Uriel González Domínguez - Central America
High competitiveness, high costs of raw materials and shortage of solvents, affect the Mexican market of paints. However, the increase in annual consumption per capita by about 4.5 clarifies the panorama of the Central American industry.
by Natalia Ospina Vélez
In the pages of a book, the full story of this Mexican professional could be perfectly told, I don't know how to sell!, it would be one of the many possible options to title it. As those who know writing say that all good narration begins by describing a scene, so Uriel González Domínguez begins his own story.
"My boss, the general manager, invited me to move to the sales department, I did not accept. After repeating the request for two more times he threw me a conditioning saying: next Monday I wait for him in the sales offices or bring me his resignation. Obviously I continued, that Yes I told him, that I was not a salesman but a technician, to which he replied: I need it in sales! The first year I was a failure, when my boss called me to claim it, I replied with the original answer, I don't know how to sell!"
With astonishing accuracy, González remembers the setting of this story: year 1956, Pinturas Pittsburgh de México, today called PPG Industries. And it is not for less, because it was in that company where he began to walk in this exciting business, as he himself qualifies it and in which he already turned 51 years old.
Rising professional
Getting his first job was also a story. Having just received his industrial chemist degree from the Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM, PPG Industries, he invited him to work there, an offer that Uriel did not accept because he considered that he deserved a better salary and because of his quality as a recent graduate.
"After walking for several months and not finding a satisfactory salary and when the coins no longer sounded in my pockets, I decided to return to PPG Industries and apply for the job, which they gave me immediately, and who was going to say that I would work there for 31 years," Recalled.
Working at PPG Industries for more than two decades brought González his first satisfactions as a professional. The most representative was to sell the paints for cars that PPG began to manufacture and at the same time provide technical service, because at that time, the year of 1959, Mexico imported this class of paints.
Unexpectedly occupying the position in the sales department allowed this professional to begin an upward path in his career until he reached the general direction of the company. In that position where he remained for about ten years he managed to place PPG in the first place of sales of paints for cars, white line, industrial and automotive repainting.
Strategic alliances
The company's retirement also brought good winds for Uriel who continued as CEO of several paints and solvents companies including Atlas Marlux, Solvmex S.A and Colorama. "By retiring from PPG I continued my career as a ceo and to this day I continue to sell, even though the sales for me at the beginning, were not very pleasant," he said.
Likewise, he assures that in this new stage of his life he achieved more personal satisfactions, among them being able to introduce in the Aztec country products of the latest technology such as the electrophoretic primary in the automotive industry, transforming the white line market by replacing the first epoxy flash and the amino alchedal enamel with a thermoset acrylic enamel. of a single layer.
Introducing acrylic lacquers for the automotive industry, automotive repainting and acrylic enamels, also adds to its list of achievements.
His time in different companies and the experience acquired in them, has allowed Uriel González to dedicate himself to consulting in the paints and solvents industry. With a group of associates specialized in various fields of the industry, it is dedicated to advising companies in different areas.
In addition to consulting, this professional has today within his work scheme the realization of strategic links between painting companies. "If one manufactures a product that another needs and does not have it within its line, both make an alliance to make maquilas," he explained.
Growing market
There is no doubt that the long journey of this professional has allowed him to move like a fish in the water within the Mexican paint industry and has made him an authority to talk about it.
"The large competition we have, the increase in the price of raw materials and the unusual shortage of solvents derived from petroleum, has caused a constant increase in them and in some cases above any consideration.", thus summarized González the difficulties currently facing the Mexican paint industry.
Sales have also become a stone in the shoe for the Aztec market. According to Uriel, the people who make up this department are always looking for factories to develop the cheapest products, getting the industry used to selling everything at a low price. "There is still no awareness that companies can earn more by selling quality products just like the competition does, he added.
However, despite this panorama, Uriel González speaks with certainty of the growth in the mexican paint market.
When talking about architectural paintings, this professional says that the market has turned to very economical products and that manufacturers have made the mistake of continuing on that path. However, González is emphatic in saying that per capita consumption in Mexico reaches about 4.5 liters per inhabitant and has registered significant growth in the last five years.
"We believe that in our country the growth of architectural paintings will continue as the government has a very aggressive program to provide house of economic value to the entire economically active population. This has also brought construction companies that are making medium and high value housing developments," he added.
On the other hand, automotive and wood paint has also registered a significant increase. The first owes its behavior to the growing manufacture of automobiles in the Aztec country, the second to the continuous training given among applicators.
Industry creates laws
Despite the proximity to one of the most important countries in terms of technology and having the possibility of manufacturing raw materials for the country's industry, Mexico must face another couple of disadvantages. To cope with them, this Central American country has opted for the creation of laws that govern the market.
Competing with unknown manufacturers that sometimes do not comply with current standards and the introduction of waste paints that arrive from other countries breaking labeling standards, are the concerns to which today Mexico and ANAFAPYT, the National Association of Manufacturers of Paints and Inks, they are attending.
"Given these disadvantages, the first step is to create standards for the best-selling paint lines: aqueous latex paints, enamels, paints for central road stripe, specialized coatings for heavy maintenance, waterproofing, etc. All this work is carried out by the technicians of the different partner companies of ANAFAPYT, in addition to being in continuous contact with the authorities on all these aspects seeking their support, "explained González.
Attending to this problem, thinking about giving greater added value to products and making companies more productive, this professional suggests closeness to the production chain, education for users and involve suppliers in achieving the objectives and cost reduction programs.
On the other hand, investment in training programs for personnel, research, development and sources of technology, augur success and productivity for painting companies. This is dictated by the experience of Uriel González.
Finally, like every good man who knows his wife, this Mexican says that the paint industry is exciting, difficult but attractive, as if she were a beautiful girl. When xylene, toluene, aromines, etc. begin to circulate in our arteries, we are lost, we have been created addiction by a noble, competitive, motivating business, always thinking that paint protects and beautifies ".
