LUCENA - Fagor Industrial

Nº02 / 2009
FAGORNEWS
“
Peio Bengoetxea
Fagor Industrial Group Marketing Manager
For some customers
coming to Lucena has
marked a before and an
after
”
Continues on page 10
TogEThEr
wE EvoLvE
Fagor Industrial
repositions itself making
a promise to all its
customers; to evolve
together
LUCENA
A new showroom
concept

EDITORIAL
TOGETHER WE
MAKE FAGOR
A company is, above all, its people. As
well used as this phrase may be it is not
a cliché. Some people call them human
capital, and if we understand capital as
synonymous with value, then we can
conclude that it perfectly defines the value
provided by all the combined talent of the
people working in a company’s different
departments. But this talent also needs an
environment in which to shine without hindrance,
a top notch setting in which these
professionals can fully develop their skills,
and show them to our customers.
The incorporation of the new Showroom
in Lucena into Fagor Industrial’s structure
is the best example of this. The best and
the most brilliant. The team of architects
led by Luis Zufiaur has achieved something
that fully in line with the goals the company
set itself for the new millennium, fulfilling
two different, yet complementary functions:
from the outside, it is a building that
impresses as soon as you set eyes on it.
But inside it is an environment designed
to receive dealers and customers, where
Fagor Industrial can show at the top level
the degree of excel-
lence achieved in its
products and where its
team of people can feel
comfortable working
and developing their
skills based on the
team spirit of together
we evolve that guides
and characterises us.
A concept, evolving
together, that means
much more than just
working together. It has to do with moving
forward, with not getting into a rut, something
essential in today’s highly competitive
business world. In this respect the new
showroom is the perfect tool; a platform to
Kepa Bedialauneta
Managing Director Fagor Industrial
“ A concept, evolving
together, that means
much more than just
working together. It
has to do with moving
forward, with not
getting into a rut
support a team of professionals ready to
come up with ideas and pass them on to
our customers and dealers, ensuring the
impression made by our state-of-the-art
facilities remains when
exchanging impressions
with those in charge of the
different business areas.
And making sure that they
are more than satisfied to
place their trust in a company
right at the forefront
when it comes to offering
them modern, competitive
solutions.
I know that we will achieve
it together, and the symbol
that the new centre in Lucena represents
is present in our day, during our daily
activities. When we all give our best to keep
Fagor Industrial at the top.
2 3

LUCENA
The “Fagor Experience” takes on
another dimension in Lucena
It is usually said that what is most important
in the field of technology is what
you cannot see; the ins and outs of the
products, where the talent of engineers,
designers and specialists is reflected. This
is what enables a company to stand out
from the competition and meet its customers’
needs. But it can also be argued that
a company needs the right setting in which
to show its achievements. A setting that
preferably measures up, in terms of style
and function, to the products coming out of
its research department.
This is the case with the new Fagor Industrial
centre, inaugurated in Lucena, a town
located in the province of Cordoba: almost
800 square metres creating a new showroom
concept where customers and dealers
can experience first hand what is new
in the different business areas: cooking
–where they can see the new 600, 700 and
900 ranges-, dishwashing, with the new
Advance, ovens with the new blast chillers
and the VISUAL ovens, laundry, commercial
refrigeration and buffets.
The environment of this new setting is in
harmony with the ultramodern style of its
interior; in principle, the irregular shapes
of the building with the curved part at the
front, the sharp angle on the right and the
right angle on the left form a design that
would seem more typical of an art gallery
than a business headquarters. But
this sensation disappears when you walk
through the doors and see the care and
effort that has gone into making it such a
fundamentally practical environment, where
customers and dealers can get the best
LUCENA
and most accurate impression of the latest
advances made in Fagor Industrial’s range
of products.
Features that were always present in the
minds of its designers, to the extent that
the shapes chosen for the construction
have nothing to do with a passing fancy,
but with a fully utilitarian aim: “formally, the
space available was completely irregular
in contrast to the rigour of the products on
show”, the group of architects said. “This
situation led us to another of the design
decisions, to create an organic shape,
amoebas that would adapt to the different
requirements”. An organic shape laid out
in an “apparently random” way, facilitating
the appearance of a number of alternative
routes to make it possible for different
groups of people to use it at the same time.
