CHETO through the eyes of… CARLOS SOUSA

Meet Carlos Sousa, the head of the electronics department. Energetic and cheerful, he will always welcome you with a smile and a good vibe. Fan of cycling and football, he believes that people are the secret to an organization's success. Get to know CHETO through the eyes of Carlos Sousa, who explains the success of this company, reveals the challenges he faces daily and gives us a perspective of the future of this organization.

 

1. Who is Carlos Sousa and when does your professional path meets CHETO?

 

I answer this question, starting with a brief summary of my life. I was born in Venezuela and when I was 5 years old, I came to Portugal. Due to the circumstances of life my parents went to France, and I was raised by my grandparents. I attended school until I enrolled at the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, where I graduated in Electrical Engineering. Married, father of 2 children, I am a happy man with a lot of ambition.

My professional path meets CHETO in 2011, when I needed to leverage a professional challenge, where I could exercise what I had learned at school. Allied to this, CHETO, through the contact of Eng. Sérgio André, needed someone to run the electrical design and automation of the machines. Since CHETO was at the beginning of its life it also provided a perfect symbiosis of opportunities.

 

 

2. What are your main responsibilities?

 

When I joined CHETO in 2011, I was responsible for electrical project development, assembly, and technical assistance to the customer. Currently my main role is managing the electronics and automation department. This management involves creating the conditions for developing the best solutions in terms of electrical design and automation. Allied to this and given the experience I have, my functions also include supporting the operational component (production) and technical assistance when required.

 

3. What challenges do you face daily?

 

Currently, the main challenge I face is people management. As a department manager, people and teams are the most important component of an organization's success. Motivated, happy, ambitious and challenged people create the best automation solutions and elevate a product and an organization to the highest level. Obviously, not forgetting the technical component where we have to focus on always applying the best existing technologies.

 

 

4. What strategies do you use to overcome these challenges?

Managing people and teams implies a great capacity for listening and empathy. When people are not going well, they will never create the best solutions. Allied to this, technical debate meetings, continuous training and task planning with defined objectives are strategies used that help me and CHETO team to be the best.

 

5. What is CHETO's success due to?

CHETO's success is due to the people who work for it and the commitment to the end customer. As I said before, the human component is the main part of an organization. Without this there will never be development, ambition and elevation of a product to the highest level. In turn, CHETO has always been attentive to this component and has always known how to manage and respond to this component, managing and creating conditions so that people feel happy, motivated and challenged.

Speaking of the end customer, this is our focus, as they are the ones who challenge us to create the best solutions and exceed the expectations placed on us.

 

  

 

6. What are the differentiating features of CHETO machines?

CHETO machines use the best technologies on the market, both in terms of automation and construction. Currently, in terms of numerical controllers, we can equip machines with FAGOR, HEIDENHAIN and SIEMENS brands that are recognized worldwide. When it comes to the process, on CHETO machines we can find a perfect ally for deep drilling and milling, not to mention the various automatic tool change solutions, among others. These are solutions that allow you to reduce production and machining times and increase productivity. I could say that a mold can be machined almost entirely when it enters a CHETO machine.

 

7. What perspectives do you foresee for the future of CHETO?

I have great expectations for the future of CHETO.

With industry 4.0, with organizations waning to control and automate their own production processes, the planning of preventive maintenance, customers will require solutions highly adapted to their needs. Currently, we have all the conditions to achieve elevation and excellence levels and develop these same solutions.

I would say more, with the CHETO team that we have, with high development capacity and focus on the client, nothing can stop us.