Interview to Luis Ore, president of Afec

Luis Ore substituted to the previous president of the Association of manufacturers of Equipment of Air conditioning (Afec) around the middle of 2012 and in July of this year has been reelected by four exercises more. It assumes the presidency with win and positividad, but in one of the most complicated moments for the sector in our country, an industry in which this year, to fault of official data, foresees a fall generalised of the sales in almost all the segments. “The reflation of the market of the air conditioning will not produce while it do not reactivate the economy in general and, in concrete for our sector, the private consumption, the market of the residential and tertiary construction and the public and private investment”, aims Ore.

Then , clearly positive. I have to say that, previously to occupy this charge, already had been by more than 10 years member of Managerial Board. However, the approach now is totally distinct. Of a part, have been able to live much more closely the problematic of the association and of the sector in some times complicated. Of another, now can check the big work that develops by part of the current team of Afec. Besides, I have had and have the satisfaction to have a Managerial Board that has supported me at all times, in an environingingment of work so extraordinary that has allowed me not questioning neither a minute the decision that in his day took to access to the charge.

Would like me keep the guidelines and signals of identity of a so consolidated association, although I also create would have to change things to adapt us to the times.

It is necessary to look for new formulas to take out the potential maximum of the companies associated in profit of the sector, especially in moments so delicate like which live. Boost the integration and the copartnership of the companies associated in the activities of Afec will be, equally, another important task during my presidency.

The main challenge of the association is the help to his associated of useful form, at the same time that it consolidates like entity of reference in the sector. One of the main aims to keep is to identify even more to the association like reference of the sector in his paper of speaker recognised in front of the different public servicys and entes official.

A clear difference between the current moment with the past years is the economic situation. While our income keep almost stable in the last periods, our structure has increased with the incorporation of a person more in staff does already three years. We will have to be very active and very creative, so that, keeping the level of activities developed in the organisation, look for, to the maximum, the balance between costs and income.

Although in Afec do not issue definite data of market until the closing of the year calendar, the first relative indications to the nueve first months aim to a fall generalised of the sales in almost all the segments of market under the umbrella of the association. It is obvious that these data can not extrañar to anybody in sight of the evolution of the main ratios of the economy: private consumption, sector construction, public and private investment, etc.

After several years of continuous adjust, to suffer a declining market, to check how companies of the sector, active during decades, have disappeared, still there is uncertainty on the future. Although probably this year we are “touching floor”, the climatic factor of the campaign of summer earns more importance that never in the domestic residential sector because of the limitations and the capacity of the private consumption.

Further of all these subjective interpretations of in which moments are, is to remark as, when by reasons of fault of volume, when the competition between the distinct actors of market is harder, when the levels of prices are more aggressive, precisely now, is when the legislative frame is more complex and extensive, which increases even more the difficulties to the hour to compete.

It is necessary to be realistic, the reflation of the market of the air conditioning will not produce while it do not reactivate the economy in general and, in concrete for our sector, the private consumption, the market of the residential and tertiary construction and the public and private investment. Arrive to a market with a similar volume to the of the years 2005, 2006 or 2007 seems difficult, given the weight that the residential construction arrive to have in this period. In the meantime, we have to encourage us to compete in conditions very difficult in an existent market of dimensions reduced, putting special attention so much to the market of the replacement of ancient equipment by others more efficient as to the of the rehabilitation of buildings.

Alas the volume of exports of our companies is rather reduced if we compare it with the one of other countries of the surroundings. Said this, of the equipment that manufacture is Spain could say that they are mainly for the commercial or tertiary segment. In some case produce in Spain equipment of high value added for special applications like airports, shopping centres, hospitals, etc.

If we except some, few, companies that export with regularity and keep a structure oriented to this activity, the majority do it of sporadic form, in function of the opportunity or through companies installers or constructors for projects out of Spain. This is changing and the manufacturers are beginning to consider the export like an indispensable task for his future development and in consequence are devoting efforts and resources allocated specifically to this activity.

Think that the mix of products and companies partners of Afec has of a way or of another very developed all the possible marketing venues. That is to say, the companies of equipment of air conditioning of the residential segment have like customers so much to installers directly, as to wholesale distributors, shops of appliances, big surfaces, etc. By his part, the segment of ventilation or of equipment of commercial climate centre much more in the channel of the distributors. For big installations, the sales realizar mainly to big companies installers.

Think that the order of priorities goes changing over time and, of course, depends of the profile of the final customer. While it does more than 12-15 years one of the factors prioritarios was the acoustic level perceived in the stays to climatizar, does 6-10 years, once surpassed by almost all the marks this request, the following factor could be so much the aesthetic like the one of the technology employed (inverter vs. no inverter) and refrigerantes free of chlorine (HFC).

Now that good part of the available products in the market have a provision of game that fulfil with the most known standards, (low audible level, variable speed of the compressesor by means of inverter, energetic labeling To or To+, refrigerante HFC), a factor determinant is the price joined to a mark recognised. Said this, of course, that also there are customers that look for the maximum energetic efficiency, a format or concrete design, special functions, remote connection and/or domótica, etc.

The sector has not enjoyed to date of the clear backrest and decided of the Administration. Up to now the most notable have been some plans Renove of domestic equipment promoted by some Autonomous Communities, oriented to the energetic saving and recycling of equipment used. In a country with a so adverse meteorology, mainly by the summers in a good part of the territory, the sector of the air conditioning, as such, is far to be considered “strategic”, rather all the contrary, identifies like focus of energetic/wasteful consumption and, therefore, is an activity infravalorada by said administrations. Nevertheless, the situation is changing.

Although it can not speak of backrest, yes is true that keep contacts flowed with different departments of some ministries, what allows us expresses our position like sector concerning the directives and European regulations that affect us.

Is obvious that the rules that regulate the sector and the requirements of the new regulations do not take into account the difficult situation of the sector, since they are, at least theoretically, oriented in general to the energetic saving, to the utilisation of pertinent energies of alternative sources and to the reduction of the broadcasts of CO₂. All this comports additional costs that arrive in bad moments, doing case omiso of the mentioned difficult situation.

The sector understands and supports this triple aim, but does not comprise neither supports some calendars of application and some restrictions, for example, to the use of determinate refrigerantes, that can create big problems to determinate manufacturers or a shrinking in the energetic efficiency of the equipment.

Would be careful and would compare the results to obtain by means of the application of these measures, with the risks of disappearance of companies, costs to users and real results of the same. In this sense, calls the attention that pretend resolve the problem of the broadcasts of CO₂ in the field of the European Union, attacking the purportedly related with the air conditioning, when these represent only 2% of the total broadcasts.

Yes, and like this has to be. In the first place because like this it demands it the valid legislation and, second, because it is a tendency that mark the companies leaders of the sector, multinationals in which the protection of the environingingment forms part of his Corporate Social Responsibility and of his commercial politics and marketing.

Of course all can improve , but would fit to ask if the society is prepared to assume the cost that would suppose to put in practical all the possible measures in a moment in that the technological improvements suppose increases of costs sometimes disproportionate concerning the results obtenibles.