Interview to Julia Gómez Embil, administrator and director of Marketing of Gómez Oviedo
27 January 2012
With a business path that in 2012 arrives already to the 65 years, how would define the moment that crosses at present Gómez Oviedo?
The stage that cross is complicated, given the coyuntura economic current and the war of prices that exists in the sector. It is a stage of adjust and of deep changes, that allow us reinforce us of face to the future.
Which would stand out Unit like the values that have sustentado the growth of Gómez Oviedo along these 65 years?
Always have bet for offering a service of high quality and a personalised deal, contributing also a high component of innovation so much in products and services as in management. Proof of this is the obtaining does some months of the stamp EFQM of excellence.
After the foundation of the company like factory of baldosa hydraulics and his back initiation in the sector of the covers of blackboard (activity, by the way, that still keep), in which year initiated really the service for hire and sale of machinery?
As well it signals, happened some years since José Gómez Oviedo initiated, in 1947, his business activity with a factory of baldosa hydraulics, until it went in in the market of the rent. It began in this sector renting compressesors almost of casual form. The strong demand that by then existed, did that little by little it was increasing the investment in machinery to be able to offer the equipment that requested the market.
Which evolution have been still in the rent of machinery? Which would define Unit like key dates in this activity?
The entrance in 1986 in the CEE, that incentivó the public investment in infrastructures, and the every time greater preference of the companies constructors by no inmovilizar his active with big parks of machinery, created the favourable conditions so that the sector of the rent began to despegar in Spain.
Was in these years when we begin to enter light machinery of compactación, of until 3.000 kg, and power generators, expanding besides the range of compressesors.
After the recession, that began in the year 1992, incorporated to the fleet of GO dumpers of all type, compressesors of greater discharge as well as minipalas and miniretros. Also it went in these years when it constituted the company Oviedo Car, whose main activity is the rent of all type of vehicles without driver.
During the expansionary phase that crossed our country until 2007, the park of machinery increased considerably, so much in volume as in amplitude of range. Example of this were the incorporation of new equipment like the carts 4x4, dúmperes of big tonelaje and wheel loaders with implementos, amongst other.
One of the appearances that more project of the history of Gómez Oviedo is his bet by innovative products, by articles, many of them, that until Uds. They incorporated them to his park were practically unusual in rent. I remember, for example, the shovels Kramer. They keep this innovative vocation?
Of course, and more in the current times. For example, we have entered recently in our park, storage lifts with mobile arms articulated of 30 m that allow to position the material directly on the covers, adapting to his inclination. We look for constantly equipment more flexible that increase the efficiency and the efficiency of the works.
Another highlight in Gómez Oviedo is his clear strategy of diversification, attending with the rent no only to professionals of the traditional construction. Which sectors cover already with his machinery? They have created lines of different business to attend to customers of gardening, industry, power, public works…?
Sure enough, cover other sectors, as those that quotes, by means of the creation of lines of business, tending to an integral service for hire that it cover the needs of the distinct sectors.
It is this the best formula so that an alquilador with an offer 'generalista' can offer a skilled service to customers of different sectors?
Yes, consider that by means of this formula can offer services of high quality.
It thinks that this line of diversification can go to more, that is to say, can advance the rent in sectors in which it still is not present or where has a minimum representation?
Of course that yes. We want to improve the rent of equipment in other sectors adapting us to the needs that can arise them to his professionals, to offer them an integral service so much of equipment as of vehicles.
They have appreciated with the crisis a brusque fall of the weight of the Construction in the total volume of the activity for hire in profit of other sectors, as for example events?
The fall in the 2008 of the edificación hardly had impact in our company, but yes had it (and has it), the fall of the public work. It is by this reason, amongst other, by what look for other sectors of activity. For example, and answering to his question, yes loan services for events, explaining for this with a team of skilled personnel. It is a very interesting sector.
The strategy of diversification of Gómez Oviedo also can appreciate in the rest of lines of business: the rent of vehicles and the renting of vehicles and machinery. When they initiated these activities?
As it indicated previously, Oviedo Car constituted in the year 1992, being his main activity the rent of all type of vehicles without driver. We have of workshops of mechanics, electronic, bodywork and painting recognised, for own and extraneous vehicles.
Later constituted Renting Solution, that is a financial devoted to the rent of vehicles and machinery.
They give sinergias between these two activities and the rent of machinery?
Of course, are complementary services that allow us offer to our customers an integral service for hire with a high value added.
Another of the roads in which Gómez Oviedo wants to adentrarse is in the internationalisation. They have defined in which part of the world want to implant initially? Which formula go to employ to do it (with partner local, of independent form…)?
The road of the internationalisation, under our point of view, is fundamental for the survival inside this sector. We form part of the program ICEX PIPE and have developed a department of internationalisation. We are analysing markets in the East of Europe, North of Africa and Sudamérica and, in principle, the strategy of entrance would be through local partner.
Descartan To short-half term expand also by Spain with new delegations? His idea is to keep in Asturias, Cantabria and Madrid?
In principle descartamos open new delegations in Spain given the coyuntura current of our economy.
To go finishing, how would define the situation that crosses the rent of machinery in Spain at present? Which are his main problems? They are only circumstantial or structural?
In my opinion, is complicated. After the entrance of the big operators in the market with politics of reckless prices, are offering services for hire that not even they cover the cost of financials of the equipment. They have arrived, in occasions, to leave that they are the own customers those who fix the price. The situation, to continue like this, is insostenible for a lot of companies of the sector. It can not work generating value with this type of competitors.
There are structural problems, inherent to the activity, of course, that see aggravated by the coyuntura economic current of contraction of the demand in the sector of the construction.
The uncertainty of payment in the private sector and in the public, as well as the dilated periods of payment complicate still more the situation, by not speaking of the reduced availability of extraneous financials that have the SMEs in the actuality.
How they can compete companies that carry all the life giving service for hire, and that square to the maximum his balances, with big groups for hire that seem to have an infinite capacity of indebtedness?
We look to the future with optimism and illusion. We will compete offering services of high quality that generate a high value added, looking for new sectors and other markets. The innovation of equipment, services and management will be a constant that will allow us differentiate us of our competition. And of course, the experience will keep on being our big value to the hour to compete with cream companies more recently.
The boundless financials will not be for us, neither for companies of similar size to ours, a competitive advantage. For others, can be the main.
