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"We look to the future with enthusiasm and passion"
Gonzalo Churruca Azqueta moved into facility management a good 16 years ago. In an interview with Apleona Insights, he explains what he finds so exciting about facility management and how he wants to position Apleona Ibérica competitively for the future.
Mr Churruca Azqueta: Why do you find FM so exciting?
There are two main reasons: I like the cross-divisional approach of developing solutions for a large number of services, which are then in turn used in a variety of environments – combined with the resulting challenges. In addition, FM makes an important contribution to achieving the SDGs, e.g. through "green" real estate solutions, and thus has a positive impact on the daily lives of building users as well as society as a whole.
Why would you recommend young people to start a career in FM?
FM offers young people the opportunity to develop professionally by working in all kinds of environments, combined with a strong technological component and a direct impact on sustainability.
And why at Apleona in particular?
Within the FM sector, Apleona is certainly the best in its class. As a company, as a service provider, as a developer of new solutions and, above all, as a great group of colleagues driving the industry forward internationally.Apleona is enthusiastically looking to the future to increase our positive impact on customers, employees and society. We are contributing to a sustainable future. To make this possible, our people are our best asset and we know it. We have experienced difficult moments, but motivation and teamwork have never wavered and we have always worked together with passion. That is what I like about Apleona.
What does a successful FM company in the Spanish market have to offer its clients?
The FM market is becoming more and more complex. In today’s rapidly changing and uncertain context, companies need to continuously adapt and compete in dynamic and demanding environments. As a successful FM provider, we have to offer competitive and at the same time flexible service solutions that respond our clients' needs.
How do you estimate the market growth in Spain in the coming years?
The increasing complexity of the services that companies need for their buildings, such as sustainability, profitability, user experience, employee well-being, etc., means that they also demand complex solutions that they cannot offer themselves. This leads to an increasing demand for specialised FM services that are outsourced on integrated platforms.
So, is future growth based on the outsourcing of FM services?
Yes, especially for medium-sized companies. Large companies already have mature and well-defined outsourcing models. We expect medium-sized companies to follow suit, because many of them still have underdeveloped or inadequate outsourcing models.
Which sectors are already the most advanced in Spain in terms of outsourcing, and which sectors do you expect to see in the future in terms of outsourcing?
Large companies in leading sectors such as pharmaceuticals, aerospace, banking or energy have developed the most advanced outsourcing models. Now, due to increasing complexity and operational requirements, logistics is developing corresponding models and aiming for superior uptime of assets and cost reduction across their environment.
What do you see as the biggest challenges in the Spanish FM market?
Our biggest challenge is to deliver solutions that make it easier for our clients to adapt to a changing regulatory environment in the context of continued financial uncertainty due to inflation, rising interest rates and energy costs, etc., and thus remain competitive. This complexity requires FM players to be able to provide highly effective solutions, e.g. for reducing energy consumption and emissions or lowering asset life cycle costs, while at the same time being flexible to the potential needs of our clients.
What services do you think are key to success in the Spanish market?
A solid management and a scalable service model are crucial to deliver integrated, competent and flexible solutions in any environment, which are increasingly demanded by the market. As Integrated Facility Management also includes "soft" services such as cleaning, reception and security, which are the most significant not only in terms of cost but also in terms of quality (user experience, branding, etc.), we must be able to offer competitive solutions in these areas as well.This requires that we equip ourselves with the necessary talents to provide a first-class service. However, these talents lose their potential if they are not supported by a robust operational solution and supply chain, by IT solutions like ours, or by reliable and continuously monitored quality standards.
How do you see Apleona Ibérica's position in the current market environment?
We are positioned as an FM provider with a strong service integration capacity. The market values our technical precision, robust management and IT solutions. In terms of our growth strategy, we are focused on winning mid-sized service contracts in the local market. We are exploring the areas where we have more expertise, but also the opportunities with our current clients' companies and public administration tenders. This strategy will allow us to broaden our client base, balance the weight of the large ICC clients and increase our own performance in service delivery.