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 César Navarro, presidente de la Asociación de Fabricantes Españoles de Bricolaje

"The good relationship between manufacturers and distributors is one of the props for the development of the sector"

Interview with César Navarro, President of the Association of Spanish manufacturers of DIY

LAIA Banús08/03/2011

on March 8, 2011

Although young, the Association of Spanish manufacturers of DIY and hardware has worked hard these 7 years of life for the DIY market and develop better relations with all the participants of the distribution as a main task. Its Board of Directors has recently renovated to continue with those activities that had been already doing and promoting new ones, which associates grow, modernize and develop with its distributors. Its new President, César Navarro, is also managing director of Cintacor.

César Navarro, managing director of Cintacor and new President of Afeb.

Recently he has been appointed President of Afeb. How do you view the work carried out by the Organization so far?

AFEB is probably one of the European organisations in the sector more value adds to its partners. Since its inception, now 7 years, it has evolved and has incorporated, through its committees work, different activities and services, following the demands of partners, and in this regard it should be noted the excellent work done by the previous Board.

"It is essential to our businesses adapt to changes quickly enough"

What are the main objectives that is marked to make during his tenure?

Further enhance those services and instruments that give value to the partner and help develop us with the distribution and promotion of the sector.

What are the main risks that face manufacturers represented by your Association?

We are living times of change that the crisis is accelerating, and in this sense we can live a situation similar to that experienced in the past other European countries, so it is essential that our companies will be able to adapt to these changes with the fast enough.

One of its objectives is to promote good relations between manufacturers and distributors. What do you think that it is the current relationship between these two groups?

So far we can say that our industry has maintained a very good relationship between manufacturers and distributors, and this has been one of the props that has allowed to develop the sector as it has done. And I think that if we are able to make further progress in this respect it will allow us out of this crisis quicker and certainly more reinforced. We have to get a more efficient sector and to make better use of their resources. A good example of collaboration and efficiencies is the effort being made in the implementation of the EDI (electronic data interchange) system in the sector.

Cofac in Parets del Vallès (Barcelona) facilities hosted one of the 'Afeb breakfast' which the Association organizes for its partners.

Among the services offered to its partners, is what they tend to be the most popular?

Different information systems that generates and collects Afeb, direct contacts with the distribution through the so-called 'Afeb breakfast' in which we can directly receive information from our large clients, training trips to other countries with visits to the most innovative shops, and the internal forums.

"We have to get a more efficient sector and to make better use of their resources"

How can you imagine the organization within five years?

AFEB is still a very young organization, and which is still a long road ahead that will grow and adapt their services to the evolution that we insist on the market.

Currently there are many fairs associated, generalists, privadas… believes that it is good or can be somehow detrimental?

Fairs respond like any company, the law of the market, so it will make sense those that respond to the demand and the needs that it requires its market and to cover the necessary objectives for its continuity, and which fail these goals will disappear.

AFEB has maintained from the outset a completely neutral position with the different existing contests because they are partners who decide to go or not to the existing fairs.

In his view, is what shock element you missing sector?

I don't believe in shake-ups magical but in a continuous work to grow the sector stronger and more efficient, companies who respond and meet the demands of consumers and customers.

Attending a trade mission in Casablanca (Morocco) which was organised last year Afeb in order to visit points of sale of the Moroccan capital and initiate contact with potential distributors.