Oscar Lacueva is the manager of Lacueva Can Making Machinery, a company dedicated to the purchase, sale and distribution of industrial machinery. With extensive experience in the industry, Oscar has led the growth and expansion of the company, establishing strong relationships with customers and suppliers. Its strategic vision and passion for innovation have positioned Lacueva as a reference in the market. Through this interview, we will explore his career path, the challenges facing the industry and his outlook for the future.
What has your career as a manager been like up to the present day?
Full of challenges. I took on the responsibility of the position of manager very young, at the age of 22, since then many things have changed in the company, which I explained below.
What are the main products and services offered by Lacueva Machinery?
Basically we offer solutions to customers, turnkey projects, complete lines for the manufacture of containers and metal caps, all rebuilt as new.
What aspects differentiate your company from the competition in the industrial machinery market?
We have specialized in complete line assemblies. We have a stock of more than 2,000 machines available, which makes it possible for us to offer complete projects, choosing the most suitable machines for the customer’s needs in terms of speed and layout of the lines. In Lacueva Can Making, we make a total reconstruction of the machines, disassembling them screw by screw, always incorporating new bearings as well as seals, oils, belts, etc. and making upgrades to improve work efficiency.
How has the industrial machinery sector evolved in recent years and what are the main challenges faced by companies in the industry?
Believe it or not, the used machinery sector has also evolved a lot. When I started, machines were sold in as-is condition and today, we offer rebuilt machines in like-new condition with a like-new warranty. The main challenge is to offer European quality machines as new and at prices competitive with Asian machinery.
What measures does Lacueva take to keep up with the latest trends and technologies in industrial machinery?
We try to incorporate current technologies in machines from the last century. This is possible thanks to the electronics we install and the mechanical upgrades.
What do you consider to be Lacueva’s greatest achievement to date and what are your future objectives?
I think our greatest achievement is to have increased our stock of machines every year and to have been able to develop complete line projects and to have the capacity to assist our customers in their factories.
What role does innovation play in Lacueva’s growth and development and what are the most exciting projects you are currently working on?
I believe our growth is largely due to innovation. As I said before, the incorporation of new technologies, both electronic and mechanical, that we incorporate to the machines, make us have a differential in the market. We are currently working on several projects such as a complete line to manufacture candy packs, a line head to manufacture 3pc aerosols, and several individual machines such as Bliss presses, Angelus seamers, Ocsam shears and Soudronic welders.
What has your experience been like working with international customers and suppliers in the industrial machinery field?
It has been very rewarding and I have learned a lot from them. I have learned the particularities of each country, and we have tried to adapt to them by understanding their way of working.
What strategies does Lacueva employ to guarantee the quality and safety of its products and services?
All the machines and lines that we prepare, we test them in our facilities with the customer’s tinplate and we make FAT tests as well as give guarantee. We also offer our specialized technical service at the customer’s plant. All this makes the customer have confidence in us when buying used machines.
What is your approach to the training and development of Lacueva’s human resources?
This is another of our successes. We have formed a specialized team that are not only mechanics who disassemble and assemble, but most of them come from canmaking factories and therefore are well versed in the adjustment and start-up of canmaking machines. In addition, they are constantly learning through training courses. We also have our own electronic equipment. And the most important thing for me is that all this would not be possible without the unconditional support and work of my 50% partner in the company, my sister Lídia.
How do you assess the impact of digitalization and Industry 4.0 on the industrial machinery business and what initiatives has your company implemented in this regard?
This is another aspect that we have developed with our electronic equipment. Today we are able to remotely connect to a country thousands of kilometers away and solve the electronic problem the customer is having on the line supplied by us. Like this, many other things that were unthinkable years ago.
What are the main target markets for Lacueva and how do you address the challenges of international expansion?
Historically our main market has been Latin America, probably because of our affinity in terms of culture and speech, but today we do not have a marked main market, we work in more than 30 countries in all continents. The challenge of international expansion began 25 years ago. When I started, Lacueva had a very limited international presence, focusing our sales in Spain, some in Europe and very occasionally in Latin America, specifically in Venezuela. Throughout these two decades, we have achieved a very important international representation, obtaining 90% of our sales in the international area. Today we have a network of commercial agents in different countries, which makes the relationship with our customers much closer and more fluid.
What role do strategic alliances and collaboration with other companies play in Lacueva’s success?
We have a network of very strong alliances with several companies that collaborate with us on various projects. We work hand in hand with tooling manufacturers for all types of machines, companies specialized in the construction of magnetic conveyor systems, including several of our competitors, with whom we have an excellent commercial and personal relationship.
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