Pierre-Jules Baker
See also: Baker (homonymy)
Pierre-Jules Boulanger (birth Sin-the-Noble March 10th 1885 ) is an engineer and manager of French undertaking. He directed Citroen as a vice-president and a chairman between 1935 until his accidental death at the wheel of a Traction Before the November 11th 1950 to Broût-Vernet in the Allier. He was called PJB by his collaborators. He was also called by some the imaginative tyrant
Military service
He will undertake studies of fine art which he will have to give up prematurely to work.
By carrying out its military service in the French Army of 1906 with 1908 in ballooning with Satory. It meets Marcel Michelin (nephew of Edouard Michelin). This meeting will direct all its life.
After its military service, it leaves to the United States where it will exert various trades. It returns to France in 1914 to be mobilized like Caporal. He is photographer in aviation. He finds Marcel Michelin. He will have brilliant states of service and will finish the war with the rank of Capitaine. He will be decorated with the Military Cross and the Légion of honor.
Michelin
He is engaged by Edouard Michelin in 1918. He will become the direct collaborator about it. In 1938, he becomes joint manager of Michelin.
Citroen
In December 1934 in spite of the assistance of the company Michelin, Citroen files for bankruptcy its. In 1935, Michelin becomes the principal shareholder. He becomes the assistant of Pierre Michelin which is named chairman of Citroen. Pierre-Jules Boulanger is the vice-president and chief of the Research department. He will become president in 1937 about it after the death of his friend. He will keep this station until his death. He will be also managing jointly Michelin company.
With Pierre Michelin, it will apply and a reduction austerity policy of cost. For that, it will decrease the wages, will carry out Licenciement S and will cancel the launching of the 22 V8 horses. This policy will bear its fruits and Citroen will be rectified. He will be the instigator of what was called the TPV (very small car) and which will become in 1948 the 2CV. Baker wrote the schedule of conditions of it: “four wheels under an umbrella with four seats, 50 kg of luggage transportable, 2 CV tax, traction before like the 11 and 15/Six, 60 km/h out of top speed, box at 3 speeds, easy of maintenance, having a suspension allowing to cross a field plowed with an egg basket without breaking only one of them and consuming only 3 liters of gasoline to the 100 km. ”
It was known for its austerity, its great capacity of work, its direction of the secrecy (characteristic of the Michelin culture) and its absence of ostentation (it bought its costumes with the Michelin co-operative).
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