André's mission is to update or redesign agro-food plants. When facilities are outdated and inadequate for current production needs, André comes to the rescue. He arrives with a team of colleagues - technicians, technologists, and engineers. The first step is to collect information. "First of all, we do a preliminary study," he explains. "That involves making a list of existing facilities and evaluating the client's needs. Then we do a preliminary redesign, with projected costs. If the decision to proceed is made, then we determine exactly what equipment should be installed."

André is the one who decides where and how the new machinery will be arranged. He bases his decisions on various factors, such as what the equipment is designed to do, and how much space is available. When the redesign is for a plant that is already considered functional, he makes sure that the work is done as quickly as possible to avoid disrupting production.

As Technical Director, André advises and directs technicians and technologists assigned to various projects. He also makes sure that everything on the work site proceeds according to plan. "I look after virtually everything. When a problem arises, I send people to the right resources, such as an engineer, or an outside contact."

The range of projects handled by the Technical Director covers the entire agro-food industry. He works on two main types of plants - those that process food for animals (grain-processing plants, milling plants, pet food producers, etc.), and food and beverage processing plants that produce items for human consumption (abattoirs, dairies, bakeries, and plants that make specialty products).