The protagonist of our interview this time is Laia Gelabert Soler, Director of Innovation and Sustainability at the Construction Solutions business in Molins. Global Partner of the Barcelona Contech Hub, Molins is a global leader in innovative and sustainable construction solutions, with an integrated business that includes cement, concrete, aggregates, construction solutions, prefabricated solutions, street furniture and circular economy. Welcome Laia to our interview space.

1. Could you briefly introduce Molins and your role in the construction industry on a global scale?

Founded in 1928, Molins is a global leader in the construction sector, offering a wide range of products and solutions, from cement, concrete and mortars to prefabricated solutions and the circular economy. The company has 168 production facilities in 11 countries and 4 continents, with a team of more than 6,300 professionals committed to innovation and sustainability.

2. Recently, the company has undertaken a very important change in the field of corporate image, with what objective?

With the recent corporate image change, we evolve our brands to adapt to a new global context, putting people at the center and building spaces that unite us. Molins, which integrates all the company’s businesses, was born to become a single voice without forgetting the successful trajectory, experience and values ​​that have brought us here. The new brand consolidates us as global construction partners, offering transversal solutions to our customers. At the same time, Molins launches Susterra on the market, a new range that brings together solutions with sustainable attributes that the company has and that are part of its continuous commitment to social development and improving the quality of life through solutions for construction Susterra brings together the company’s solutions that promote the circular economy and offer a second useful life to materials; the reduction of CO2 emissions; and safe building environments, promoting health and well-being.

3. How is MOLINS integrating the latest technological innovations into its processes and products?

In Molins, we are incorporating advanced technology in all our processes, integrating reengineering, digitization and continuous improvement adapted to the fulfillment of sustainability and efficiency KPIs, both in the field of company and business as well as the diversity of the products and solutions we offer . This includes innovation in the use of new materials and recycled raw materials that improve the impact of our solutions, the implementation of renewable energies to maximize our efficiency or the use of data and digitization for the continuous improvement of production and shipping processes, among others.

4. What challenges has your company faced in implementing innovative technologies in the production of its products?

We face the challenge of implementing innovative technologies that, while optimizing our processes and reducing operational impact, lead to increased costs that are not easy to transfer to the final product. At the same time, it is also necessary to accelerate this implementation of the improvements in the market, taking into account that the construction sector has a conservative inertia. Our challenge is to find the balance between the need to innovate and our priority not to impact our customers, to whom we owe it. We want to make sure that the improvements we introduce bring real value to the customer.

5. Cement is one of the products that contribute the most to carbon emissions in construction projects, what specific measures has your company implemented to improve sustainability in the production of its products?

Improving sustainability is a fundamental part of our strategy. On the one hand, we focus on reducing the environmental impact of our solutions through a series of initiatives. In this sense, the promotion of the circular economy is a priority within our industry, complying with the premises of reducing, recycling and reusing; we use alternative fuels in production processes and incorporate secondary cementitious materials and recycled raw materials in manufacturing. On the other hand, we also focus on reducing the social impact, promoting the well-being and health attributes of our solutions. An example is the products we have certified with the EMICODE seal within the Susterra range, which have a rating of very low emissions of volatile organic components.

6. How do they stay at the forefront of innovation in an industry that is beginning a major transition to new construction methods that are slowly replacing traditional construction?

At Molins we collaborate on a global scale with the academic and industrial environment to stay at the forefront. This collaboration allows us to participate in research and development projects, as well as pioneering designs that seek to transform traditional construction. Our integrated business model also gives us direct insight into our customers’ needs, making it easy to quickly adapt to emerging industry trends. In short, we try to maintain a long-term vision of the evolution of the sector, with an external radar for both local competitors and international trends, and position ourselves as early adapters of new technologies.

7. Does your company collaborate with startups on more disruptive projects in the construction industry to foster innovation?

We actively collaborate with startups and projects through Innovandi, one of the leading technical associations in the construction sector that brings together representatives from the entire value chain, including universities and industries. This collaboration allows us to integrate new technologies and solutions, improving the efficiency and sustainability of our solutions and processes. In addition, we are always looking to expand our scope of work to follow the cutting edge in the sector.

8. Does MOLINS have success stories in innovation based on external collaborations? Can you highlight any examples?

Yes, we have several success stories based on external collaborations, and one is the project on ” Gas Radón “. Radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer in the world ⁽¹⁾ after tobacco and its concentration is measurable inside buildings. Taking into account this challenge of impact on health and the need for improvement in construction, we work with experts to develop a waterproofing system and at the same time isolation to radon gas in buildings, which complies with current regulations and is certified by a specialized laboratory . This project demonstrates the value of external cooperation in confronting and solving complex problems in our sector.

9. What are your company’s future plans for partnering with startups to continue driving innovation and sustainability in the construction industry?

We continuously analyze and evaluate new forms of collaboration that help advance our strategic goals of innovation and sustainability. Our commitment is to continue promoting advances that benefit both our sector and the environment in which we operate and actively participate in all those forums where we can learn and contribute.

10. How do you see the future of the building products industry in terms of innovation and technology?

The construction sector must decarbonise, and we know that innovation and technology will be central to achieving this and delivering on our roadmap. We are committed to clear objectives established for 2050 in Europe, as well as to the specific regulations in other countries where we are present. In addition to adopting new technologies and materials that transform our construction methods and improve our impact both in the field of business and of the solutions we offer, we actively participate in the drafting of road maps outside Europe for col · work on these decarbonisation objectives. We believe that the future of the industry will be defined by sustainability, energy efficiency and digitization, and we are focused on being protagonists of this evolution.

11. What does its participation in the Barcelona ConTech Hub as one of its Global Partners mean for MOLINS?

Collaborating with the Barcelona Contech Hub expands our external radar in technological innovation and allows us to be up to date with the latest trends and advances at the hands of experts in the field. This innovation hub also offers the opportunity to participate in joint projects, share knowledge, create synergies with key players in the sector and join forces with the entire startup ecosystem.