Manuchar Brazil as GPTW: the resilience of a company in transformation

The company has made three acquisitions since September last year and is now dealing with the integration of different cultures into the new composition of the business.

In recent years, the Brazilian operation of Manuchar, a multinational of Belgian origin operating in the distribution, logistics and global trading market for chemical products, has confirmed that it has assumed the role of a company prepared to adapt to new scenarios and challenges.

After facing the first two years of the pandemic, which brought a challenge to the operation in the logistics area and required agility from teams on different business fronts, Manuchar faced three acquisitions in a span of five months. Cosmoquimica and Cosmolog, acquired in September last year, and Plury Química, incorporated in February this year, became part of the company.

Even with such a huge transformation process, with the incorporation of new employees and dealing with the company's growth, it was possible to celebrate once again the presence of Manuchar among the best companies to work in Rio de Janeiro, according to Great Place To Work (GPTW), for the fifth consecutive year.

Search for motivation

Renata Agualuza, CEO of the company, describes the professional profile that has been the main component for a performance as consistent as the one that Manuchar has achieved in GPTW.

— We are looking for motivated people, with a sense of urgency and initiative, as well as a desire to innovate and make a difference with their work. Who want to stand out and be a reference as one of the best professionals in their area - says the executive.

Profile that delivers something more

It is not new that this path has been paved, points out Renata. For the executive, Manuchar has only grown so much in the last 30 years and reached the current level due to the dedication of its professionals.

— Some people weren't content with just doing what was asked or just doing a good job. To build amazing things you have to do more than is expected or what others are already doing. Today, more than ever, we really need people like that on our team - she points out.

According to Renata, the acquisitions of recent months represent the main challenges in people management in 2022 and 2023.

— It is necessary to study and put into practice a change in culture necessary for the new configuration of the business and thus ensure that all our employees have the profile we need for this phase full of challenges and changes — explains the executive.

Integration challenges

In the CEO's analysis, after the acquisitions, Manuchar is still undergoing the process of transforming cultures, policies and processes so that the companies, now under the same umbrella, can become a single company. Integration brings challenges.

— We need to reinvent ourselves every day, because they are new markets, customers, employees and cultures. We know that after each acquisition new needs arise, but this motivates us to want to do more and better, both for our shareholders and for old and new customers and employees - analyzes Renata.

In the area of people management, one of the main actions at the moment is the analysis of the organizational and remuneration structure of each of the companies in the group. The goal is to increase synergies, attract and retain talent and leverage the strengths of Manuchar teams.

Whoever joined the group more recently, now post-acquisitions, will face another challenge: participation in the innovation Olympics, held every two years. It was an initiative that emerged with the pandemic and involves employees to propose transformation actions in the company. The first three places have their ideas transformed into practical actions. The event is biannual to allow time to implement the winning projects.