OUR AIM IS TO OFFER THE BEST QUALITY/PRICE RATIO AND WE DO NOT WANT TO DEVIATE FROM THIS PRIORITY.
Interview conducted by http://www.fevymar.com/electroeficiencia/
At its last Assembly, Anfalum advanced a predictable 4.2% growth for the lighting sector in 2017. Do similar figures share in the Prilux Group?
The Prilux Group has closed 2017 with a very satisfactory balance sheet, much higher than the percentage of 4.2% managed by Anfalum. Our growth has been double-digit, around 12%, reinforced by international expansion, where sales now exceed 15% of turnover. With this reference, the forecasts for this year are even higher than the current figures, growing both in the domestic and international markets.
Have exports, against the backdrop of a quality product and the guarantee of the Spanish brand, become a relevant vector for achieving this greater growth and take-off of activity?
A significant percentage of the figures handled by the sector come from foreign business, from exports, and we are in that line. As I have already said, we are over 15%, with Morocco, Portugal and France as the main markets receiving the product, especially the magnificent reception we have had in neighbouring France. My perception is that the Spanish product is highly valued throughout Europe, and not only in this sector, but also in other fields of activity. We compete for design and technology and with a guaranteed product, and this is more appreciated and measured even in other markets than in our own. That’s why I think it’s necessary to shake off that kind of inferiority complex that we sometimes go out with, because we have a quality product that nothing can envy the one that is made outside. It is perfectly matched in terms of finishes and performance, quality and warranty, and there is nothing more to look at than the export figures to see how this reality is reflected.
What other markets are you exploring to enter with more force?
Apart from the European market, one of the objectives for this year is to position ourselves in the Middle East, as it is one of the targets set. In a first approximation, through our participation in Light Middle East 2017, we perceive a very good reception and real business possibilities in the whole area, so this year we will return to Dubai again next September. Another initiative that we have recently launched is the appointment of a manager for the Latin American zone, with the idea of starting to explore the possibilities offered by the Central and South American markets. The idea is to make a first advance, a survey of the land, to assess whether or not it is of interest. In any case, we have an operational presence in Sao Paulo, through our headquarters, and there we will participate in the Expolux fair, which will be held in April. Although the Brazilian market still seems a bit complicated, not only because of the country’s economic conditions, but also because of the tough competition, since the regulations are more stringent than the CE mark, although the prices are much lower, we are using it as a platform to reach other parts of the continent. Both cases are examples of very different markets. While in the Middle East we work more with projects and there is greater confidence and demand for European products, which is an important stimulus when it comes to arguing and defending our solutions, the same is not true of Brazil, where price prevails over quality. And it’s not in our DNA to follow that strategy. Our aim is to offer the best quality/price ratio, both in foreign and domestic markets, and we do not want to deviate from this priority.
