Interview to Stoian Markov, administrator of Hidromek West and president of the Committee Organiser of Smopyc

The history of Stoian Markov and of the company to which represents, Hidromek, is a history of superación. In spite of having opened a subsidiary in Spain few months before initiating the greater crisis in the market of machinery of construction and public works of our history, Hidromek has saldado these last seven years with a constant growth, based especially in the prudence. To day of today, Stoian Markov and his team no only have planted the mark Hidromek like one of the big referents of the Spanish market, but it also directs from this subsidiary the operations of the Group in Western Europe, including Portugal, France and Italy. His big work at the head of this base, as well as the passion that shows daily by the market of machinery, has cost him besides for, from does some months, be the president of the Committee Organiser of the main sectorial fair Spanish, Smopyc.

As well it knows, from the year 2002 Hidromek has sold machinery in Spain, but did not go until finals of 2006 and principles of 2007, when we decide to open an own base. Obviously this initiative took place few months before the irruption of the crisis, but this fall of the market is not something that have affected us especially since Hidromek has a long experience in surviving to the crises.

In the first place is important to know that Hidromek is a company that funds mostly with own resources. And in the concrete case of Spain, have acted always with the maximum prudence. When we start our activity did not do it with the resources that demanded a situation of market like the lived to finals of 2006 and principles of 2007, but we did it with the workers that precisely needed, with a high level all they of professionalism, and with the intention to go growing little by little, of agreement to the evolution that followed the own market.

Therefore, the crisis does not have us pillado in cruising speed but in a phase of takeoff, that has allowed us adjust the speed to the conditions of the sector. We can say that in these seven years have increased progressively in installations, in personnel, in turnover and in number of machines delivered… and all this in spite of the crisis.

Have taken decisions that have allowed us have a structure of distribution much solider, with some ready better dealers, connoisseurs of the product and much more resistant. The true is that with the crisis have been very few the dealers of Hidromek that have closed and in the cases that has produced this situation, have gone out us two or three alternative candidates very good that have created us a lot of difficulties to the hour to choose between one and another. It is something that does us feel proud because it is fruit of the work that come developing during the last years.

Sure enough. It is undoubted that the mark each day is more present in the market and is more visible. Besides, can say that the product Hidromek also has grown thanks to the indications and recommendations that have come doing from this subsidiary during the last years. The factory has realizar changes in the development of many of his machines of agreement to the needs that posed us our customers and that we moved later to the centres of production.

Sincerely, to day of today, do not think that there is any difference, regarding quality, to the hour to manufacture in a country or in another. We are in a process of globalisation in which the concept of origin of the machine has happened to the history. In fact, today it is very complicated to know where has manufactured a machine because it is formed by components whose origin is of the most diverse.

From does years in Turkey manufactures with the greater standards of quality and besides is a country very very positioned geographically like crossing of supply of different areas of the world. While in Europe have abandoned a lot of works of boilerworks, mechanised and smelting, in Turkey these works follow having a very high weight, with every time greater quality.

Of course. Precisely this versatility of our machines has buna splits of his origin in the growth that have experienced in Europe. When having a more direct contact with the professionals of these more mature markets have been able to listen the needs of the users. We have been able to check in first person how the owners of the machines bet increasingly by the polivalencia, by equipment that can do different works only changing the implement or the accessory. All this has allowed us deliver increasingly machines for applications of recycling, of tunnels, of long scope, special works…

One of our main aims in matter of communication is that precisely, that the market see us like a provider of a wide range of solutions. Obviously the origin of the company is the manufacture of mixed, but is not less true that right now the greater part of the turnover of the company proceeds of the sale of heavy and skilled machinery.

This operation no only has supposed to purchase the factory that Mitsubishi has in Thailand but also all the engineering and the know how of the company. Already we have near of 170 employees displaced there and, in addition to boosting the growth of these machines in the Asian market, our intention is to enter some changes in the process of manufacture of these models to adapt them equally to the needs of the European market.

Mitsubishi Has a concept of machine like which had Hidromek ten years before: very robust, very productive, very economic… but with little aesthetics and ergonomics. This has a good acceptance in some markets, but in the most developed, included Turkey, to be able to go in with this product, requires a greater care of the design and the replacement of some components. In this process are now and thanks to the good relation that have with some European and North American manufacturers of components, go to give the jump with a new and innovative generation of motor graders.

Go to the facts. What has happened in the last years in Spain? That the Spanish economy and more specifically the sector of the construction has sobrecalentado by two reasons: by the residential construction and by the sobregasto of the public Administrations. This has had, between other consequences, that the percentage of employment in the construction on the total have happened of 14% to 2% in hardly some years, when the optimum point is in the 6-7%. And another of the big victims by this fall has been logically the market of machinery of construction and public works, with descents that in some cases arrive to the 95-98%.

To this descent of activity also has added another important factor, the increasing weight that has had the sale of machinery used, especially through the banks that accumulated a big park and that converted during some years in other agents of the market. I think that this already has disappeared, already is very difficult to find machines with few hours of life to prices very economic. We consider that already it has gone back to the levels of machine used of before the crisis, and that what there is at present available in the market no longer results so attractor trucks.

From my point of view, yes. I am convinced that when it begin to move the work, there will be need of new machinery. The market will go back to the levels of a general crisis, as those that have the countries of our surroundings, because those that have had in these last years were very underneath of what can consider a normal fall of activity.

It is necessary to see also how answers the Administration in front of the next elections, if it decides to invest again in infrastructures, and the evolution that follow the access to the credit. Although in this sense yes can say that, after speaking with people of high level of the banking sector, everything seems to indicate that from 2013 already appreciate some symptoms of improvement. Taking into account the importance that follows having the tourism in Spain, the conservation of the infrastructures will play a key paper in the next years, and besides will be necessary to finish the projects that today are developing.

By all the said, consider that the market of machinery of public work will enjoy of a light improvement during this year, although the best expectations are in the years 2015 and 2016.

Hidromek Has renewed deeply all his range of machinery.

When rebobino, can not feel me of another form that was not proud of the attained in these years. Hidromek Came for the first time to Smopyc in the year 2005 and in these nueve years the evolution has been very positive. And to personal level, fills me of satisfaction the occupy the place of president of the Committee Organiser of the fair. I incorporated me very late to this new function but from here want to give the thanks to the previous president and to the board that have worked to make possible this edition. A fair do it the display units and Spain deserves a big fair of machinery of construction and public work. If have the honour to follow like president and respects me the health, can ensure him that we will work so that Smopyc was increasingly recognised and so that it was better positioned in the market. Between all have to take advantage of the potential that still has this fair, especially in matter of internationalisation. The Spanish companies every time export more and have to take advantage of Smopyc so that they can open step or improve his presence in different international markets. In this sense, create sincerely that it can take advantage of much more the potential of Smopyc in Sudamérica. A lot of people thinks that Spain has priority in the Latin American market by cultural and linguistic subjects, what is true, but this advantage it is necessary to develop it. No by the fact to be Spanish goes to come here the people to buy you, it is necessary to boost and improve these relations.

In this line, one of the key appearances in the success of Hidromek is the have fixed aims and go to by them insisting, insisting and insisting. We have to act of the same form so that Smopyc can develop all his potential.