Belley - An inspiring location for a multicultural site

In this scenic countryside, surrounded by mountain ranges, Volvo CE’s Belley site employs around 400 people. The facility supports manufacturing, sales and marketing, purchasing, and R&D for its compact excavator business, including its lineup of compact electric models.

Sergei Ivanov, a Senior Project Manager in Purchasing, relocated to Belley after undertaking various roles within Volvo CE in Russia and Konz, Germany. Reflecting on life in Belley, Sergei says: “Belley is a really beautiful area that is great for exploring, hiking, swimming, lots of activities. You cannot help but be impressed by the mountains, lakes and ski resorts, there is so much to do outside. I think if you’ve lived here all your life, maybe you get used to it, but I always appreciate these landscapes. However, I think it’s not just the places that make you happy, it’s the people within those places. When I joined Belley, I was warmly welcomed. There is a huge amount of collaboration and support here.”

The Belley team attracts talent from around the world. Alienor Delpit, who had previously been working in Senegal, joined as a Commodity Buyer and recalls the warm reception she received. “The people are passionate about their work. Even joining as a newcomer, I was made to feel confident, which creates a great environment to learn. There is a good mix of perspectives, from senior, more experienced people to newer colleagues. I always feel that my perspective is heard and I’m able to add value.”

As well as being heard, a collaborative and supportive work environment is something Belley offers in abundance. When Emmanuelle Chirpaz-Cerbat from Brand Marketing and Communications took on extra responsibilities to cover for a colleague’s Short-Term Assignment, the support from her team was invaluable. “It was a really busy time in my existing role, so picking up this extra task required me to really manage my time across multiple roles. Luckily, I have an incredibly supportive team. Though I’ve worked at Belley for 30 years, I’ve mostly had roles within the global team. This opportunity allowed me to test and learn new areas of responsibilities, forge stronger relationships and re-anchor to the site and the people."

Language barriers can seem daunting when thinking about working in a new country, especially if you’re not very fluent. However, for South Korean Hyunah Kim, this hasn’t proved to be an obstacle at Belley. Instead, she was given the support to embrace a new culture and spend quality time with her husband’s French family.

Hyunah relocated from Volvo CE’s site in Changwon, Korea, taking on a new role as well as a new location. “Initially I was worried that it would be a difficult transition because my French wasn’t great,” explains Hyunah. “But actually, it turned out to be a fast and reciprocal learning curve for both me and my French colleagues as we took the opportunity to practice our English during our meetings, while I challenged myself to speak French when we met in the hallway or over coffee. Being here is not only a great opportunity to be with my husband’s family, but also to foster stronger communication between Changwon and Belley.”

Belley is a captivating backdrop for a workplace that values diversity, collaboration, and personal growth, as well as a great place to live and explore.

Find out more about our Belley site