By striving to offer an outstanding quality of product, ARCEN has developed a dominant status and worldwide presence in the concrete market. Construction Digital speaks with Sérgio Barbosa Pinho, Marketing and International Sales Director, to learn more
Written by Jennifer Denby & Produced by Daniel McDonald
Founded two decades ago with a technical team of just six batching and mixing specialists, ARCEN ENGENHARIA, S.A. set out to address a specific niche in Portuguese industry; namely, the design, manufacture, assembly and service of batching plants, mixers, and others concrete machines.
Supported by the newest technology in the market, ARCEN aims to provide the best possible solutions to clients that fall into two categories: construction companies and concrete producers. Currently, the company is responsible for the concrete batching plants belonging to some of the biggest ready mix companies in Portugal, such as Cimpor Betão, Unibetão, Betão Lizand Lafarge, with additional national construction companies, including Soamague, Soares da Costa, Mota-Engil and Teixeira Duarte.
GLOBAL PRESENCE
Now controlling close to 100 percent of the Portuguese market, not only has ARCEN become the leader on its home turf, but it has quickly established a presence in over 45 countries across Europe, Africa, the U.S., the Middle East and Asia. In fact, ARCEN deals practically “everywhere” and selects its concrete mixers as the main product to promote worldwide.
Sérgio Barbosa Pinho, who led the set up of ARCEN’s international department 10 years ago, tells us more about why the firm’s policy of expansion and internationalisation was taken on.
“We started the department because we were being contacted by several customers around the world for our solutions, so we decided to have a structural response. Our main focus was on being able to offer these customers a quality service,” he explains. “We started marketing our products overseas and attending sector shows, and with this strategy we began to meet customers and possible partners, creating a network of dealers. As a result, we now work worldwide and have delegations in Brazil, Poland, Spain and France, and in other countries through dealers or agents.”
Despite being only 20 years old, the firm is already one of the largest manufacturers of mixers in Europe. “We are a very young company in comparison with our competitors, but in a very short period we managed to be known worldwide,” Pinho adds.
Aside from being highly active in central Europe, through France, and the east of Europe, covered via facilities in Poland, ARCEN is also flourishing elsewhere. “We are focusing on the north of Africa at the moment, which has been very active and is a key immerging area. There have been a lot of construction projects going on in the north, from Morocco up to Egypt,” he confirms.
Understandably, ARCEN attributes the outstanding quality of its products to its success. However, Pinho also believes that one of the firm’s most valuable assets is its people. “Training our people is one of the biggest investments of the company, which ensures the quality of our service,” he confirms.
VALUE IN PEOPLE
By putting an emphasis on training, it is clear that the business understands the importance of both following technological innovations within the industry and being able to work with them. Furthermore, ARCEN works to continually grow its 130-strong workforce, bringing in highly skilled personnel on a regular basis.
“We have a very experienced and skilled group of people that have worked in the field for over 30 years. To accompany them, we employ highly qualified staff directly from university,” Pinho elaborates.
Training new staff is particularly important to the firm, as he outlines, “they are responsible for the future of the company”. Having a strong staff complement allows the company to achieve an outstanding result concerning its three main vectors, “production, quality and productivity”, always focusing on the satisfaction of its good customers.
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
With a clear focus on where and how it will grow, ARCEN looks to constantly develop its products, increasing both performance and durability. Pinho comments on what he believes is the best way to accomplish this: “We don’t stop with standard solutions, but instead are very open to working on tailored projects; we hear customers’ needs, pick up their specifications and present a product that is a fully customised and complete solution.”
As well as offering customised solutions, ARCEN also offers turnkey packages. By providing everything its clients require in one place, not only does the company firmly set itself apart from the competition, it also provides areas to fall back on when market segments fluctuate.
“If you stick to one area of the sector, then you will go up and down as the market flows. But when you take your energy to other segments of the market, you are able to keep on top. So even with the crisis we are managing to stay at a very good level,” Pinho explains. “Concrete is our main area of business, but we are also very active in other areas that complement the needs of our customers, such as turnkey projects for quarry installations, recycling, and operations for the mine industry.” Furthermore, a mineral division has been “fast forwarded”.
With an energetic drive and continuous push to improve and offer a better service, ARCEN looks set to continue on its path of success; a strategy that is sure to hold the firm in good stead when faced with industry challenges.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
COMPANY NAME: ARCEN ENGENHARIA, S.A
HEAD OFFICE: Portugal
OPERATIONS: Design, manufacture, assembly and service of batching plants, mixers, and others concrete machines.
ESTABLISHED: 1990
REVENUE: 32 million euros
www.arcen.com
View Digital Corporate Profile of ARCEN in Construction Digital February 2010