This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at Entrevista a Carlos Gómez, responsable de Pallmann Ibérica

“Come to reinforce the presence in the Iberian Peninsula and to improve the service to the customer”

Interview to Carlos Gómez, responsible of Pallmann Iberian

Nerea Gorriti02/05/2011

The company Pallmann, pioneer in the development and manufacture of machines and installations of trituración and manufacturing of plastic has opened a new subsidiary in Spain. Pallmann Iberian (PIb), situated in Manresa (Barcelona), is cream with the aim to reinforce the service to the customer with a direct and immediate deal and to implant in markets less consolidated, but in which the technology with stamp Pallmann has a big experience in the rest of the world. Of this form, any of his specialitys, like the installations of micronización, only in the world between other things for being able to work to temperature acclimatise with sensitive materials to the heat, pretend to contribute solve keys in hand to sectors like the one of the plastic, the chemicals, the recycling, the wood or the feeding.

Pallmann inaugurates new facilities in Barcelona, why choose set up as a subsidiary?

we Have decidedimplantar the subsidiary in Manresa (Barcelona) because 60% of our customers%takes finds in the zone of Catalonia. Aside, we are closing agreements with two 'partners' Geographic zone. With one of them, will create even a new companyelona.

I Understand thatotra asks is why no in Madrid because in the zone centre/center have aRation of between the 20 and 30% of customers, but the main reason has%taken the vicinity with our 'partners'.

He says that they will create a new company?

Yes. We carry a pair of years working jointly with a customer. Together, have developed the equipment and facilities that already possesses and, jointly, have elaborated a very attractor trucks package of installation key in hand on an application related with the recovery of tyres. We contemplate to establish a Joint Venture that will work to world-wide level with headquarters in Barcelona.

Carlos Gómez, responsible for the new subsidiary.

What to Spanish customer having a physical delegation?

The main reason, so much for the current customers as for the futures, is to offer a better service. The sentence would be ‘accionar instead of reacting'. During the fifteen days that carry in operation, have received calls of customers with questions on new applications, products or projects that want to develop with our technology. With the Spanish subsidiary win in immediacy. It is not the same to displace from Germany that directly from Spain.

The second reason is because we go to improve to the maximum the attention to the customer, for example, in the subject of the pieces of wear. In this steering will develop an intensive campaign to loan a better service and no only to achieve better prices, but to reduce also the terms of delivery, realizar conjoint plannings with the customers, help them to that they work of the most optimum form with our machinery

Carlos Gómez and Jordi health from the new Office of Manresa.

They expand template?

Yes, Jordi Health, assistant of sales, will be permanently in the subsidiary and I will be to horse between Spain and Germany. Besides, and to complete the circle of all what has to see with the sale of machinery, the Spanish delegation will have a third person that is foreseen arrive definitively to Spain in a year and half. It is a Spanish technician that carries two years of learning in the German head office. In what it conclude the period of learning, to mediated or finals of 2012 will incorporate to the staff. It will be the attendant of the set up, of the maintenance, the repairs, etc. directly from this office of Manresa.

How contributes the growing trend to recycling in the increase in the demand for their products?

A lot. What do is, thanks to the new legislations and to the increasing interest by the recycled, close technological agreements with companies in the countries in which the sector of the recycling has a big presence and of this form, establish technical collaborations. In fact, we expect a lot of growth in this sector.

One of the objectives of Pallmann has always been the direct contact with customers and partners.

Wood, plastic, chemical, recycling... are various markets to which it is addressed Pallmann. Can you detail how are these sectors? Is there perhaps any that has grown more than others?

Yes, we went to different segments. For example, in the timber industry have developed over the past seven years everything related to the waste wood and biomass, the fastest growing sector. In Spain, the problem that has occurred is that they have failed many aid and we still have many projects that have not crystallized. Although I believe that it is the line of greatest potential.

As to the plastic, the crisis has taught us that large companies, the export and/or which, technologically speaking, were a step ahead have survived and even grown. We we have concentrated on these technology clients.

Other sectors such as chemistry, mining and food, are one of our goals today, where we have to clearly improve our presence. In this regard, we are closing a deal with a new representation and believe that at the end of may we will make already official it.

