The crisis as a backdrop to the meetings of the machining of Madrid

The event, organized by Aspromec, the Association of professionals for the competitiveness of the machining and sponsored by WNT, Intermaher, Group Carinox, Tecnocim, Toolox and Castrol, had the institutional participation of the Mayor of Torrejon de Ardoz, Pedro Rollán, who thanked the Organization for the election of its locality for this meeting and took to explain the present projects of the City Council planned for the future. The director-general of industry in the community of Madrid, Carlos López Gimeno, who appreciated "the efforts made by all to carry out this day" was also present.

As at each meeting, the day was with a variety of papers between 15 and 20 minutes (although as usual, there were who dragged on more than enough) on the current situation of market and how improved business expectations at a time of crisis still pressing. The first to speak was José Antonio Gómez Vadillo, director-general of the Group Vadillo advisers.

With the title of ' you have a plan, you have a strategy: conquer!', José Antonio Gómez Vadillo opened the shift of papers and presented his point of view on the reasons why companies entering a slippery situation. With a critical point of view on business performances, Vadillo explained that many companies are often late to react to crisis situations: "by lack of management capacity, for not looking at what makes the competition and because we are self-serving."

Gómez Vadillo in his paper raised the theory that there are two ways to run a business. The first, not react to the disadvantages or not wanting to face the necessary evolution that a company needs to adapt to the market and the times. The crisis in this option are usually strategic or operations, and that this often carry over time towards a crisis of results. The next step is the consequent problem of liquidity, which limits to minimize the margin of a company's move and has been, in a short time towards what is defined as the "critical point".

The otherwise carry a company is, according to the rapporteur, to "reinvent the company". For Gómez Vadillo, the question which must be an entrepreneur in this issue is "What would do if it started my company from scratch, with the knowledge that I have now?". In this sense, it also recommended follow a phrase from the prestigious American economist Michael Porter, who affirmed that "the company without strategy is willing to try anything".

But who wants to take your company to a successful conclusion should, according to Vadillo, follow the following tips. The first of these is a cold analysis of your company, guided only by numbers, not by emotions, "as they can make us take decisions wrong for the good of the company". Secondly, it is essential to prioritize the most important of our company, focusing our efforts in the section that we are more competitive. And while the strategy is important, to provide confidence both to workers and customers, is should be, as a third step in the list, "take action", i.e., prioritize the plans in the short term. "That will bring confidence to our customers", though of course not be forgotten nor long-term objectives.

In this regard, the work plans should be to 100 or 200 days to improve the cost of competitive products, to implement sound management and to obtain results that customers can see. "Of course, - commented Gómez Vadillo - is necessary also the communication and the commitment to clients". To communicate our actions is also very important to see that the work we do is optimal. The director-general of the Vadillo Group ended his speech, one of the most prominent of the encounters, referring to the two paths to take by employers with the phrase "the decision is in your hands".

Another of the papers that highlighted in the edition of Torrejón de Ardoz was Paola Corbalán, Director of purchases of Reyvarsur, who, with sympathy, and his cheerfully explained to participants the importance of adapting to the changes. With the title ' the SME and the theory of the future: change management ', in his presentation made it very clear from the beginning that the most important thing for a company is to adapt to the times and changes that society is undergoingboth technological and economic levels.

It further emphasized two phrases that an employer must always bear in mind in his paper: "change is inevitable" and "Must change". This is the first step to survive in difficult times and to highlight the good times. Adapting a mathematical phrase of the classics, Corbalán theorized on the performance of workers and employers of a company, stating that "will the company make it always unless a force acts on it". I.e. a company executives and managers must have always present that is necessary to take action to ensure that the company is not limited to repeat their actions over time, anquilosando in old routines.

Paola Corbalán gave the example of the company for which work, Reyvarsur, which was founded by his father Juan Corbalán in 1974, to explain that sometimes we need to make changes in many areas for adaptation to the times of our company. These changes can affect the physical environment, business strategy, the structure of the company, technology that is used or even the attitude of the template.

Following the example of Reyvarsur, its Director of sales explained that one of the first changes made in your company has been the exchange of materials, from the metal to the plastic, which has reported them a good margin of savings in the production. They have also invested in the improvement of their website, which has reported them a better image to customers. "- He said - we are now trying to change the structure of the company to make it more efficient". The Director of sales for Reyvarsur ended his speech with a final sentence to summarize and round off his presentation: "Sucumbid to change!".

Another of the concepts highlighted in the papers of the meetings of the 2010 machining was collaboration. Gaston Letamendia, partner and director of the consultancy area, Sayma, covered his paper on this subject with the title 'Cooperation, a question of competitiveness'. In it, the rapporteur explained that it is necessary to collaborate with other companies, even with the competition, to get together for a purpose that benefits all, to achieve a common good.

To achieve appropriate with other business cooperation, Letamendia recalled that it should always get a result, as this is the objective of the cooperation. Secondly, it should not be necessarily a merger between companies, they may simply be a collaboration, sporadic or permanent and, in addition, companies must maintain its legal personality. Another important point is that there should be a high level of confidence among all parties to ensure that the collaboration will lead to the initially planned objective. Without trust, it is impossible to bring to fruition a project of collaboration between several companies.

Finally, Gaston Letamendia said in a collaborative project never there losers, because everyone involved gain something in return. This is another strong point to remind you to consider a partnership, because the discrepancies may appear on the road if there is no clear this concept. Finally, the Rapporteur recalled and highlighted, as well as other participants, how important it is to have languages to achieve better management of our businesses.

In her speaking time, Santiago Hernández Ariño, unit business strategic aerospace and Deputy director of Sener, began Recalling the quality requirement in the aerospace industry, which requires parts with a high guarantee high level of risk of accident involving an ill-designed piece. It is why, also, that in this industry will require high levels of traceability, i.e. be able to find experienced failures to solve them. This is also a concept applicable to companies, allowing a good traceability to an employer know what to do to solve a problem.

During the period of crisis management Hernández Ariño affirm that "out of the crisis is necessary excellence and machining sector has Spain". Thus he wanted to encourage those attending the meetings of the machining to make further progress in the improvement of its products, approaching excellence, to achieve better results from market. In this regard, said that to have better products, it is essential to achieve verifiable quality standards.

On the other hand, Ariño reflected on the economic downturn we are experiencing stating that times of crisis are not always bad, because that often serve to reinforce the competitive companies, to eliminate the competition that is not at a sufficient level and to consolidate those companies mean that may evolve in a way very favourable in the market, without assuming a scourge for this.

Finally, Hernández Ariño ended his speech with several reflections, notably that Spain does not currently have world-class aviation companies, that the final added value is essential for a company obtains good results in the market andReiterating the message already given by Gaston Letamendia, is essential to invest in these languages to have better communication with customers, because often a poor translation can lead to losing a good business opportunity.

While for reasons of time not could carried out the final debate scheduled for end of the day, yes it could hear few thoughts thrown in the air by speakers, organizers and attendees to the event. One of them was related to the missed opportunity for some of the companies that were not present at the meetings in Madrid, because, as explained Ramiro Bengochea, "is a way to better understand the market, news which offers and solutions to get out of the crisis".