We speak with Esteban Bretcha, President of INDPULS

Before closing the year, we speak with Esteban Bretcha, President of INDPULS and CEO of SIMON, about his views on the industrial innovation ecosystem in Catalonia and Europe, reviewing the evolution of INDPULS throughout this year, and announcing the new challenges of the association for 2025

Where does the manufacturing industrial sector in Catalonia and Europe stand today in terms of innovation?

The Draghi report presented this fall on the urgent need to boost the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry in Europe sets the roadmap for a European reindustrialization plan. In recent years, we have experienced a significant loss of industrial capacity, leading to a strong external dependency on the supply of critical raw materials, semiconductors, etc. This, combined with climate change and the increasing competitiveness of countries like China and the United States, makes the launch of the new reindustrialization plan necessary and urgent for a ‘more sustainable, digital, resilient, and globally competitive’ European economy. The goal of the plan is to support the industrial sector while also promoting other areas such as sustainability, the fight against climate change, energy diversification and autonomy, greater digitalization, as well as the repositioning of the EU globally.

To achieve all these challenges, innovation is required, and it must be done together, collaborating with other companies and agents in the ecosystem.

At INDPULS, we work every day to find opportunities and joint solutions to these great challenges. One example of this is that after 2 years of work and analysis on a new CO2 permanent capture project, in January 2025, INDPULS will launch its first spin-off or co-creation project.

What would you highlight from INDPULS’s activities in 2024?

In 2024, we have worked intensively on transversal challenges chosen by our member companies, focusing on our areas of action: digitalization and sustainability.

Firstly, we have worked on the challenges of Circularity and new materials, and Product Traceability. We have mapped the waste generated by INDPULS member companies and the raw material needs, in order to identify new opportunities for joint work. From this, new industrial symbiosis projects have emerged to be developed, such as the use of regenerated water or the search for alternatives to plastic stretch film.

Additionally, we have developed a Technology Radar and the second edition of the Startup Support Program, which have generated new collaboration opportunities between the member companies and the participating startups.

Secondly, we have also worked on Innovation in management and Innovation Methodologies, in truly inspiring meetings such as those held at ABB, Simon Switch, Vallformosa, Inquide, Fluidra, and Telefónica.

Thirdly, we have continued to make progress together on the Biochar project, with the aim of contributing to the fight against climate change. The result has been the completion of the business plan, the design of the pilot project (MVP), the identification of the right partners, and the public funding that supports us. With all this, we are ready to launch an MVP in January 2025.

All this work is possible thanks to the commitment and involvement of the partners. The average level of participation in INDPULS activities is over 70% of the members, with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5. I believe we can be very satisfied with these results, and we aim to improve them for 2025.

What are the challenges of INDPULS for 2025?

One of the challenges we want to work on next year is Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), from talent training in AI adoption to identifying opportunities through the knowledge of practical cases in the different areas of AI application: improving customer experience, enhancing worker productivity, automating processes, and, finally, new business models and new products or services.

Secondly, we want to work on Strategy and Innovation, so that organizations can transform the way we operate towards a model where people and technology are the protagonists, ensuring the long-term competitiveness of our companies.

Thirdly, at the beginning of the year, we will launch a new Talent Exchange Program between companies, to help boost talent and the culture of innovation. The candidates selected from the INDPULS community will have the opportunity to participate in strategic projects of other member companies, with the aim of adding value and contributing to the growth of all parties involved.

A wish for 2025.

My wish for 2025 is that our activity has a positive impact on the INDPULS ecosystem, but also that it becomes an inspiring model for the industry in our country and in Europe.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the commitment and generosity of all the people who are part of the INDPULS community, because thanks to them, this project has become solid and increasingly meaningful.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the entire INDPULS family!!!