October 2011
The Alsina CEOs were interviewed in the book
They make up the perfect duo, perfectly entwined together with the exactness and precision that their work entails. Innovation has guided their company concept in such a way that it has become a world leader in an essential branch of our times, not only in complex formwork but also in mammoth works, which entail rigorous control. There are more than 50 patents that envelop this company’s work nearly everywhere in the world. It is curious and unusual to find two brothers that know how to join their criteria to give rise to a sole common objective. The effort of giving a client solutions so than he can work more safely and with greater efficiency, based on designs that sweeten the hard work of a form setter and a service that results in clients being able to trust them, which finally becomes a mutual complicity that turns into a friendship.
Would you have liked to have been inventor?
Jaume Alsina: No
Josep Alsina: Very much so. I invented a melon cutter when I was 10 years old and I still feel proud of it. Thanks to the company I have been able to take part in a quite a lot of R&D, although less than I would have wished.
Tell us about your company and your current and future projects, not only in Spain but also broad.
Jaume and Josep: To consolidate the expansion of civil engineering activity, which requires more technical knowledge, and to carry on with the plan of installing ourselves abroad a good place. To go from 9 subsidiaries now to 15 in three years time. We have nearly fulfilled the 10-10-10 plan that we proposed 9 years ago, that is to be in 10 countries, be the tenth company in the world in ten years, we go on the 6-6 plan which is being the sixth formwork company in the world in 6 years.
What countries in the world as Encofrados Alsina geared towards?
Jaume and Josep: We are open to very culturally different countries for the purpose of recognizing which countries our formwork and service adapts to best. We have a global vocation: Europe, North America, North Africa… but mainly South America, as we are already in Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Panama and starting in Brazil. China will probably be the next change.
You have more 50 patents in your history. Which one or which of them have given you most satisfaction?
Jaume and Josep: We have been very innovative, so there are many. For instance, more than 35 years ago we created some joints that were screwed to the formwork Alisan Panel in wood creating and “armed board”, then we invented a staple that joints the formwork panels using only the hand, afterwards the Alsipercha anti-drop system that avoids serious accidents in the jobsite.
What innovation are you proudest of?
Jaume and Josep: The Mecano Alsina system, because we were the first to revolutionize the way slab were formworked, passing from wood to a Mecano system that allowed us to partially recover the formwork before anybody else did.
And what have benn some of your unique achievements, why, for example, have you built a bridge over the Danube, in Romania…
Jaume and Josep: And many more, some with very complex implementation. Each of these projects represented a technical challenge to the company. To mention some: The Marlins baseball stadium in Miami (USA), the integral Waste Treatment Plant in Marseille (France), the Hospital Clinico Viña del Mar in Chile, the Residential Complex Santa Mónica in Milan (Italy), the Santolea Dam in Teruel (Spain), the Lloret de Mar Casino in Gerona (Spain), the Hotel Saidia in Morocco, the Railway Bridge over “Los Monjes” stream in Uruguay, the Human Evolution Bridge in Burgos (Spain), the La Paloma biometanization Plant in Madrid (Spain), the Krakow Technology Park in Poland and the Technification Sailing Centre in Cadiz (Spain).
Safety is essential at Alsina Encofrados, You have invented a revolutionary system. What is it?
Jaume and Josep: The Alsipercha System, is a very ingenious system, there is nothing in the world that is quite like it or that deals with the danger that this deals with. The system means that workers can carry out formwork in projects, and they are very attached from a high point, avoiding any type of all.
Has your work personally enriched you as professional?
Jaume: By overcoming difficulties; learning from others, from the team; learning to take decisions; enjoying success; striving for a goal.
Josep: In everything. The skills that because of work I have been able to develop more and have been able to transfer to the family and social world are: the ability to analyze situations, learn how to listen, build a team… although work has also stopped me living my family and social life more fully.
Define yourself in ten words
Jaume Alsina: a fighter, impulsive, honest, an optimist, hasty, devoted, happy, domineering, a risk-taker, communicative, respectful with others, who defends his convictions, very active who has made a lot of mistakes and a lot of good decisions.
Josep Alsina: fortunate, a good person, an analyst, tolerant, sentimental, loved, a realist, does not pay attention for detail, introvert, responsible.
What question would you like to be asked?
Josep Alsina: What do you think makes your Company different? Most of the team’s enthusiasm and involvement, as it generally creates a very positive working climate. In the end it is a team with a good vibes that considers all its members as very important elements with a lot of self-responsibility. And I also think we are achieving this in many countries that are far away and have different cultures.
Jaume: I addition to the extraordinary value of the team of people at Alsina, we are also differentiated by a high technical level with its own software to obtain the best technical and economic solutions for each project we collaborated. And a special mention to the mentality of being useful to the client by giving him a better service.