Indeed, the team of architects led by Luis
Zufiaur increased their creativity to ensure
that more of the surface area was taken
advantage of than initially planned. “The
initial approach on the part of the company
was to only dedicate the free space on
the ground floor to showroom space.
Quickly, after the early conversations, a
more ambitious proposal was put forward
consisting of occupying all the space
available”.
In its final configuration, the building
consists of an access area, an ample hall,
the laboratory area and the showroom area
on the ground floor; the first floor houses
the Fagor showroom area, in addition to a
training room, an area for demonstrations
and a meeting room. One of the project’s
main challenges was to join the two levels
together in a fluid way, eliminating the
sensation of separation. This was done by
installing an imposing metal staircase that
curves around parallel to the perimeter of
4 5
LUCENA
the building, which turns the simple matter
of going from one floor to the next into an
attractive addition to the visit.
There is abundant space to display the
whole range of Fagor Industrial products:
the ground floor has a surface area of 500
square metres, of which 380 are covered
by a mezzanine and the remaining 120,
located right next to the access area,
enjoy a double-storey ten-metre high open
space.

The Fagor products are laid out on Corian®
show stands; the training area is located
in one of the corners of the building,
and the kitchen for demonstrations, which
has a small 20-seat auditorium, in the opposite
corner. The meeting room, built in
wood and glass, appears like a separate
element.
In any case, this leaves the most important
aspect of the project: how have they
managed to get the building to actively
help promote and favour Fagor Indus-
trial’s technology and products? This has
been done not just by how the areas have
been distributed and with the layout, but
with the creation of a warm, transparent
atmosphere that highlights the qualities of
the products. For example, the centre’s
ceiling transforms into a colossal amoeba
where light unfolds, provided by fluorescent
tubes and lighting from halogen projectors;
the result of all this is an atmosphere that
highlights the spectacular nature and sense
of theatre of the training and demonstrations.
The Corian® amoebas that levitate
over the floor of the building help to give the
environment greater harmony whilst concealing
the lines of LEDs. In this respect,
the objects on display are themselves the
decoration, just like the visitors become
actors in the Fagor experience, in harmony
with the slogan Together we evolve,
which aims to proactively bring the brand
and its users closer together.
LUCENA INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
Oier Biritxinaga, Fagor
Industrial’s corporate chef
“ We want to get closer to
our customers in a place
they feel comfortable in
WHAT DOES A CORPORATE CHEF
DO?
Basically, we can say that it is our job
to show customers the potential of our
products, giving them advice about how
to use them by means of practical training
and demonstrations. We call these
sessions the Fagor Cooking Experience;
what we get from them is feedback from
our customers which we pass on to our
R&D team, so that they can use it to
develop more effective, useful products.
What’s more, I’m part of the team that
trains Fagor Industrial’s sales staff, to
ensure that are customers always get the
best advice.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE THERE IN
YOUR TEAM, AND WHAT TOOLS DO
YOU USE?
At the moment I carry out the demonstrations
and training sessions with the product
managers and the backing of the Communication
Department; but we have plans to
increase the number of professionals who
can help us wherever our customers need
advice. The idea is to train more chefs so
that they can do this.
WHAT STRATEGIES DO YOU HAVE TO
USE WHEN SHOWING THE QUALI-
TIES OF THE DIFFERENT FAGOR
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS?
The basic strategy consists of getting
closer to our customers in an environment
in which they feel comfortable; an environment
moreover that is familiar to them to
create the right conditions and be able to
show them our products live in our demonstration
centres, on the one hand cooking,
and on the other, answering their concerns
in situ. We aim to introduce ourselves with
clear, simple messages which we complete
with live cooking demonstrations. Our aim,
at all times, is to transmit what we are: a
company that provides a global solution
and integrated service: a 360º concept that
focuses on fully satisfying our customers.
6 7

WHAT DOES A SHOWROOM NEED
TO MAKE A CORPORATE CHEF’S
JOB EASIER?
Above all it has to be an open, comfortable
place where we can have available the
machines present in any restaurant kitchen,
but laid out for the customer to see. It must
allow us to clearly transmit all they can
do, with the support of LCD screens and
cameras picking up the chef in action. It is
very important for customers to feel relaxed
in their seats, and for them to be able to
comfortably taste the dishes we cook, and
also important for the showroom to provide
them with access to the kitchen and the
machines in it, so they can handle them
and see the demonstration in more detail.
