"It is part of our DNA to invite OEMs and TIER 1 to get to know our industrial reality"

AutoRevista.- After 30 years of existence, how far has ACICAE come in terms of continuing to respond to the common interests of the Basque automotive industry and to boost its competitiveness? 

Mikel Orbegozo.- ACICAE has developed a very flexible management model that has evolved over the years as the sector has changed. In this sense, we are at a very advanced stage where the creation of the AIC-Automotive Intelligence Center provides us with a very powerful instrument for generating value for the Basque automotive industry as a whole. This means that we are always at the forefront in terms of knowledge, technology, training, manufacturing, etc. Furthermore, we have opened up our approach to mobility as a whole because we believe that our value chain is changing and we need to take a broader approach, as our own customers are doing.

In short, we are an association where we combine our own capabilities with the capabilities of other organizations and the capabilities of our partner companies. From this combination of capabilities and organizations we manage to provide ourselves with a strategic vision and a very practical vision in different areas. And we understand that our partners value this vision.

We are an association that brings together our own capacities, the capacities of other organisations and the capacities of our partner companies

AR.- What areas are you specifically focusing on in order to work in line with the sector's requirements in terms of electrification, connectivity, autonomous driving, digitalisation and sustainability? 

M.O.- These are very broad and complex issues. That is why we believe that trying to cover everything at the same time and with the same intensity does not make sense. We have to be very close to the ground, to what the market really demands, because we all have a bottom line. That is why we have working groups that are focused on the long, medium and short term so that this combination is the right one.

In this sense, our efforts have been mainly focused on electrification in a broad sense, without forgetting the importance of digitalization as a paradigm shift and connectivity as an unstoppable integration in the vehicle. To this we must add sustainability as a constant that forces us to think about concepts of emissions reduction, circular economy, etc., where our customers are beginning to demand the carbon footprint of each of the parts. And not forgetting autonomous driving with its various aspects of connectivity, but in a somewhat more distant place. In fact, the recent expansion of AIC in its phase 4 goes in the direction of bringing together all these lines of work.

AR.- What are the main lines of action, some of which have already been developed by ACICAE in the field of cycling, for example, when it comes to embracing mobility beyond the automobile? 

M.O.- We have a whole strategy to bring the automotive world closer to the bicycle world and vice versa. And to do so in a comprehensive way, from the industrial and technological side to the social side. To this end, we have created a specific competence centre for bicycles with the aim of providing it with knowledge and equipment. We see this as a great opportunity to join forces and diversify risks. We want to turn the Basque Country into a special hub for this industry. In fact, we have major players in both fields. There are some strategic automotive customers who have started to diversify into cycling on a small scale.

AR.- How are you working to ensure that the AIC continues to strengthen and transform itself at the forefront of automotive knowledge? 

M.O.- As I mentioned earlier, the strategic vision, the vocation to combine capacities, the wealth of having very active public and private organisations, the weight of Basque automotive companies, the experience accumulated over all these years, the existence of innovation and technology centres in our territory, mean that knowledge is largely shared. And that brings us a lot to the sector as a whole, but above all to small and medium-sized companies that do not have so many resources. We believe that this is the way forward.

AR.- ACICAE has always been very proactive in the field of Purchasing, promoting interaction with senior managers of OEMs and Tier 1, how will you continue to work in this area? 

M.O- It is part of our DNA to seek out OEM and TIER 1 customers around the world and invite them to get to know our industrial reality. This effort can never stop because people change, organisations evolve and innovation brings new contributions. That is why we never stop holding meetings in different formats in the Basque Country and abroad to create the necessary links to bring in new business. Once again, small and medium-sized companies that do not have so many resources greatly value these meetings.

We never cease to hold meetings in different formats in the Basque Country or abroad in order to create the necessary links for new business to arrive

AR.- Another area in which ACICAE has worked intensively is training, attracting and retaining talent. What role can qualifications play in ensuring that the sector remains competitive in the future and how will ACICAE continue to work in this area? 

M.O,- It is fundamental. The sector is changing and qualifications have to change at the same pace or faster. For this to happen, all university and vocational training systems need to be aligned. But, in addition, other agents such as ourselves must play a dynamic and accelerating role in this change, in this adaptation. This is the only way to complete education and arrive on time. And we are doing this continuously, starting with young people and continuing with adults, working on awareness-raising, open days, organising job fairs, preparing courses and ad hoc programmes, etc.

AR.- What are the keys to Basque industry returning to pre-pandemic results in 2022? How important is the international projection of Basque companies and in which markets should globalisation be deepened? 

M.O.- We believe that the main key is the diversification of customers, products and markets. And we believe that innovation in the broadest sense is the great driving force behind this change. To this we must add the high level of management of our professionals with many years of experience in other crises. To this must be added the wealth of our 300 companies with multinationals of foreign origin, Basque multinationals, family businesses and cooperatives. The combination of all this makes us very resistant to crises. ACICAE has tried to accompany this internationalisation process in the newer or less obvious markets. Asia continues to be the place to be and to grow in the coming years, without forgetting Latin America.

ACICAE has tried to accompany the process of internationalisation in those markets that are more novel or less obvious

AR.- Until the end of this decade, what are the main challenges that ACICAE will face and what strategies are you defining to address them? 

M.O.- They are many and varied. But I would like to stress not losing our calm, analysing the situation well, understanding the times... In short, seeing the picture as a whole and not in a partial way. We tend to get carried away by an excess of nervousness and this is not usually advisable. Having said this, which is a generic reflection, it is clear that we must continue to be excellent in management, commit ourselves with all the consequences to innovation, reposition ourselves in those niches that we believe to be of greater value to the industry, open up to new opportunities associated with mobility, seek new customers, commit to people, etc. And as always, all this in the interests of supporting our member companies.

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Interview published in AutoRevista 2.384