Emerson Esteves witnessed the company’s growth alongside his father, Deuler Esteves, the founder of Polar, and these years of experience added skills to become the Director and manager of the Blinda Business Unit.
What has been your role at Polar over these years?
I’ve been with Polar for 28 years and have worked in every possible role. In the beginning, the company had no employees, and as a family business, I sometimes found myself alone covering for my father and my brother Evandro while they were traveling. From the start, I learned to do everything and worked in all areas: finance, logistics, quality, sales. I only lacked experience in the production area since we had never produced anything. It was only when we acquired Blinda that I had the opportunity to work in production. So now, I am managing this BU and learning, not only in the commercial and services aspects but also in production. This is what I am dedicating myself to now, so that we can continue to earn the preference and trust of customers that Blinda has gained over its 60 years of existence. It has been a significant learning experience for me, as it is an entirely new area in my professional journey.
Tell us a bit about the Blinda Business Unit. What are its vision and objectives?
Our division of products for classified areas, with in-house manufacturing, aims to provide products that contribute to the safety of people, facilities, the environment, and ensure the operational continuity of our customers. The vision is to always be a relevant and useful player in this market through our products and knowledge sharing.
Was it always a goal for Polar to become a manufacturer, or did this desire arise with the acquisition of Blinda?
We had the desire to become a manufacturer to be more useful to the customer, so we were already starting to work on that, assembling some kits, for example. But acquiring Blinda was an opportunity that allowed us to significantly accelerate the process of customizing products for our customers.
In your opinion, what will be the biggest challenges for your BU?
We have a sum of challenges due to the extremely high complexity of efficiently manufacturing customizable products that meet rigorous normative, quality, and traceability requirements. These products will be installed in environments with corrosive and explosive agents, for clients with high operational costs and significant responsibility for the economy.
Every challenge can be overcome successfully, and just like Emerson, we believe that changes are only possible through the quality of the people who make up the team. This is our greatest asset.
We thank Emerson Esteves for sharing his valuable experience with us. Our gratitude extends to all four other managers of Polar’s new business units, whose interviews have also enriched our understanding of the company’s journey and aspirations. The diversity of experiences and insights from these leaders further strengthens our appreciation for the dedication and excellence driving Polar’s continuous success.