In addition to machines, complete installations of crushing and turnkey solutions you sell. How to improve the competitiveness of the client a complete system of this kind?

Once, Mr. Pallmann told me: "Gomez, you're not going to sell machines, but solutions". And this is really because we offer turnkey but above all, the objective is to provide solutions. The client, sometimes with a machine has enough but often need more. This is one of the reasons why we rely on technology partners. Besides the fact that they know the market, they have the technology to complete our machinery.

But in addition to solutions we also launched constantly new products to market. For example, for a year, we participate in a European project of development of new products in the field of natural fibers and bioplastics.

We are trying to import to Spain and Portugal all our experience in the rest of Europe or even the rest of the world, participating in conferences and fairs. In fact, in the near future we will participate at the Brasilplast fair.

The new subsidiary of the German company will make it possible to enhance the service to the client.

A market potencial…

Definitely. I have had occasion to assist a pair of times to the contest and learns a lot of, for example, regarding the bioplásticos or alternative products that split of distinct sources to the oil. For example, they have fixed them to him with the cane of sugar to obtain part of his raw materials. Really, it impresseses.

Because the Spanish client is ready to implement these solutions or there is a culture of such facilities?

I think that does not exist a clear culture of internationalisation. We have suffered a lot by the crisis and the companies that have survived are those that bet or already had done it for selling was his products, because live only of the Spanish or Portuguese economy, was not viable.

Some lamentably have had to desparecer. It is more, until the 2006 roughly many said me that they did not have a team of sales since they expected to that the customer called them, and in fact, did it. This situation has changed to the one hundred by one hundred.

"The client has had direct contact with our representative, and this connection her not breaking, i.e., will keep the sales network and will strengthen the area of the wear parts"

You must be attentive to what happens to our alrededor…

As it said, it is vital to attend to fairs, international conferences, know the new tendencies, the new markets...

Involves the new subsidiary any change in its current sales network?

Our major partners have known for months that we abriríamos a branch. In July of 2010 we launched the first business plan to study the feasibility of the project and it drew a line of work. From the outset, we have been very clear that our client had contact with our representative and this connection her not breaking, i.e., will keep the sales network and will strengthen the area of the replacement parts. It would be a mistake coming here and discard what took years and years building.

Towards where technology advances in the milling machinery segment? And its other products?

Primarily technological change implies changes. On the one hand, to adapt your machinery to the products that the market demands or regulations. And on the other hand, all the changes must communicate to the market. In this regard, we work for two or three years in several lines: one, to reduce wear and tear on our machines and another, the addressed to develop machines with the label 'Eco-Advanced', a registered trademark of Pallmann. This points out that all the machines that we have produced are made following production methods that protect the environment. Even the trend is that they consume less energy.

You will pay the affiliate after many years working for the central alemana…

I Am the manager of PIb-Pallmann Iberian. It is not a company but a subsidiary, an arm lengthened of the German head office Pallmann Maschinenfabrik. Obviously, I depend on an upper and will find me to horse between Spain and Germany.

How he assumed this position?

it Is a jump that tambien wished, say it like this. Already it knew big part of the related with my work and me apetecía involve me in something new, step forward. There was two or three projects for me and east is the most important. Imagine you what means also go back home after nueve years and with so much responsibility on.

What do you think that we must learn from this European country from an industrial point of view?

During this time I have learned a lot from the way work at Germany and even Central Europe since that they work much with neighbours such as Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria and even Italy.

We should also learn the importance of the transfer University - enterprise in Germany. They directed to the student, either of the branch of vocational training or University directly to companies.

Something that we should learn from them is to create wealth. There should be more State aid to promote technologies and companies that want to develop. The industry of renewable energy in Spain is the most important at European level, can by not what they do the same in other sectors and we help create wealth with a future?

They will take part in Equiplast?

Claro. Already we carry a lot of editions exposing and this time will be in a stand very attractor trucks of 300 square metres, shared with Equifab and Alimatic that are our two partners-representatives in the sector of the plastic. We go to the fair with many win.