luck had nothing to do with it.

From a practical standpoint, how does the PO Way function?

It’s an attitude, a culture and a way of being that is specific to our Company, executives and employees. The PO Way is underpinned by four growth drivers – investment, integration, international expansion and innovation – that have fueled our development for 63 years. Because we are independent and free to make our own decisions, we can translate these growth drivers into concrete actions. In 2008 and 2009, our four drivers demonstrated their validity as Plastic Omnium deployed exceptional measures to respond to the global financial, stock market and economic crisis. These values, which serve as the foundation for all our actions, are therefore more relevant than ever.

Are the Company’s independence and financial performance interrelated?

Independence also means agility, which has enabled us to generate the cash flow needed to finance our growth and to respond proactively and quickly during the crisis. This was evident in 2009, a year of unprecedented turbulence for the global economy in general and the automobile industry in particular. We responded by applying the PO Way and achieved our best results ever.