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Aliberico

SPAIN - Industry

Clemente González Soler

Clemente González Soler, Executive President, Alibérico

Bio

An aeronautical engineer by training, he is the founder, owner, and executive chairman of the Alibérico Group. From 1990 to 1997, he served as president and CEO of Alcan Aluminio in Spain before embarking on an entrepreneurial journey that led to the creation of a leading industrial group now comprising 35 companies.

He currently serves as president of CEMAES, the Morocco-Spain Economic Council. Over the years, he has held prominent roles, including president of the Executive Committee of IFEMA, member of the Board of Directors of the Family Business Institute, president of ADEFAM, vice president of CEIM, member of the Board of Directors of CEOE, and professor in the prestigious 15×15 Course at EDEM Business School.

The contributions of Clemente González Soler have been widely recognized. In 2023, the Madrid City Council awarded him the San Isidro Medal, and in 2021, the Community of Madrid honored him with the Commandery of the Order of May 2.

"Our dedication to sustainability is a point of pride. The Miranda de Ebro Alucoil factory was the first globally to receive the Spain-Palma-Denmark EPD certificate in 2014, providing transparent life cycle and environmental impact data."

TBY talks to Clemente González Soler, Executive President of Alibérico, about the company’s achievements, new technology, and goals for the coming years.

How has Aliberico progressed since our last interview, and what recent achievements would you highlight?

The growth trajectory has been exceptionally positive, marked by the successful opening and commencement of production at three new factories, each contributing significantly to our expansion. First, the RedBOND factory in Alicante underwent expansion, enhancing our production capabilities. Second, the Durolac factory in Miranda de Ebro specializes in unique lacquers, leveraging cutting-edge technology to produce high-quality special lacquers within remarkably short delivery times, establishing its global uniqueness. The third addition, Iberfoil Integra, commenced production at the end of 2023. Located in Sabiñánigo, this facility is dedicated to recycling all aluminum scrap from our 17 factories in Spain and our customers. It transforms this scrap into aluminum coil, enhancing our sustainability efforts and increasing our self-sufficiency. These new factories are instrumental not only in broadening our product range and tonnage, but also in elevating our turnover and achieving greater self-sufficiency. Previously focused on transformed products, we have now expanded into recycling aluminum and manufacturing raw materials, such as aluminum coil, driven by our group’s size and the aspiration for increased self-sufficiency. Furthermore, the incorporation of Idalsa, also known as Ibérica de Aleaciones Ligeras, following its acquisition, has been a significant milestone. This facility, the second largest in Spain, specializes in aluminum smelting and recycling, boasts a capacity of 60,000 tons and occupies a vast 300,000sqm facility near Zaragoza. The acquisition of 100% ownership of Idalsa positions us as the second largest Spanish producer in the world of aluminum recycling and scrap. This addition has not only contributed an additional 80 million in invoicing to our operations, but also signifies our entry into the green aluminum sector. Affectionately termed “green aluminum,” it involves recycling aluminum from within the group and our own scrap materials, reinforcing our commitment to sustainability.


What is Aliberico’s sustainability strategy and what efforts does the company make to ensure a positive impact on the community?

Our dedication to sustainability is a point of pride. The Miranda de Ebro Alucoil factory was the first globally to receive the Spain-Palma-Denmark EPD certificate in 2014, providing transparent life cycle and environmental impact data. Additionally, our Aragon factories hold the Aragon Circular seal for their contributions to the circular economy and recyclability. Two major factories, Alucoat in Linares and Iberfoil, have achieved ASI certification, the aluminum sector’s comprehensive sustainability standard. This initiative assesses 59 criteria across three pillars: environment, social, and governance. In 2023, the Alicante RedBOND factory achieved another significant milestone, becoming the world’s first manufacturer with zero CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. These achievements underscore our commitment to social sustainability and governance across our factories. At Alibérico, our purpose is clear: prioritizing the well-being of people and the environment through innovative solutions. This ethos guides our actions to create value and enhance our societal impact. We prioritize our employees’ well-being, offering stable employment, continuous training, and promoting internal advancement. Initiatives for equality and sponsorship of sports teams demonstrate our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace. Beyond our company, we engage with society and the environment. For example, sponsoring local sports teams like the Mirandés team in Miranda highlights our dedication to the communities where we operate. In investments, sustainability is integral. We have formed a sustainability committee to ensure comprehensive decision-making across departments, reflecting our ongoing commitment. Overall, sustainability remains paramount in all aspects of our operations, integrating both our people and the environment.

What actions are you taking to make the most of your technological resources?

Many of our production lines are unique in the world. They are designed and built by us. To maintain various innovation concepts and products that are unique in the world, some of which we are the sole manufacturer of, we have developed, built, and implemented our own production lines that are unique globally. The sensorization of most of the production lines has been increased, meaning having much more real-time information on how all the parameters are in order to try to improve and optimize the production processes. In addition, we want the information to be comprehensive, up to date and readily available. These concepts have led to a new way of working, not only in terms of technical investments in equipment, installations, connections, wiring, but also in how we have organized people in this regard. This gives us great flexibility, which is one of Alibérico’s key values, advantages, and assets enabling rapid decision-making. What do we ultimately want? To reduce our lead times, increase our customer service and have much faster, much more up-to-date information underpinning our decisions.


How does the Alibérico group convey its brand identity across Spain and its other countries of operation?

Our products are branded to reflect our commitment to quality and reliability. With over 100 proprietary brands, each product carries our distinct identity, sought after by customers for their assurance of quality and service. While we may not actively promote our brand in Spain, our status as a Spanish company is well recognized. As a Spanish industrial and technological group, we extend our Spanish identity to nearly 90 countries worldwide. However, global trends are shifting toward localization. In response, our primary strategic decision, initiated in 2021, is to concentrate 90% of our industrial capacities in Spain. Meanwhile, to optimize our technological and industrial capacity, we have recently constructed three new factories, intending to centralize the majority of our industrial processes in Spain. This decision aligns with evolving market dynamics, where shorter supply chains and a localized mindset are gaining prominence. Although most of the production is concentrated in Spain, part of it is located in North Africa, especially in Morocco, with the presence of Alucoil Maroc in Casablanca. We see Morocco as holding significant potential for the future of European investments. Still, we are concerned about the trend toward over-regulation in Europe, leading to disinvestment in industry. The declining industrial weight in countries like Germany and Spain indicates a shift toward relocating industries to North Africa, especially Morocco. This situation, summed up as “China produces, the US innovates, and Europe regulates,” reflects our belief that excessive regulation is stifling innovation and production, resulting in the decline of many Spanish and European industrial companies.

What are Alibérico’s goals for the coming year?

Our big challenge is to introduce a new generation of materials, some previously unknown. These new products and materials are especially targeted toward sectors such as mass transportation, not just automotive, but also trains, ships, and buses, as well as construction. Our plan includes launching a new range of technologically advanced products. Our goals for 2024 and 2025 involve introducing new products, establishing new brands, and entering new markets. Second, we aim to have our Iberfoil Integra plant in Sabiñánigo fully operational, with an annual capacity of 30,000 tons. And third, we aim to significantly reduce our lead times, leveraging the digitization and artificial intelligence initiatives we discussed earlier. This will enable us to enhance our service quality and optimize our working capital.

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