Vitoria-Gasteiz, 2024 March 14th
One year after the handover to SMC of its new facilities in the Júndiz industrial estate in Vitoria-Gasteiz, those responsible for the project at KREAN have returned to learn about and assess the experience of SMC's managers, workers and visitors with regard to this project, their experiences during the first year and the previous years of the design and construction process.
We were welcomed by the board of directors, headed by David Gallego, Managing Director, accompanied by Sonia Pueyo, Commercial Director, Patxi Andonegui, Production and Logistics Director, and Gorka Landa, Financial Director. From the reception hall and showroom, from which the production hall can be seen, we went up the stairs to one of the many meeting rooms in the new building, which has an unbeatable view of the village of Zuazo, one of the assets of SMC's location.
Beyond the formal nature of a client-supplier meeting, we breathed an atmosphere of trust in communication, the result of a long collaboration project in which those present worked side by side with a shared objective: the success of the project in achieving SMC's and KREAN's objectives. We talked about it.
Let's go back to the beginning. How did you decide to choose KREAN for this process?
We needed to expand our headquarters and we did not know anything about the process of constructing a building. After a phase of consultation and research, we contacted you and other companies. We finally decided to work with KREAN because, on the one hand, in the initial contacts you showed a natural willingness to advance proposals and concepts, which we appreciated, and on the other hand, beyond the project we needed to build a relationship, and with you it was easy from the beginning. You acted in a very similar way to the way we do at SMC and that gave us confidence. With a horizon of three years of work it was important to collaborate with a team that was close, accessible and with a work culture that we all felt recognised.
At KREAN we aim to be a team, to make the client feel like a co-author of the project. How have you felt during the process? Has this been achieved in whole or in part?
We have enjoyed it. We remember the day you proposed to us to "go shopping for buildings" and we were looking at different façade solutions. We were worried about the hours we had to dedicate to this process and, in the end, it flew by. We have learned, it has been a vibrant experience and, seen in perspective, it has been easy, overcoming moments of tension and conflict with trust, effort and dedication from all of us.
During the process we have been aware that the progress in the meetings was due to the effort that was behind them, previous preparation and structuring work that made them very productive. In addition, the ideas and approaches were clear and understandable, and, in general, they were accompanied by specific solutions that made them more convincing.
To what extent does the result feel like your own and which solutions do you see as the fruit of KREAN's design?
We absolutely identify with the result. We have the facilities we wanted, both for those of us who work at the headquarters and for sharing with visitors, with 25 meeting rooms for 200 people, without paper archives, with representative spaces and circulations…
On the other hand, there are areas where perhaps we would have liked you to impose your criteria more, to not leave us alone in making decisions. The rooms that fly over the production space, with a concept of "connected machines", worry us in terms of maintenance and cleanliness. They are fine now, but we have doubts about the future.
Was the disruption caused by such a major intervention on a facility that has been in constant operation "reasonable"?
In general, the movements were well planned, it has not been necessary to stop at any time, so we can say that the impact of the work on the operation of the plant was minimal.
Have the economic expectations been controlled and fulfilled?
The perceived value is greater than we expected before starting. The result has been as expected and we both survived the inflation and the supply crisis. It was crucial for us that what we had announced to the head office in Japan was delivered and it was.
On what went badly in the process, what should we do differently next time?
Maybe next time an open book method makes more sense, that you inform us of the state of the accounts of the work and apply a margin.
How have you experienced the after-sales phase?
The problems have been solved, attending to the list of finishes and incidents (in bathrooms, some water leaks...). The air-conditioning set-up has taken longer than desirable.
Subsequent work in the offices and warehouse was carried out comfortably, and the laboratory and showroom areas were cosy and comfortable for the professionals who worked there. The decoration and equipment teams were very positive about the design of the building and the layout of the spaces.
What didn't go well or meet expectations?
We expected more homogeneity on the production floor. On the other hand, given the success of the rooms inside the hall, we should have implemented more acoustic insulation.
There are spaces such as the changing room and the laboratory that should be larger, and what was defined as a multi-purpose room, as a possible gymnasium, has become a maintenance room. We have been left without a space for these activities.
We know how much importance the organisation attaches to the satisfaction of the people who work at SMC. Do they feel that their conditions have improved? Are they satisfied?
They are surprised and proud. The new facilities have been presented both to SMC staff in Vitoria-Gasteiz and to those of the branches. Internal days/presentations have been held, as well as for customers and suppliers, and the response has been very positive. The human team that makes up SMC is satisfied and making new uses of the building in line with the project, coexisting naturally and dynamically with informal and formal rooms, open and closed spaces?
Are you satisfied with the quality objectives achieved?
When we started this process, we understood that we had to be SMC's reference headquarters in Europe, and today we can say that it is. If we had not undertaken this refurbishment and extension, we would have fallen behind the objectives of the parent company in Japan. What we have done is what the rest of the corporation is doing and what some of our customers and suppliers are doing. It is an evolution of workspaces that we could not be left out of.
When the vice-president of the corporation visited us, he said "this building is a showroom". And that is precisely what we wanted to achieve. We are a company that aspires to leadership, we want to be at the forefront, and these new facilities reflect that.
What has been better than expected, or even what was not planned and is working better or in a different way than what was planned?
The flexibility of the building. We can have 4 clients and one event at the same time and the building accommodates them without any problems. In addition, as we have said, we see that the client experiences it as a prelude to what they are going to experience when they have implemented the project we are developing, and that helps us a lot in the relationship. On a colourful note, we like to see how, when there is a downpour, the drops slide down the glass of the curtain wall.
Would you recommend any of these solutions to another corporate headquarters?
In the corporation, among our clients and in the city environment, it has been very well received. We wanted to have a revulsive and some people call it the Guggenheim of Júndiz.
How would you define the experience in one sentence?
VERY SATISFACTORY. The value of listening to the client is a value that you have in KREAN and it is not easy to find.
We stand by that. We have listened to you and we reaffirm that we can only achieve success in our projects and satisfy our clients if we understand what they want. That is why we ask and LISTEN.
Many thanks to David, Sonia, Patxi and Gorka for the attention, willingness and confidence with which you have received us, and many thanks to SMC for giving us the opportunity to share the future with you.
