"We have put a lot of emphasis on diversification"

AutoRevista - Industrias Alegre has become a multi-activity and multi-technology supplier, how has this change come about?

Mónica Alegre.-  We have focused a lot on diversification, not only in terms of activity, but also geographically with our consolidation in Poland and by resuming the project started in 2015 in Mexico. Also in terms of customers, both OEMs and Tier 1, to whom we supply not only our usual plastic injection molded parts for the interior, but also exterior components or the plastic part of engine filters and other technical parts with higher added value. This dynamic has been particularly relevant in our plant in Poland, but, on the other hand, we have recovered a considerable level of activity with our first customer in the automotive industry, SEAT.

Entering the second field of activity, we have grown a lot in packaging with differentiating IoT solutions in traceability, location and status (full/empty) of containers, with the intention of reaching other industrial sectors with a customer-supplier transport circuit, beyond the automotive sector. The third aspect is in additive manufacturing in proprietary material, with which we already work in 80% of our production and which we know very well. In all these fields, innovative capacity is proving to be fundamental.

AR.- How is the company advancing in such a new technology as additive manufacturing?

M.A.- Especially in functional prototypes for first pre-series, as well as in the supports, in the gauges to place the parts and in tooling and tools that support our production process. Also in short series, and always with applications that are closely aligned with the customer's needs. This activity has opened up many possibilities for us to collaborate with various entities, including universities, also in our local area.

AR.- How are you channelling this growth and diversification in terms of business management?

M.A.- It is not easy to find specialised profiles in such different fields, which is why we are making a strong commitment to internal promotion and training, developing people with knowledge in these fields. We have to bear in mind that these technologies evolve very quickly.

AR.- What is Industrias Alegre's projection in plastronics?

M.A.- It is a response to the interaction with devices inside the vehicle to reduce their complexity, with the electronics embedded in the plastic itself, part of our commitment to innovation to align ourselves with new trends in the automotive sector. In the first phase of the project we have developed our own demonstrator that has several applications, one of them, for example, is the control of the intensity of lighting inside the vehicle. We are working on a second phase to develop a real part, combining our know-how in plastic parts with electronics, proposing cost savings.

AR.- What impact is the electrification trend having on the company?

M.A.- For Industrias Alegre, we see opportunities in those hollow spaces previously occupied by the combustion engine, where plastic parts can now be placed (front trunk - frunk). We are also exploring solutions in battery box developments, as well as in the substitution of metal parts for plastic, seeking to lighten as much as possible. In terms of logistics, applications in the internal movement in the battery plants and the transportation of the new batteries.

AR.- Finally, the company is also using artificial intelligence.

M.A.- We are participating in a European project called Teaming AI with which we want to improve our production processes by reducing the errors and waste in the waste in injection processes with the help of  predictive Artificial Intelligence. The aim is to translate all this knowledge into improved sustainability.

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Interview published in AutoRevista 2.383