The protagonist of our interview on this occasion is the company ALSINA, Global Partner of the Barcelona Contech Hub. ALSINA Encofrados is a leading company in the civil engineering and construction sector, specializing in formwork and concrete solutions. With 75 years of experience, it offers innovative and quality systems for the construction of concrete structures in more than 16 countries, guaranteeing safety, efficiency and sustainability in its clients’ projects.

Welcome, Jesus, to our interview space.

1. Could you briefly introduce the company ALSINA and its role in the construction sector?

Encofrats Alsina is a company with a long history in the construction sector, founded in 1950 in Barcelona and currently present in more than 16 countries. Initially as a wood warehouse, it evolved to specialize in the design, manufacture, sale and rental of formwork systems, as well as all kinds of associated engineering services for the execution of concrete structures.

• We offer comprehensive formwork solutions in a sector in continuous evolution, developing increasingly efficient and safe systems, adapted to the changing needs of the market, with numerous utility patents.
• We offer engineering and advisory services: Alsina not only supplies formwork systems, but also offers the entire catalog of engineering services for the design of customized solutions, structural calculation, technical advice, training and planning of use on site.
• We contribute to the industrialization of the sector: by offering standardized and optimized formwork systems, Alsina facilitates the industrialization of construction processes, resulting in greater efficiency and cost control, improving safety and productivity on construction sites.
• We promote sustainability: the company is concerned with offering solutions that contribute to sustainability in construction, embracing circularity since its inception with equipment rental and maintenance as its main business model.

2. With 75 years of experience in the sector, what significant changes have you observed in construction in recent years and how have you adapted to these changes?

We are convinced that the construction industry evolves at a slower pace than other sectors. This slowness in the implementation of new technologies is strongly conditioned, we believe, by several key factors:

• High initial investments: The adoption of new technologies often requires considerable investments, which makes it difficult to implement them quickly in a sector where margins can be tight.
• Regulatory and process heterogeneity: The diversity of regulations and processes at the international level represents a significant obstacle. What works in one country may not be applicable or legal in another, which limits global standardization.
• Supply chain complexity: High subcontracting in construction projects means that definition and negotiation are carried out between multiple collaborators. This fragmentation makes it difficult to coordinate and uniformly adopt changes.
• Creative nature of projects: From their conception, construction projects tend to offer great creative freedom. This intrinsic uniqueness does not favor the repetition or standardization necessary to achieve efficient industrialized processes.

We have found it more difficult to adapt to solutions from other countries than to temporary changes within a single country. However, we have witnessed significant transformations, almost always driven by improvements in security systems. Since security has always been one of our top design priorities, this has allowed us to lead these changes in the sector on numerous occasions.

3. What are the main areas of innovation that you have identified in your processes?

We enhance the digital representation and 3D CAD design of our systems. With Alsina Tech, we create customized BIM software solutions that revolutionize project management. In addition, we improve training with Metalearning, developing virtual and augmented reality applications for immersive training. Thanks to Alsina In Touch, we offer real-time remote instruction for on-site assemblies. These innovations have not only transformed our offering, but have also generated a strong impact on the development of innovative customer services that are highly valued by the market.

4. How do you assess the impact of technology on your daily work? Is there any tool or software that you consider essential?

Imagine how many years of change we have experienced at Alsina! We have gone from landline to mobile phone calls, from fax to email, and witnessed how the internet changed everything, as well as the asynchronous communication revolution that has skyrocketed our efficiency. Digital marketing and social media have expanded our reach in ways that were previously unthinkable. But now, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence, we feel we are facing the biggest change of all, a train that does not wait and that promises to redefine the way we work.

5. Can you share a specific example of a recent project where you have applied technological innovations? What results did you obtain?

Our “Metalearning” platform is a tool that we value greatly. Using virtual reality glasses, we design immersive experiences to train in the safe assembly of our systems. Thanks to this technology, we have been able to significantly expand our training impact, reaching both students and customers. On a global scale, Metalearning has proven to be essential in overcoming the distrust of builders who, when introducing our systems to new markets, were faced with work teams without the necessary training.

6. How do you stay up to date on new ConTech trends and technologies?

Our ability to adapt is nourished by a combination of factors: constant self-taught research, attendance at fairs and innovation events whenever our agenda allows, active participation in business associations in search of inspiration and, fundamentally, attentive listening to our customers, who are the key to identifying market needs.

7. What role do startups play in your innovation strategy? Do you collaborate with any specific startups ? If so, how did this collaboration begin? What criteria do you use to select the startups you decide to collaborate with?

We have established partnerships with several entities, some of which we have actively sought out, while others have approached us to offer their services. Our evaluation criteria are based, first and foremost, on the alignment of their offer with our projects in the portfolio. Their motivation, enthusiasm and availability of time are also crucial, a resource that we do not have. Initially, we tend to tackle small projects to get to know each other and assess the state of the technology and the expected returns. If the results are satisfactory, we move on to more significant projects with realistic objectives and a solid foundation.

8. If you have collaborated with startups , how do you integrate the innovative solutions provided by startups into your projects? Is there an established process for this integration?

In general, we have not established a formal integration process for startup solutions. Their main function is to provide the technological expertise we need for certain phases or components of our projects. We consider them more as strategic allies who provide us with the tools to carry out initiatives that directly respond to our interests, rather than being the end of the project itself.

9. What are the main challenges you have encountered in implementing new technologies and innovations in your projects?

When implementing new technologies, our main challenge is to achieve the best possible return with the least investment. The obstacles are diverse, including the natural resistance to change from our internal teams. However, the most common obstacle is that, often, the current cost of the technology does not align with the expectation of significant returns from controlled investments.

10. How do you think the use of technology and innovation can influence the sustainability of architectural projects?

We firmly believe that technology and innovation have a crucial impact on the sustainability of architectural projects. The emergence of new materials, the combination of hybrid structures (such as wood and low-carbon concrete), and more efficient structural optimization are key factors that will drive the decarbonization of the construction sector. At Alsina, our essence as a rental and services company has led us to integrate circularity into all our operations from day one.

11. What are your future plans in terms of innovation and technology? Are there any new trends or technologies that you are particularly excited about?

In terms of innovation and technology, we focus on initiatives with high disruptive potential. We are evaluating the integration of exoskeletons to improve efficiency in our warehouses and, at the same time, their possible application in the design of more advanced formwork systems. Another technology that excites us is the use of drones for surveying and inventory control on the construction site, using artificial vision.

12. What does your participation in the Barcelona ConTech Hub as one of its Global Partners mean for ALSINA?

For Alsina, being one of the Global Partners of the Barcelona ConTech Hub is an immense honor. We are very excited about the opportunity to learn, collaborate, share knowledge and jointly develop new innovation projects with the rest of the excellent collaborators who are already part of this group.