14/07/2021 Juan Antonio, CEO of BIKAR, shows us the most human side of the company
Juan Antonio, president of Bikar Juntas y Compensadores S.L, immerses us in the history of our company. He tells us about its past, present and future to get to know it a little more in depth.
It was in 1997 when Rafael Zuloaga founded Bikar in Bizkaia. The goal was clear: to be a leading manufacturer of rubber expansion joints. Their product design was different from those that existed on the market at that time. This provided significant technical improvements in a sector that had very little evolution. Trying to capture this concept the name “Bikar” was created, which derives from the word “Bikain”, in Basque “Excellent, the best”. It manages to convey the interest in improvement and the constant effort in creating products and services with the highest possible quality standards.
Bikar is based on four main values, which are the pillars on which the relationship with each client is based. These are: quality, offering products and services that exceed expectations; sustainability, consistently using raw materials and supplies to manufacture products; innovation, through a proactive process of constant improvement; and internationalization, being present in every continent.
Although BIKAR is in a good time, it has gone through difficult situations in its almost 25 years of life. It has overcome various market crises and international uncertainties, as well as a global pandemic that we were all quite afraid of. “Luckily and with the efforts of all the people at BIKAR, we have faced all the problems. We have been able to continue growing, both at a business level and professionally ”, explains Juan Antonio proudly.
The concern for improvement has always been present in the company. We strive day after day to try to help our customers from a close and transparent point of view. Every day with more knowledge, growing professionally and personally. “We are proud to contribute to the creation of infrastructures that increase people’s well-being. We design and manufacture tailor-made products to bring water, energy and resources wherever they are needed ”, adds the director.
4.0 technology as an improvement in production processes
On the other hand, sales volume has been increasing progressively. Over time, and with added value in its catalog, it has included product diversity, such as fabric expansion joints and metal expansion joints. This is due, in part, to the international commercial presence in countries with a high level of growth in the water sector.
The use of digital ecosystems and digital transformation are also part of the change that is allowing us to rewrite all our processes. We have practically gone from crafts to automation, and even to the robotization of production processes. Likewise, for the last five years, we have been carrying out a product stabilization phase with the aim of improving processes and the quality perceived by customers.
In a market landscape in which price competition is increasingly marked, BIKAR’s short-term objectives are clear: to improve our cost structures by including 4.0 technology in production processes, as well as the search for new market niches. In the long term, the strategic lines are related to continuing to be a benchmark in the manufacture of expansion joints and other equipment. “Our goal is to maintain our production centers in Spain. We want to continue creating wealth in the surrounding area, strengthening our presence in new markets and focusing on a close service to our customers ”, explains Juan Antonio.
What is clear is that BIKAR is not only formed by a team of professionals. It is the union of people with a common goal, which over time has become one big family. The commitment and dedication of each employee brings hope to know that, if we continue on the same path, we will be able to continue offering our best version for many years to come.