In any case, the design varies depending
on the place itself and the chef.
HAVE YOU PLAYED AN ACTIVE
ROLE IN ESTABLISHING THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW
CENTRE?
Yes; from the start we set up a team to
look at the design, specifications and
requirements of the showroom. Each
member contributed their experience and
their point of view to design the place
we needed to meet and mix with our
customers.
WHAT WOULD YOU HIGHLIGHT AS
THE MOST OUTSTANDING QUALITY
OF THE NEW SHOWROOM?
Above all, its cutting edge design; on
the one hand it offers spaciousness and
freshness, but at the same time it is a
comfortable space that invites people to
INTERVIEW
enjoy live cooking, in addition to allowing
us to communicate more directly with our
customers.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT THIS NEW
CENTRE IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE
COMPANIES’ STRATEGIES NEED TO
GO WHEN SHOWING THE EXCEL-
LENCE OF THEIR PRODUCTS?
Without doubt; it’s clear that we have
to demonstrate that we are capable of
offering quality products that help chefs
in their day-to-day work. As that work
consists precisely of cooking, the best way
to do that is for us to enter their world. At
Fagor Industrial we cook using the same
machinery that we offer, that is to say, we
show then the appliances that will enable
them to do their work effectively to their full
satisfaction.
New price list
INLCUDES A NEW DESIGN AND MORE
CATEGORIES
Fagor Industrial has prepared its new price list for 2010. Presented in
the form of a price catalogue, its pages include the full list of products
in all categories, offering for each one a description, features, photograph
and price. Compared to the 2009 edition, two new categories
have been added: the 600 range and Buffet; and it has been totally
redesigned, in order to bring its appearance into line with other Fagor
documents.
The new price list will be in force for the whole of 2010, and customers
will start to receive it over the next few weeks.
Opinions that
matter
FAGOR INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKES A SATISFACTION
SURVEY ALL OVER SPAIN
Communication with customers is essential
for companies who want to be competitive
in today’s world. Therefore, in November
Fagor Industrial carried out a satisfaction
survey among one hundred of its most representative
customers from all over Spain.
This survey is carried out every two years
and its aim is to get a wide range of opinions
about service, treatment and product
quality, with special attention paid to any
weak -or at least improvable- points that
may come up. This information is essential
when it comes to establishing lines of
action to maintain the level we demand of
ourselves in relation to how we deal with
our customers.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Fagor Industrial,
with haute
cuisine
From 3rd to 6th November, a Gastronomy Exhibition
was organised in Yecla (Murcia) by Los Chispos
restaurant, which was attended by a number of the
most prestigious restaurants from the area, including
one with a Michelin star. And Fagor Industrial
was there, providing a Visual Plus 102 oven which
was used by all the chefs taking part. Before the
start of the Exhibition, the chefs were also able to
see a live demonstration of all the capabilities and
functions of this model.
Fagor Industrial also took part in the II Aragon
Gastronomy Workshop, which took place at
the Hotel Palafox in Zaragoza on 3rd and 4th
November, with some Fagor Cooking Experience
demonstrations given by Fagor Industrial’s
corporate chef.
8 9

FAGOR PEOPLE
Peio Bengoetxea
WHAT WAS FAGOR INDUSTRIAL’S
AIM WHEN PLANNING THIS NEW
SHOWROOM?
The priority aim transmitted to the architect
was that we wanted a space in line with the
messages we aim to transmit to our customers
and with the use we want to make of
it. A space that transmits the multinational
character of our group and its specialist
vocation in the catering industry. A place
to welcome our customers, where they will
feel comfortable and looked after and can
see and touch our products.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO LOCATE
IT IN LUCENA?
Peio Bengoetxea
Fagor Industrial Group Marketing
Manager
Fagor Industrial already had a real focus of
innovation and industrial activity in Lucena:
three manufacturing plants, two of them
dedicated to commercial refrigeration, and
a logistics warehouse. In total, close to
one hundred thousand square metres of
facilities. In spite of this, we had noticed
that not many of our customers were aware
of this, even in Spain. So we think that the
showroom will serve to attract customers
of all types to Lucena, and visiting our facilities
is going to be one of the attractions of
the trip.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE
MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURES OF
THE CENTRE?
