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: Noel Hugo Carlos, jefe de producción de Tecnimoplás

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Interview: Noel Hugo Carlos, head of production of Tecnimoplás

15/03/2005

"The objective is to manufacture moulds in a time of six to 10 weeks, depending on the size and complexity"

When is founded Tecnimoplás in Marinha Grande?

Tecnimoplás, Indústria technique of mould LDA., is a company established in the moldista industry since 1971. We design and produce moulds from precise steels for plastics of a maximum size of 2500x industry 1600 mm and 15 tons. The knowledge and experience of 80 skilled workers and the most up-to-date technology positions us in the leadership of Portuguese companies.

They are specialized in some kind of mold?

The main markets are the automotive industry, storage and household appliances. Specialists in molds of flats, moulds 2 K, gas injection moulds, mould of cored and moulds of multicavidades. End-users are original of Netherlands, Sweden, France, Spain, Germany, England, Switzerland, Israel, Saudi Arabia, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Guatemala

There are many differences between the requirements of quality of the customers of each sector? What make the difference?

All (normally companies injectors) customers are looking for partners in the moldista sector to find economical solutions. This means a mold made in the shortest time that fits in the smallest fuel transfer, good quality and a precise mould, with a short cycle, with a simple maintenance and finally, at a competitive price. By the customer of the automotive industry and household appliances customer demands the same and Tecnimoplás they have exactly the same treatment.

How do they view the evolution of the Portuguese moldista industry and your company from 1971?

At the beginning in Portugal we comercializábamos moulds based on workers with low salaries and low level technology. This situation continued for decades, but during this time, the best companies have maintained knowledge, equipment and experience to produce complex moulds. Since the quality of the Portuguese molds have increased and improved based on the "know how" and on the experience of the workers, their salaries also have been increasing over the years. Today the wages are very high in comparison with Asia.

That is why today we cannot compete with Asia in what refers only to the manufacture of moulds. We must develop new capabilities based on new technologies and innovation. Today the challenge is not only produce the mold, but that the most important thing is to seek solutions using our knowledge and experience.

Tecnimoplás and other Portuguese seamstresses are changing its internal structure; Today the Department of CAD/CAE/CAM has more staff compared to the production, exactly as opposed to at the beginning of the moldistas industries. We are also buying new machines because they are more accurate and quicker, and selling old machines.

The industry today faces new amenzas...

Since then, and the main threat is Asia. With Korea we have the same prices and higher production cycles; to compete with that country we are reducing the production time and using the advantage of being close to Europe (less time for transport). With China we compete not directly because they are using price as its main attraction, something with which we can not compete. The only solution to compete with China is to make high-quality molds.

Portuguese moldistas industries are working with customers and partners from the beginning of the development of the product. This service can be developed by companies with knowledge as the Portuguese moldistas.

It is very important to reduce production cycles so you have to change the working day from 7.00 to 24 hours. The idea is to make molds from 6-10 weeks depending on the size and complexity.

Define its machine park, is it current?

Milling machines with high-speed France (Huron) and Japan (Mori Seiki), CNC milling machines of Spain (Anayak).

Switzerland (Agie) wire EDM machines.

Machines of EDM for Spain (Ona) and Switzerland (Agie and Charmilles) penetration, drills of Germany (Ixion), Japan (Mori Seiki) lathes, presses adjustment from Italy (Millutensil).

It also carries out engineering?

Our projects Department is composed of six engineers (mechanical, and specialized materials) and seven designers of moulds. The Department of CAE employs software Moldflow CAD Department develops 3D with Unigraphics, Solidworks and Mouldworks mold design. We also have Autocad 2004 for further production. The Department CAM - milling machines with WorkNC (Automatic Complex Surface Machining) and CamWorks.

Has also injectors for testing of injection?

Currently we have no injection machines. We are looking to invest in this equipment. There are currently several companies specializing exclusively in testing of injection.

Tecnimoplás does work with which markets?

Netherlands, France, Spain, Germany, England, Switzerland, Israel, Saudi Arabia, United States, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Guatemala

Tecnimoplás has a long tradition in countries of Eastern Europe, but taking into account the value of the dollar we must base our business in European countries. We are looking for new customers in Europe, mainly in Spain (by proximity), but the process may take a year to learn about the market and find new customers. For this reason, the year that comes this percentage will grow, I hope.

How was the last year for the company?

We have reduced the volume of sales by 20% up to four million euros. The main reason is the competition with Asian, European recession and the low value of the dollar. The volume of work was the same but the prices were lower. Now we are transforming our company to adjust costs to the new reality.

Where you think that you must move a company like yours to improve business?

We are currently in full "revolution". Thanks to the new communications world is very small; our competitors can only be served by telephone or computer, therefore we must take advantage of being in Europe and show our customers communication is simple, the distance for the meetings is less and the time and cost of the displacements are small compared to Asia.

Now, we must use innovation, knowledge and new technologies to develop complex products, not only the transformation of steel in a mould.

We are also making changes in the company to reduce delivery times.