Interview with Alberto López de Biñaspre, CEO of Lantek

“We will only make progress together”

Whoever reads his CV has the feeling he’s at home all over the world.

This is something I find easy to understand. An inner urge, also referred to as “wanderlust” in the English-speaking world, has led to me discovering 43 countries thanks to travelling and my professional activity. I speak four languages, German, English and French in addition to Spanish, which provides me with quick access to countries and their people.

You come from General Electric, as such from another sector. What excites you about Lantek and sheet metal processing?

For me there are two decisive factors: On the one hand, Lantek is an excellently positioned company, active on a global platform; on the other, the company has dedicated itself to the digitization of firms in sheet metal processing. Not least from my time at General Electric I bring diverse experience for both; to create and lead international teams and to develop industrial companies from being a product provider to a provider of solutions. And that is quite independent from the sector for which we at Lantek do indeed have our experts.

And where should Lantek’s journey head?

First of all, we should be grateful for the last 30 years, during which Lantek has established itself in the sector as an expert for advanced production solutions - far beyond the traditional CAD/CAM functions. Much more than this, we offer sheet metal processing a variety of applications and analysis tools within an individually adaptable framework.

The sector must now confront the challenges and opportunities of the fourth industrial revolution. We refer to it quite clearly as a revolution, i.e. companies are required to do much more adopt minor changes: it dictates fundamental changes. The reward includes improved understanding of the customer, i.e. greater competitiveness and an increase in profitability and productivity, which reduces costs whilst increasing growth and profit. To this end, each company must find the path best-suited to them. Along this path, a strong partner is required with an open, cutting-edge technical platform which enables cooperation and a joint vision. We want to be this strong partner. Not just by offering the company our advanced software and extensive services, but also by developing solutions for their specific challenges side-by-side with them.

Which prerequisites have to be met?

In any case, we have to continue along our own path to digitization and, in order to do so, obtain, support and retain the best possible talent in a wide variety of disciplines and skills. At the same time, we must also continue to stay very close to the sector. We must monitor its development and provide the company with the exact resources they require for their own path to the digital transformation. The objective is to ensure that they can prepare and understand the extensive production and customer data, which exist anyway, to the extent that a real added value results: processes in harmony with each other in management and production for increased efficiency, excellent service and, ultimately, satisfied customers.

Which guiding principles will be at the heart of your work?

One of my favourite quotes is from the PayPal CEO Dan Schulman: “The biggest impediment to a company’s future success is its past success.” We cannot, and should not, have the satisfaction of merely accepting what we have achieved up to now, even if it amounts to a lot. The key to success resides in good employee development, taking care of the corporate culture and supporting a high-performing team. After all: We will only make progress together. Personally speaking, I continue to train and develop myself constantly. This is something I also encourage my teams to do and I also expect it from them.

Please finish the following statements:

Lantek is...

best placed to continue acting as a strong partner company worldwide and to accompany all key players through the digital transformation.

Digitization can...

horizontally and vertically link machines, systems, processes and data management in the business - for a more efficient, advanced production and coordinated processes which turn plants into Smart Factories.

Sheet metal processing...

currently finds itself at a crossroads. Anyone who refuses to join the fourth industrial revolution will hardly survive. Anyone who believes that digitization is only a trend and doesn’t quickly make a move, will react too late. However, anyone who joins the path to digital transformation and initiates the required, fundamental changes in the company to do so, will quickly reap the rewards. Such companies will be able to analyze and understand their data more easily through the digital linking of processes; and therefore take better decisions on competitiveness and growth.