A long-lasting collaboration based on trust characterised by shared values and a joint approach
Manuel Baraza, Market manager at Ibermática
Ibermática is one of Spain’s leading ICT service companies and has been operating in the market since 1973. Its mission consists in giving support to companies, institutions and organisations in terms of digital transformation processes to improve their competitiveness by applying technology and knowledge based on a firm commitment and proximity. This proximity to the customer has allowed the organisation to implement a permanent expansion process to achieve further progress. Ibermática is nowadays a multinational company located in more than 10 countries in Europe and America with a workforce of more than 4,000 professionals in 20 operating centres dealing sectors such as finance, insurance, services, telecommunications, healthcare, energy & utilities and public administrations to offer tailor-made solutions. Manuel Baraza, Market director, takes stock of the close relationship between his company and the technology centre on the occasion of the latter’s 40th anniversary.
Tekniker has turned 40. Seen from your position at Ibermática, how would you describe the centre’s evolution over the last few years?
Over the last 40 years, Ibermática has had a very close relationship with Tekniker. Consequently, we can only recognise and praise what is nowadays a highly successful organisation that started off as a small analysis and metrology laboratory and eventually expanded to become a leading organisation in terms of manufacturing and the innovation ecosystem.
There are several outstanding landmarks for our company such as 1989 when Tekniker put its stakes on the world of digitisation, established Goitek as a start-up in 1992 and agreed to incorporate this organisation to Ibermática in 2006.
The MES Olanet solutions commercialised by Ibermática originated in Tekniker, and although we have our own in-house R&D, we are still working and collaborating together on many fronts. We feel that, thanks to that initial idea born more than 30 years ago, we have made it possible for Ibermática to have its own MES product that is currently a leader in the market thanks to its nearly 1,000 customers.
You have a long-lasting and close relationship with Tekniker…, what does it means for Ibermática to have Tekniker as a strategic ally?
This collaboration with Tekniker is fundamental for Ibermática. Whilst we deal with daily operations involving our customers, we receive lots of support from Tekniker with regard to researching new developments and projects related to Industry 4.0. It is a very solid strategic alliance because it brings together the solvency of knowledge and the transparency that arises from an atmosphere of mutual trust.
The MOM Expertise Center is the main asset of this collaboration, is there anything you would like to underline about it?
Indeed, MOM is a very important asset that we started to promote together four years ago and I would like to stress that it is a work space that has allowed us to define and analyse the performance of our digital platform with Tekniker.
It also allows for experimentations with a number of elements that Tekniker already owns such as robotics, machines, etc. to test and make sure that all developments run smoothly.
And, of course, it provides a relational environment for customers where they can see and study the new solutions we are implementing to pay heed to their suggestions in order to address their challenges properly.
What challenges are looming on the horizon? Could you name the technologies you will be addressing with Tekniker?
There are many challenges. As regards MOM, both Tekniker and Ibermática are looking into ideas for the future, prioritising certain developments and considering support programmes to accommodate our projects and involve the customer. These are challenges we are already addressing and will continue to do so to the best of our abilities.
As regards other technologies both organisations are currently considering, I must stress all of those related to Industry 4.0 (nowadays Industry 5.0) such as IoT, digital twins, advanced analytics, cybersecurity as well as innovative technologies geared towards facilitating work for our customers such as machine learning for machine predictions, noise analysis to optimise cutting tool performance, voice commands to facilitate data input by operators, etc.
What does your collaboration with Tekniker contribute in terms of the Basque industrial fabric?
In a nutshell, it’s all about the essence of how things are done. A collaboration based on trust, with a long-term vision, shared values and a perfectly aligned approach. A model focused on taking the goals of the other party on board as a mechanism to generate value. This never ceases to be an aspiration that we believe we have achieved with our customers with whom we share the concept and reality of an extended company.