To get to know better the people that are part of the large Hidroconta family – a family business founded over thirty years ago – we will speak with different professional profiles in the company, to learn how the different departments work and the reasons why talent and enthusiasm are the keys to Hidroconta's success.
Today is the turn of Francisco Pagán, Director of Operations, who tells us about the coordination of company processes and operations, as well as between departments.
Question: What is your role as Director of Operations in the company?
Answer: It's been more than fourteen years since I joined this great company, where I have held several management positions, such as Technical Director, Director of Quality, Head of Laboratory, Production; and I got to know the company 100% from the inside, to be able to carry out my current functions.
I coordinate the different projects we are involved in, as well as the company's processes and operations. I am the link between different departments and try to support interactions between them.
Q: What factors determine the development of efficient water management?
A: Hidroconta is located in Murcia, an arid province of Spain, and therefore water saving and efficient water management are part of our DNA.
All our products are oriented towards water regulation and control. We take very good care of the quality of our equipment to ensure our clients are satisfied.
Throughout my professional experience at Hidroconta I have witnessed the evolution of technologies to control water use: we have developed different metering devices, and enhanced their characteristics and the precision of measurements. At our company we have always worked with this approach, as demonstrated by our product catalogue which every year incorporates new devices with new technologies and improved measuring features.
All our products are oriented towards water regulation and control
In the past few years, a lot of effort in our sector – smart metering – has been put towards enabling automated water consumption readings, using the different communications technologies that have been developed, so they can be managed from any control point.
Hidroconta has a department dedicated exclusively to developing these systems, where the range of remote control devices is increasingly broader, working with all the different technologies the market offers.
By improving the metrological characteristics of our meters, as well as the smart metering included in them, we can have full and constant control of the entire system, and thus we can respond either manually or automatically in case of any incident or malfunction, thereby reducing any water losses due to ruptures, non revenue water, or any other anomalous situation.
Q: What do you think is Hidroconta's current position concerning its three lines of work (urban water, irrigation, and telemetry and remote control)?
A: Hidroconta has been devoted body and soul to the water sector for over 30 years. Early on we focused on irrigation, but our investments in new facilities and testing have enabled us to develop, test, and seek certification of equipment both for urban water and for irrigation.
Even though they are different sectors with different players, both the philosophy and the products are the same. Regulate, control and manage the water used the most efficient way. We have ample experience in the world of irrigation, both regarding water regulation and metering equipment and remote control systems. We have used all of that expertise and have adapted our systems to the specific needs of urban water, developing a line of products for telemetry and control that can meet the needs of urban water management.
I think Hidroconta comes from a strong position in irrigation and remote-control systems, and is showing its strengths in the area of urban water and telemetry.
Q: Can you tell us about Hidroconta's strategic partners in its business operations?
A: Hidroconta has a broad range of products that can meet the needs of any project. With the inclusion of IoT in this sector, telecommunications companies come into play. They are the new players Hidroconta is working with to establish partnerships. Being able to install any Hidroconta equipment anywhere in the world so it can communicate automatically, without the client having to worry about communications technology, is a challenge that will ensure all our equipment is fully versatile.
I think Hidroconta comes from a strong position in irrigation and remote control systems, and is showing its strengths in the area of urban water and telemetry
Q: Can you tell us about the human resources Hidroconta relies on for its operations?
A: Currently Hidroconta's staff has more than seventy professionals dedicated exclusively to manufacturing and continuously improving water regulation and control equipment.
We have a diversity of professional profiles, depending on the business area, and investments in R&D are significant. In the past few years, new talent has joined the company, with the professional profiles required to ensure the success of our new technology developments.
Currently Hidroconta has all the senior professional profiles to meet the needs of new developments, and we can say that we are proud and fully able to ensure the success of operations with our current portfolio, as well as the new developments we are constantly engaged in to adapt to new technologies and contexts yet to come.
Q: Where would you like to see Hidroconta 20-30 years from now?
A: I would like to see it from the inside. It makes me feel passionate and conveys values, I cannot conceive not being part of it.
Concerning manufacturing, we work to constantly improve our test beds and assembly. Before those 20 years pass by, I would really like to see fully automated assembly lines, quality control and testing, with versatile products that can be used for any purpose and in any country. Products that our clients understand, and can automatically monitor and ensure the system is under control and water is used efficiently.
Hidroconta is making important efforts towards the internationalisation of its business. I hope in the near future Hidroconta is globally positioned as a leader both in irrigation and in residential water use, providing great solutions for efficient water management, regardless of the type of system, the service or the client.
