imem s 40th anniversary

2008-02-07

IMEM’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY

Industrias Montañesas Eléctrico Mecánicas, IMEM,was established by Antonio Pérez Iglesias in Santander, back in 1968. At that time, competition in the lift industry appeared to be distinctively different from what it looks like today. A large number of small enterprises, operating in specific geographical areas, fought for their shares in the market.

IMEM was soon to expand into Vizcaya and La Rioja, where we settled in 1970. The establishment of multinational corporations in Spain in the 1980s was an acid test to most Spanish companies in the lift sector. Whereas most local lift manufacturers were merged into the big players or disappeared, IMEM decided to stand alone and continue to beindependent. This decision meant we had to make heavy investments to compete with the new rivals,which in turn led IMEM to stand among the leading firms in the sector and build a solid customer base.

FAMILY HISTORY

In 1990, there was a generation-based managerial change, and Antonio Pérez Ruiz came to be IMEM’s chief executive. Then, a major restructuring, modernisation, and professionalisation process ensued. After focusing exclusively on the domestic market for years, in 1992 IMEM embarked on internationalisation through exports. One year later,  he foreign trade department was created to deal with the company’s access to new international markets. Investment in R&D soared, and IMEM introduced successful industrial innovations. The company was thoroughly reengineered, steadily growing at a 25-30pct annual rate. Several departments were set up to deal with specific business areas that had been embraced by the executive staff before. In addition, professionalisation reached all managerial positions.

LAUNCH OF THE MACHINE ROOM-LESS LIFT

In 1997, IMEM began doing research and developing machine room-less lifts based on gearless permanent magnet motors, thus becoming the first company in Spain and the second in Europe to launch this innovative product onto the market. In the same year, the company opened a branch in Asturias. Furthermore, it focused on the development of a quality assurance system for the design, manufacturing and installation of lifts and lift parts complying with the ISO 9001:1994 standard, with no need for external counselling. As a result, we were granted the corresponding standard certification by AENOR, thus becoming one of the first companies in the lift industry to be registered as a certified organisation.

In 1998, IMEM completed the construction of a new, modern manufacturing plant and office building opposite the old premises, which did not stop operating. The new plant has been used to manufacture the mechanical parts of lifts, while the old facilities were renovated to house the plant where the electrical components were to be made. Since then, IMEM has hired professional staff, expanding.

As proof of IMEM’s commitment to improvement, a few years later, in 2003, the company made the transition to ISO 9001: 2000 for quality assurance systems, and conformity to the revised standard was certified.

At present, IMEM is a leading firm in the Spanish lift industry. It has 260 employees and manufactures one thousand full lifts per year. Its products are sold in 50 countries around the globe (in some, we have even established branch offices). Always ahead of the curve, IMEM makes an array of new products available every year. Having devised an ambitious excellence-oriented growth plan based on the model laid down by the European Foundation for Quality Management (whose Bronze Award we were granted in 2007), the company is now truly competitive and has a promising future.