I’m sure that anyone who visits the centre
will be surprised by how spacious and,
especially, how high the showroom is. It’s
a space measuring more than 800 square
metres divided into two storeys. On the
ground floor there is the reception hall and
on the top floor a product showroom occupying
more than 350 square metres, a tailor-made
kitchen equipped with everything
necessary to do demonstrations, an
auditorium for 20 people, a meeting room
and a technical training room. It’s clear that
this is all much more than just a showroom.
There’s no doubt anyone visiting it is going
to be very pleasantly surprised.
AND WHAT CAN YOU TELL US
ABOUT THE FUTURE
TEST AND RELIABILI-
TY LABORATORIES?
It’s the icing on the cake
of the project as a whole,
and they will be built over
the next few months.
They will be set up with
the aim of becoming the
benchmark laboratory
for all the development
of refrigeration products
worldwide in the Fagor
Industrial Group. This
investment will enable us
to double our product
development capacity,
and carry out many more
tests and trials at the same time. However,
reliability tests and benchmarking with the
competition will enable us to improve our
products. To a large extent, these laboratories
are the prime example of Fagor
Industrial’s vocation for innovation.
WHAT ROLE CAN CENTRES LIKE
THIS PLAY IN THE MARKETING
FUNCTIONS OF A COMPANY LIKE
FAGOR INDUSTRIAL?
The new installations are certainly a marketing
tool at the service of our communication
strategy. In them we are going to
have the chance to meet our dealers and
customers to present our new products
and offer both commercial and technical
training. But the leading role in these meetings
will be played by the live demonstrations
based on a spectacular custom-built
Simphony cooker. Some customers have
already told us that coming to Lucena marked
a before and an after in their perception
of Fagor Industrial. And that gives us a
lot of satisfaction. Therefore, we would like
to repeat the experience elsewhere, both in
Spain and abroad. In facilities of our own,
but also in those of our dealers. Incidentally,
I would like to stress that these facilities
are also available to our dealers. Here they
have an excellent extension to their own
showrooms, with the doors open to their
own customers, who are the end users.
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES
FACING FAGOR INDUSTRIAL IN THE
FIELD OF MARKETING?
The main challenge over the next few
years is to improve Fagor’s position in the
minds of our customers. To do this, we
have established three areas for action:
product, service and communication. At
the product level, we are committed to improving
the reliability and quality perceived
in our current ranges, and moreover this is
certainly the time in Fagor’s history in which
more new products have been developed:
the new Visual ovens, the 60 and 120 kg
washing machines, the new 600 cooking
range, the ADVANCE digital dishwashers,
the Dynamic buffets, the new blast chillers,
etc. to say nothing of the improvements implemented
in the 900 range. At the service
“ For some customers
coming to Lucena has
marked a before and
an after
level, we are working on the improvement
of how our pre-sales and after sales service
operates and taking steps to complete
the commercial and technical training
schedule we set at the start of the year for
our dealers. At the delivery service level,
in spite of the fact that our order fulfilment
level is in excess of 90%, we think there is
still room for improvement. Finally, at the
communication level throughout 2009 we
have made a big effort to unify the design
of the different media. But in my opinion,
what stands out most is having established
a demo with a coherent, well structured
discourse, putting the emphasis on what
makes us stand out from our competition:
we are real specialists in the catering
industry. Fagor Industrial is able to sit down
with catering entrepreneurs, be they chefs
in a restaurant or executives from a hotel
chain, and design and deliver a complete
installation, in Spain or in any of the almost
30 counties where we have a presence of
own.
WHAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT THE
POLICY “TOGETHER WE EVOLVE”
WOULD LIKE TO TRANSMIT?
It’s the slogan we have chosen to accompany
the Fagor Industrial name over the
next few years. “Together we evolve” summarises
our company values and our aim
to always be close to our customers and
to meet their changing needs. Teamwork
is a well-established working philosophy
that is in keeping with our character as
a co-operative enterprise. However, with
the slogan we want to emphasise that this
teamwork also extends to our dealers and
suppliers, so that we can get even closer to
our customers. Fagor Industrial has been
in the market for 50 years, we are proud
of having carried out more than 100,000
installations all over the world, and we
have factories and subsidiaries in the five
continents. None of this would have been
possible if we had not taken on board that
the market requires us to constantly adapt
and evolve.
