González, Chemical Engineer and Industrial Plant projects Manager at KREAN, is in charge of managing all types of engineering services in industrial processes. Her work consists of designing efficient infrastructures, adapted to the client's needs and to the different regulations in order to achieve a technically and environmentally sustainable installation.

Usue Gonzalez has a long professional career working in different phases of industrial process development, and currently carries out all types of engineering projects for industrial plants in the country. Usue spoke to EnpresaBIDEA about the sector and the current situation.

What projects do you have in hand in the industrial plant sector?

Most of our projects are confidential, but I can highlight some projects we have done lately, such as the Environmental Complex of Gipuzkoa, the implementation of a gasoline line in DBA Bilbao Port Plant, or the new Oleum tank in Weylchem Plant (see Industrial Plants).

What kind of solutions do you offer in these projects?

In the aforementioned, as in the rest of the projects we undertake, we adapt to the needs of our clients and for this we have a multidisciplinary work team that includes specialties such as process, mechanical and piping, electricity, instrumentation and control. We offer services ranging from feasibility studies to the most complex engineering. We also provide assistance in purchasing management, in obtaining licenses and authorizations and in legalizations. Our main market is there, where we have an increasingly established position.

We also have our own teams that provide technical assistance in companies such as Bunge, Michelin and Petronor, collaborations sustained over time that give us value and confidence when taking on new challenges.

With what type of companies and in what sectors do you operate?

We work with companies in the industrial sector, in the Oil & Gas market, waste management, chemical plants and biofuels. However, we also work with other types of industrial companies that need engineering services for their facilities. Although most of our projects are carried out in our natural environment, we also have projects in various parts of the national and international territory, accompanying our clients wherever they have needs.

Does an industrialized environment like ours have room to grow?

Yes, Basque industry is undergoing a continuous evolution of adaptation to new production processes and compliance with increasingly restrictive regulations in favor of the environment. For example, the Port of Bilbao is growing with innovative projects in renewable energies

The industry has a big challenge in terms of sustainability, how does your engineering work contribute?

We are aware of the growing importance of environmental sustainability factors in industrial activity, and we integrate this vector from the early stages of design, with the aim of aligning them with the company's efficiency and profitability objectives. We develop projects where we incorporate technologies and processes that reduce the consumption of resources and waste generation, pursuing energy efficiency, establishing solutions that optimize the use of energy, such as heat recovery systems, use of renewable energies, etc., and betting on process innovation, incorporating clean technologies and practices that facilitate sustainability, such as automation and digitization of processes.

We must ensure compliance with regulations and bring infrastructure projects and industrial processes into line with international standards. The regulations are becoming more restrictive every day and there are also external requirements that are more restrictive than the regulations themselves, such as those derived from industrial insurance.

How do these laws influence your day-to-day work?

During the design and construction phase, current EHS (Environment, Health, Safety) regulations must be taken into account to ensure compliance throughout the entire process. This involves adjustments to designs in order to incorporate the required safety measures from the outset. For this purpose, risk assessments, continuous training and audits are carried out.
When a client requests the realization of a new installation, it must always comply with current regulations. In many occasions the request is the adequacy of an installation that is becoming obsolete, either because it begins to fail or because it does not comply with current regulations.

You studied chemical engineering and have been involved in the industry throughout your professional career. How do you see the industry today?

In general, the industrial sector is undergoing changes that can be seen as opportunities. Investments in renewable energy projects, such as green hydrogen and projects aimed at sustainability and carbon footprint reduction, are currently being promoted. Therefore, the trend among companies is moving towards more environmentally friendly practices, looking for alternatives to fossil fuels and developing cleaner processes. As we have said, regulations are becoming stricter and are forcing companies to adapt and invest in technologies and processes that meet these standards. I believe that the sector is in a moment of transformation, driven by the need to be more sustainable and efficient, so innovation and improvement projects are continuous and those that adapt best will probably obtain better results.

How has it evolved since you started?

Since I started working in 2006, the sector has been evolving steadily and linked to the changes in processes, regulations, energy sources, etc. We have gone through desulfurization in coal-fired plants, through combined cycle plants, through solar thermal plants..., and now we are working with photovoltaic, wind, hydrogen, etc. with the objective of reducing the carbon footprint. During this process, our work has consisted of adapting to the changing demands of the industry, and this capacity for continuous evolution is our main value. The key to our work is to analyze the process, the different technologies available in the market and integrate processes and solutions that meet the project requirements.

What are KREAN's challenges for the future?

The main challenges we face in KREAN are: the Digital transformation, adapting to these new tools can be a challenge; Global Competition, offering a differentiated added value to the market; attracting talent, finding and retaining new qualified professionals in a very competitive labor market. All these challenges must be faced in an effort to constantly update the regulations and continuous innovation to respond to market demands. I understand that taking on these challenges with a proactive and adaptive mindset will be key to KREAN's future success.