Returning to a former employer

Coming Back to Soucy: 2 Employee Stories

Career

At Soucy, we believe every career path is unique. That's why we warmly welcome anyone who wants to return to Soucy after having worked elsewhere. Sometimes, it takes going somewhere else to realize what you had here. Our "boomerang employees" come back with richer experience, a fresh perspective, and a renewed sense of purpose.

We spoke with Patrick Simoneau, manufacturing engineering project manager at Soucy Rubber Tracks, and Serge Raymond, production, maintenance and logistics supervisor at Soucy Plastiques, to learn more about what motivated them to come back to Soucy.

Finding the Right Fit

After 14 years as a process technician at Soucy Rubber Tracks, Patrick Simoneau was ready for a new challenge. Without an engineering degree, he didn't see a clear path forward — so when an opportunity came up for a project manager role at a plastics plant, he decided to go for it.

The reality of his new job caught up with him quickly. The plant was less technologically advanced, tasks were largely manual, and something essential was missing.

"I couldn't find the team spirit, the attentiveness, or the support I had at Soucy."

Patrick Simoneau 2

When a project manager position opened up at Soucy, Patrick applied — and didn't get it. But a few months later, Soucy called him back. His former position was available, and the new manager in place was ready to get him involved in fresh projects. Patrick said yes.

Back on the team, he hit the ground running. His manager gave him the space to prove himself, and the team listened to his professional ambitions and recognized his skills. He eventually landed the role he'd been aiming for: manufacturing engineering project manager. Today, he feels fully in command of his role and has become a go-to resource on several projects.

What drives Patrick every day? The quality of the products the company develops, the pride of contributing to one-of-a-kind projects, particularly in the defence sector, and the recognition he gets from his manager for his expertise and agility. But what matters most to him is the team spirit. Colleagues support each other, help each other out, and often build genuine friendships.

Looking back, Patrick sees his detour as a worthwhile one. It was by stepping away that he was finally able to reach the position he had been working toward. Now approaching 20 years of service in total, he's hoping to make it to 30. "I'm in the right seat," he says.

Moving Forward Together

Serge Raymond left his production planner role at Soucy Belgen for a simple reason: too much screen time. Having always thrived on direct team management and human interaction, he felt something was missing. When an opportunity came up as a supervisor-planner at a family business, he decided to take it.

His time with that employer was valuable. He developed real expertise in maintenance management and preventive upkeep, learning to identify what truly drives gains in downtime and costs. He didn't share the same vision as management, however; the company lacked organizational structure and the isolation between departments stood in contrast to something he had known at Soucy:

a culture where everyone works toward the same goals.

Raymond Serge 479

During a temporary layoff, Serge launched his own business but was looking to secure a steady income. After browsing Soucy's Careers page, he applied for a general labour position at Soucy Plastiques, but during the interview, the HR advisor steered him toward a night supervisor role instead. He returned to Soucy in January 2023.

The transition was seamless. Serge felt like he was coming back to the same company, even though he was joining a different unit. Soucy's people-focused, welcoming, and well-structured culture was a perfect fit for his values. Less than a year later, he closed his personal business: his position at Soucy was meeting his expectations in every way. He moved from the night shift to the day shift and is now part of a tight-knit team of four, working as production, maintenance and logistics supervisor.

For Serge, what truly sets Soucy apart from other employers is the value of moving forward together. Everyone is looking in the same direction. He points to the production output at Soucy Belgen Drummondville, which went from 35 to 180 moulds per week through cross-departmental collaboration, a kind of teamwork he hadn't found elsewhere. He also sees the sense of belonging as a key retention factor: employees feel proud to be part of something bigger than themselves, knowing their individual contributions are valued.

What's next? Serge hopes to grow into a department head role and has already started working toward an AEC in production management. The journey is just getting started!

At Soucy, we believe every career path has its own value, detours included. If you're thinking about joining our team (or coming back!), check out our available positions.

View available positions