Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Chapus.
Hi Leslie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Azenco started in 2011 as a small-scale outdoor infrastructure manufacturer, and now we oversee over 1,000 employees with 14 different agency partners across Europe and the Americas. We are among the Top 3 French companies in the market with over 20,000 outdoor patio and pool cover achievements to our name.
We design and manufacture an award-winning range of innovative pergolas, cabanas, car ports and swimming pool enclosures that elegantly complement any architectural style and optimize every residential or commercial outdoor space. Made in America with European design, Azenco products are manufactured in Miami, Florida for distribution within the US, while the company’s six facilities throughout France supply European markets. Whether customers choose from its line of innovative designs or require a custom-crafted solution, Azenco’s localized manufacturing enables it to streamline fabrication, delivery and installation timelines.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Opening a new business–especially when you come from a different country–is always a challenge. Even if we were masters in our own industry, highly familiar with the manufacturing process and design, we still needed some time to understand the US market. This is why we’re proud to keep in constant conversation with our dealers, interacting with them on a daily basis.
Like mostly every other business on the planet, we have been highly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic these past two years, which posed a huge challenge regarding our production and supply chain, as well as shipping. 100% of our costs increased drastically, so we were forced to find different ways to stay on track and limit as much impact as possible to keep our prices stable. As a result, we’ve developed new processes and invested in new machinery to improve our productivity and quality.
Thanks to our different factories and resources throughout the world, we have been able to play with different suppliers, timeframes and keep the most competitive lead time in our industry. We have never stopped innovating.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am the vice president and co-founder for Azenco Outdoor, a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of innovative pergolas, cabanas, carports and swimming pool enclosures. I lead Azenco’s global expansion and operational strategy serving as the public face of the company while orchestrating worldwide operations between the distribution network, material suppliers, technology, sales and marketing teams.
Joining the company from France in 2014, I brought a wealth of pool industry expertise to my role as Sales and Export Manager. My focus on expanding the company’s reach to international markets is currently concentrated on the Azenco expansion within the US market.
We started Azenco US as a new challenge for the global strategy and I am very proud of how far we have come after two years of full-time work on our company development.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My biggest mentor is actually my husband, founder of Azenco Groupe in Europe and my partner in the US. He is a passionate designer and engineer, and for the past 30 years, he has developed amazing products and built great teams as president of this family business. I am really proud to grow by his side and I learn a lot with him. He inspired me every day, and his passion is infectious!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://azenco-outdoor.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azenco.outdoor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/azenco.us
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHKQfuFBQ06XUvKGXbO1u5A
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/AzencoOutdoor/_saved/
Image Credits
@imagemephotography (Miami based) @shelbycooperphotography (Boca Raton based).
