Interview · Sector Analysis — Circular Economy · release no. 540 · 2025
From commercial fisherman to industrial entrepreneur and European expert, Jean-Baptiste Sandoz looks back on a journey guided by one conviction: a territorial constraint can become the starting point for an economic, social and environmental solution.
The publication was produced under the Company Project name. SGI is making it available as an archive of this editorial and industrial journey.
From a local need to a circular solution
The interview revisits the first initiatives developed in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon: repairing equipment, responding to a shortage of spare parts and exploring manufacturing using recycled materials. This approach led to a method that remains central today: observe the real problem before designing the industrial tool.
Training the people who will deliver the transition
Transforming waste into resources does not depend on machinery alone. It requires qualified operators, engineers, chemists, technicians and partners capable of keeping the value chain working over the long term.
The social dimension therefore complements the economic and environmental dimensions: local job creation, training, career transition and inclusion are integral to the performance of a circular project.
Connecting field experience, research and institutions
Jean-Baptiste Sandoz emphasizes the importance of cooperation with training organizations, research institutions, industrial companies and public decision-makers. A value chain can only scale when its stakeholders share a common understanding of material flows, technical constraints and market outlets.
This connection lies at the heart of SGI’s project engineering and applied research work.
View the interview
View the full original interview (French PDF)