TEAM SPIRIT IS ONE OF THE MAIN
FACTORS TO BEAR IN MIND FOR
COMPANIES TODAY TO BE COMPE-
TITIVE. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THIS
SPIRIT CONSISTS OF?
The markets and circumstances around
us are complicated enough to think that
the best way to focus problem solving is
to have the help of a work team. I think
that this has been understood by most
businessmen. But I would add that it is
necessary to have a working environment
in which no-one is scared to make suggestions,
where the people feel free to
share their experiences. And of course, it
is essential for the organisation to promote
an environment in which no-one is afraid
to experiment; in companies you lose a lot
more from not having any suggestions for
improvement than you can from following
suggestions that aren’t really any good.
10 11

MIGUEL MAESTRE
HOW DID A SPANISH CHEF DECIDE
TO OPEN A RESTAURANT IN
AUSTRALIA?
Well the truth is, although it might seem a
bit strange, it was for love. Before I was a
chef in the UK, and I met my girlfriend in
Scotland. Shortly afterwards we decided to
move to the beaches of Australia.
WHAT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
DID YOU HAVE BEFORE SETTING UP
HERE?
Since I arrived in Sydney, I’ve worked
in the best kitchens in the country. For
example, I’ve worked with Ed Halamgy in
Cru Restaurant and Beach Road, and also
with Serge Dainsereau, at Bathers Pavillion.
My last executive chef was Manu Feildel,
when we both worked for the most famous
chef in Australia, Tony Bilson. Finally, it felt
like it was time to work for myself and I
decided to open El Toro Loco Corporation,
which up to now has two tapas bars, one
in Sussex Street, Sydney, and another in
Manly Beach, on the beach in the north of
Sydney.
Bº Santxolopetegi, 22
Aptdo 17 - 20560
Oñati (Guipúzcoa) Spain
www.fagorindustrial.com
“ My paella is one of the best in
the whole of Australia
MIGUEL MAESTRE:
Australian customer, owner of EL TORO LOCO CORPORATION
He started cooking at the age of 21, and since then has not stopped working, or moving,
on an international pilgrimage that ended up in Australia, where he worked with the top
chefs in the country before setting up on his own. In addition to taking part in television
programmes and writing cookery books, he has now gone on to open a new Spanish
beach-front restaurant called “EL TORO LOCO TAPAS BAR” But even here, on the other
side of the planet, there was no doubt when it came to choosing the brand of equipment
for his restaurant.
WHAT TYPE OF COOKING WILL YOU
OFFER IN YOUR NEW RESTAURANT,
AND WHEN WILL IT OPEN?
We plan to open at Christmas, and as for
the cooking, it is of course going to be
Spanish, with special emphasis on Murcian
cooking: lots of tapas, rice and fish, and
also lots of homemade sausages.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT SPANISH
COOKING IS REALLY WELL
KNOWN IN AUSTRALIA? WHAT DO
AUSTRALIANS THINK ABOUT IT?
They do know about it, but perhaps in
too vague a way. You find lots of messing
about, lots of aberrations of our most
typical dishes. But bit by bit people are
beginning to find out what chorizo, jamón,
mojama and even churros are. And paella,
of course; I have patented my own paella,
paella a la Maestre, which although I
shouldn’t say so myself, is one of the best
in the whole country.
WHAT ARE IN YOUR OPINION
THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT
RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT NEED TO
OFFER TOP QUALITY SERVICE?
I would say that the most important thing is
for it to last a long time, to be strong, that it
can withstand the intensity of the day-today
operation of a professional kitchen.
The features are also very important, and of
course, the heating power and appearance.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE ON FAGOR
INDUSTRIAL WHEN IT CAME TO
EQUIPPING YOUR RESTAUARANT?
For several reasons: first it’s a Spanish
brand; second it has really impressive
features and third, the heating power we
talked about before, which in Fagor’s case
is very high. What’s more, the monobloc
appearance looks really good; I’d say that
there’s nothing else like it on the market.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT
FAGOR INDUSTRIAL OFFERS YOU
COMPARED TO THE COMPETITION?
Even here, on the other side of the world,
Fagor offers me the support of a trusted
brand, with 24 hour service, seven days a
week and cover all over Australia. And there
are two professionals like Andrew Sinclair
and Xavier Poirier in charge who really
couldn’t look after me better.
FAGORNEWS