introduction
Nicolas, an Engibex consultant with over 30 years of experience in engineering and project management, was contracted as Technical Project Manager to support a major industrial player in the hydrogen energy sector. He joined at a critical moment: the company was developing a new electrolyzer stack, the heart of hydrogen production, to comply with European CE and PED standards and to open the door to new markets.
“I was officially contracted as a Technical Project Manager, but with so many gaps in the organization, I often had to act as both PM and TPM — managing deliverables while resolving technical challenges with the engineering team.” — Nicolas, Engibex Consultant
Context
Our consultant Nicolas, Technical Project Manager, was assigned to support a leading player in the energy sector, specializing in hydrogen technologies. The client was developing a new electrolyzer stack — the core of the system — as part of its strategy to expand into the European market.
The timing was critical: a new factory in France was already under construction, contracts with customers had been signed, and the new stack was seen as a “window to the market”. At the same time, the engineering team was still relatively small and faced heavy pressure to deliver results.
“When I joined, there were only four engineers and one manager — who left within weeks. The environment was volatile, and I quickly found myself in between: contractual requirements for the clients, while engineers were still facing technicalchallenges.”
Role
Nicolas stepped in as Technical Project Manager, bridging the gap between technical engineering and program execution. His responsibilities included:
- Managing and coordinating the stack engineering team and industrialization colleagues.
- Driving validation plans and ensuring the new stack met specifications.
- Acting as both TPM and de facto PM, due to team changes and evolving priorities.
- Ensuring structured communication with project stakeholders, from engineers to executive management.
“My mission was to make sure deliverables were achieved: specifications, drawings, validation milestones — everything needed to get the stack ready for the next stage.”
Challenge
The project was marked by high volatility and intense pressure. Nicolas faced:
- Organizational changes, including frequent management turnover.
- High expectations from investors and project managers, while the product was still in active development.
- Resource and budgetary constraints, which complicated validation and supply chain planning.
- Complex technical demands, since testing the stack in real conditions required significant time and inventiveness.
“I was really between two chairs: on one side, execution team, client and management expecting delivery on time , on the other engineers still facing big challenges.”
Tools & Methods
To stabilize the project and align stakeholders, Nicolas introduced:
- MS Project for structured planning and communication.
- Troubleshooting and systematic problem-solving methods learned at Toyota.
- Six Sigma principles, applied to ensure quality and consistency.
- Engineering Change Management (ECM) and New Product Introduction (NPI) gates, ensuring milestones were met with discipline.
These approaches helped bring order to a complex environment, while also training and sensitizing the engineering team to stronger methodologies.
Impact & Outcome
Despite a challenging environment, Nicolas delivered measurable value:
- Completion of the engineering package for the new electrolyzer stack, creating a solid foundation for production and future projects.
- Continuity of expertise, by extending his mission to onboard and train his successor, ensuring a smooth transition.
- Improved resilience and stakeholder communication, thanks to structured planning and reporting.
“The strongest return on investment was completing the engineering package. It gave the client a solid basis for future projects and continuity despite many storms.”
Why Engibex
This project demonstrates how Engibex consultants provide not only technical expertise but also stability and continuity in highly dynamic environments.
- Engibex enabled the client to quickly access senior expertise in technical project management.
- Our consultant ensured deliverability under pressure, while maintaining collaboration across multiple teams.
- The result was engineering excellence, agility, and continuity — exactly what is needed in emerging industries like hydrogen.
