Automotive

Established in 1980, BRALO has spent the last three decades establishing itself as a leading manufacturer of rivets, insert nuts, and riveting tools. Thanks to a continuous programme of investment, the company has also experienced substantial growth to its operations – enabling it to supply the global market. Editor Will Lowry visited the Spanish headquarters to learn more about this special reference in the industry.

From the very beginning BRALO Group has always been focused on growth – through its product portfolio, the markets it supplies, as well as geographically – all whilst developing a quality service to the customer. “Our product portfolio has evolved into a broader range of products in direct relation to the markets and customers with whom we have developed customised products - according to requirements and applications,” explains Mr Basilio López, managing director of BRALO. “We have also been very proactive in promoting the BRALO name in the industry and establishing operations globally. Today, we have three production sites in three different continents and an extensive commercial network of nine subsidiaries, plus numerous distributors.”

BRALO has a strong customer orientation, and a key component of its success has been listening to its customers and understanding their specific requirements. “The different markets and sectors we supply are very complex, with high demands and diverse specifications,” mentions Mr Miguel Vergel, global sales director at BRALO. “We work together with our customers to ensure we are producing what they need and not what we can easily produce as standards. Listening to our customers also ensures we are able and capable to react quickly. Providing not just a product, but a solution for our customers’ diverse applications in channels such as automotive, construction, electrical appliances, general industry or even different distribution networks.”

BRALO’s global reach
BRALO’s three production plants are based in Spain, Mexico and China - producing 6 billion pieces per year. The production structure means all the manufacturing units are fully integrated in all their processes and standards, which enables the Group to have a total uniformity of the product, regardless of which of the three plants has been used. “Having a fully integrated production process gives us flexibility to adapt to demands, and be closer to our customers, which is very important,” comments Ms Estela Noriega, global head of marketing at BRALO.

“Not only are we manufacturers but engineering designers. Producing in our factories enables us to work together with the customer in the development of the products and manufacture cold stamping piece that are adapted to the application requirements. We have a strong orientation to R&D and we invest many resources on the development of new products and control of the quality of every single piece we produce,” points out Mr López. “This is a great advantage to the customer. because we have a strong internal know-how of every product, which allows us to offer the right solution for every application.”

One of the greatest challenges for any global business is being able to provide a consistent service to customers around the world. Thanks to its commercial network, which includes subsidiaries in France, Germany, UK, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, China, Mexico and the Czech Republic, BRALO is able to deliver this service.

“Consistency is one of the greatest challenges in customer services and is hard because it takes effort and discipline,” says Basilio. “However, thanks to our worldwide presence, with commercial delegations and warehouses throughout Europe, plus our production plants in Asia and America, we can guarantee quality, availability and reliable products, as well as a service oriented to satisfy customer’s most demanding requirements.”

Another key factor in BRALO’s success is its supply chain and logistics. “An extensive high-quality product range, and the ability to offer customised design solutions, is worth nothing if we fail delivering to our customers,” states Miguel. “During the last few years, BRALO has been investing in a new ERP system. This means all factories and delegations will run under the same system, communications networks, EDI platform, etc. Enabling us to integrate all supply chains – from an effective and efficient raw materials inventory to finished goods availability - throughout the different BRALO warehouses with the main goal to delivering on our promise to our customers.”

Continuing to develop
In recent years BRALO has put further emphasis on its customers, and understanding the different markets needs and demands. “As part of our strategic plan we have always worked on an expanding our product portfolio - the pieces we produce, the new materials we can offer, the resistance and fixing requirements we can meet, as well as the tooling we provide - where we have made a qualitative leap with the new range of BNT pneumatic riveters, which will again be expanded in the coming months,” explains Mrs. Noriega. “Through this commitment, we have achieved faster workability, durability of the tool, and great comfort for the operator, whilst incorporating important elements in the European health and safety regulations, and reducing significantly the level of vibration and noise.”

“Now we are concentrating on being even closer to the customer,” states Mr. López. “To listen to their needs and provide a personalised response that meets and exceeds their expectations, not only in terms of the quality of the product supplied, but the services we provide. That’s why we also offer customised options in packaging, labelling and design.”

The power of innovation
BRALO believes the power of technological innovation and R&D are necessary tools to adapt to the global trend of new markets. “We have inaugurated this year the new R&D centre, with the most advanced equipment,” points out Mr. Vergel. “However, for us innovation is much more than just the invention of a new product. We are aware innovation can take many forms and can be performed anywhere in the organisation. Being an innovative company requires innovation to be conducted throughout the organisation.”

BRALO see itself as a pioneer in developing new services that improve technology and delivery processes. This means it can be at the forefront of process optimisation that not only allows it to reduce costs, but it also facilitates the business relationship between BRALO and its customers.

“Being pioneers in fastening solutions means taking innovation as a priority. For this reason, BRALO is always supporting Research, Development and Innovation (RDI),” mentions Mr. López. “Through a policy based on constant progress and improvement, we spend 6% of the turnover on RDI. Besides which, we encourage the collaboration with universities and institutions. At BRALO our mission is to create value through innovation and we can do this thanks to our commitment to RDI and through specialised technical support in the fields of production processes, as well as the products and services we provide.”

“Day by day we are getting closer to the customer, which allows us to know first-hand the evolution of customers’ needs in the different sectors we work with,” adds Miguel. “We learn from our customers and develop technology for the future with them. Our focus in the coming years is to continue to offer innovation to the market. We are not just suppliers or focused in standard products, our vision is to offer the highest quality, innovative solutions, guaranteed by our own manufacturing. “

Opportunities for the future
Being a global player offers BRALO the possibility for a better understanding of what its customers, and the markets in which they operate, demand at any given time. “We see enormous opportunities for the future - linked to new product developments and the new material used in the automotive, industrial and construction markets,” points out Basilio. “The use of new materials in these industries - such as carbon fibre in the search for weight reduction, and new materials in construction - such as fibre cement - involve changes in engineering and constructive calculations, which we must take into account for development of new products. That is why we offer an engineering service to our clients to design specific parts that meet the new requirements of the market.”

Miguel continues: “More than every it is a highly competitive market, with lots of players wanting to enter with very aggressive positioning. However, thanks to our ability to adapt to markets, and the close relationships with our customers, we are able to provide tailored products adapted to customers’ fixing needs.”

Another important factor that BRALO believes will become more prominent will be demands of regulations regarding quality, which are already very high in industries such as automotive. Thanks to its commitment to constantly improve its products and services, BRALO has already achieved certification to ISO 9001:2008, ISO TS16949 and ISO 14001:2004 and is ready for any future changes.

“We offer the highest quality at a competitive price, and most importantly, we offer the right solution to every need,” states Mr. López. “With our ability to supply customised products, and the flexibility to adapt our production to the requirements of our customers, we will continue to provide the right product, at the right place at the right time.”