Mexico`s global supplier
Transcription
Mexico`s global supplier
Company profile: Interglass Mexico’s global supplier Continuing our series of Mexican features ahead of Glassman Latin America in September, Greg Morris met with José Luis Vélez, Managing Director of Interglass, to discuss the Mexican company’s past, present and future. www.glass-international.com What is the history of Interglass? Interglass was founded in 1992 as a company exclusively dedicated to developing, manufacturing and supplying speciality lubricants for the glass industry. In 1994 we accomplished the first exports to Latin America and one year later the first outside the Americas. In 1995, we developed our most representative range of lubricants, the swabbing compounds Interglassmold. In the year 2000, Interglass reached a worldwide presence in more than 30 countries and four years later Interglass Brazil was founded with our own operative structure. Since then, we have been maintaining a yearly growth rate of 20% despite the global crisis. How is the company structured, and how many employees does it have? Our international management, headquarters and “We are determined to become the leaders on specialised lubrication for the glass industry. ” production plant is based in Guadalajara, Mexico. We have a strong team of technical consultants, commercial coordinators and a multicultural international sales team. The company also has a large production force with more than 60 workers in the plant, a strong R&D department with more than 20 people, our own laboratories, warehouses, logistics and delivery infrastructure. We also have a large administrative sector including customer service, financial department and international traffic. Currently, Interglass has offices in Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, New Jersey, Sao Paulo and we will soon be opening a new office in Colombia. We also have an international structure for warehousing and delivery to our customers in Europe, Asia, Africa, as well as North and South Continued>> 20 Glass International April 2015 Interglass.indd 1 4/9/15 10:12 AM Company profile: Interglass Through the years, we have developed the widest range of swabbing compounds, which is today our most popular family of products, known as the Interglassmolds or ‘Glassmolds’. Our philosophy is to co-create with our customers, unique solutions through a deep understanding of each customer’s products, their process, conditions and requirements. Through the co-creation of tailor made solutions, we look to maximise the sustainability and productivity of companies in the glass industry, focusing our efforts mainly on the finishing and glass forming process, where the impact on the final product is crucial and can only be covered by specialised solutions. Are there any ‘green’ technologies in place at your site? We are ISO14001 certified and one of our main business focus is the development of lubricants of non-ecological impact, this means biodegradable, biosustainable and bioremediable technologies. We are constantly investing in the research and development of new green technologies that may help reduce the impact on the planet. José Luis Vélez, Managing Director of Interglass. What geographical markets does Interglass serve? We are currently in more than 37 countries, in every continent, with local presence thanks to our network of specialised representatives. How important is the Mexican market to Interglass? Interglass’s production site, Guadalajara. How has the glass container market performed in Mexico in recent years, in light of the recent global recession? America. Our international distribution centres in Central and South America, Europe and the US allow us to properly serve all our customers located in different continents. We have also 15 global representatives which are part of the Interglass family. During the last few years the Mexican market has had different shades. In 2009 there was a very difficult crisis where many furnaces were shut down, but after this hard crisis the domestic market has grown solidly with the startup of new independent glass factories and the increase of installed capacity of plants from several groups. What products do you make and which is your most popular product? We develop all the range of speciality lubricants for the glass forming process, including the shear spray lubricant, long lasting coatings and lubricants for delivery equipment. We also produce oils and greases for machine lubrication that are developed considering operation variables such as high temperatures and no residual formation. Within our range of high performance lubricants is our Hyd Bio S 220 for IS machine lubrication, which has the approval of the main OEMs. In your view, what are the current glass industry challenges and opportunities? The Mexican glass industry has a privileged place in Latin America, as the beer companies trigger the large productions and therefore the technological developments. The geographical position is strategic for export and the Mexican glass manufacturers’ mind-set is orientated to the continuous improvement and innovation. The warehouse in Guadalajara. Continued>> www.glass-international.com The Mexican market is OUR market and it is very important to us as it represents 40% of our business. 21 Glass International April 2015 Interglass.indd 2 4/9/15 10:12 AM Company profile: Interglass A great opportunity might be the creation of a Mexican glass manufacturers association to organise and orient efforts together for technological innovation in the industry. Are any investments planned? We are investing to increase our installed production capacity and expand our operational structure in South America. For this year, our expansion plan envisions the opening of a new office and warehouse in Colombia. Also, we have created new partnerships that will help us to expand our presence in Asia and Oceania in the near future. Additionally we have strong investment plans to improve our characterisation laboratory and R&D facilities. Our goal is to have one of the most advanced laboratories for the research and development of breakthrough technologies in swabbing and lubrication solutions for the glass industry. On the production side we are creating a specialised food grade unit for the most demanding markets on this aspect. www.glass-international.com Any future plans for the company? 22 We are determined to become the leaders in specialised lubrication for the glass industry and for that we are currently collaborating with some of the most prestigious international institutions and top class universities for the development of new technologies. Our objectives are ambitious and cover different aspects. We not only look to expand our presence and market share worldwide, but we intend to take the swabbing and lubrication concept to the next stage by evolving the technology that has been used within the glass industry for the last few decades. We aim to create disrupting, innovating and state of the art technology that may revolutionise the concept of lubrication for the glass forming process as we know it. Interglass, Guadalajara, Mexico. www.interglass.com.mx Glassman Latin America, Guadalajara, Mexico. www.glassmanevents.com Pictured: The company’s production plant in Guadalajara, and a close up of a speciality lubricant. Glass International April 2015 Interglass.indd 3 4/9/15 10:12 AM