1st Road Shows in USA

I just landed in USA 3 years ago, with my target to implant Carbures at the United States. At this time I was sending reports to our headquarters in Spain to my Board and they explain to me their work: to do Road Shows in Spain. From my geographical distance in USA, and from my different activity (productive implantation in other country), I was thinking: I have to start Road Shows in USA.

 

After 3 years of our growing in Greenville, SC and Seattle, WA, the January 15^th 2014 will be at the history as a the First Road Show Day for Carbures at the USA, exactly in Manhattan, New York. The First Road Show Day I was attending 7 different investment companies. To jump from a skyscraper to an other skyscraper, from an office with Times Square views to Central Park views, to walk from 5^th Avenue to Madison Avenue thinking just in Carbures and to reach the next target……

Como la historia de la empresa ayuda a su futuro, o no.

Hola,

Estoy en el Aeropuerto de New York, camino de realizar el primer encuentro internacional de trabajadores de Carbures (Europe, USA and China), y no dejo de pensar la de tiempo que llevo en Carbures y nuestra historia.

Carbures, como toda organizacion (excepto las start-ups), tiene un pasado, y este pasado puede actuar como motor o como lastre. No hay término medio. La falta de ánimo o valor para soportar las cosas rara vez las he visto en las organizaciones que perduran.

Cuando el pasado se convierte en un lastre es que ha llegado el momento de hacer los que se hace cuando el lastre nos hunde: SOLTARLO.

Y no estoy pensando en despedir personas que llevan tiempo en la organizacion y que saben y conocen los “tips and tricks”, me refiero justamente a aprovechar esta sabiduría histórica que nos puede permitir convertir el lastre en motor.

Me refiero a SOLTAR o reciclar actitudes, servicios y productos, canales de comunicación, estructura organizacional interna, roles, responsabilidades, procesos, procedimientos,….

Me refiero a Reorganizar para mejorar, y sin perder talento interno, siempre y cuando entendamos que no es lo que te sucede lo que marca la diferencia, es lo que haces acerca de lo que te sucede lo que supone toda la diferencia.

Un saludo desde New York,

Ivan Contreras

At the tunnel

After reading a few words from Mr. Pedro Nueno at the newspaper, is very clear one of the reasons why Carbures USA has a good position.

The phrase “already see the light at the end of the tunnel” I have heard of many people who expect good things are going to happen in the future. Expect is not something that Carbures has the habit of doing. Carbures goes to look for it and we have to work hard, very hard to make something good things happen. This means that we are usually at the tunnel, working inside, trying to understand and to know well what happens in that tunnel and how to do to survive, grow and improve. Our concern has never been to go out of the tunnel, but we want to make it perfect.

In my particular case, I asked to the company to open an specific market in USA from zero, four years ago. Immediately I took my kids from school in Spain and my pregnant wife moved to The USA. Many professional and personal efforts have accompanied the last 4 years, but I have never relaxed with no phrase like: “when we exit the tunnel we’ll be better”.
Carbures USA workers know they will be in that environment always, and our benefits do not depend on the environment changes (not depend on the exit of the tunnel).

An idea for all and as Peter Drucker says: “if you’re in the tunnel, fixes things to succeed in the tunnel, do not expect everything would be happy when you leave it.”

Congratulations from USA!

Today is the first Anniversary of CARBURES as a listed company in Europe. One year. One intense year where the share appreciation has been of +187,03%. 

As the page 100Carbures.com was saying today in a post that I will publish here for the kind readers of my blog, there were two strategic axis: sectorial diversification, and internationalization. After a year, it´s a satisfaction to share with shareholders and employees of Carbures  the point where CARBURES currently stands. We are in both coasts of USA: Seattle (Washington) and Greenville (South Carolina). Working and making carbon fiber structures for automotive and aerospace sectors. Growing and expanding with a very motivated and focused team.

For all these reasons, as the main responsible for Carbures USA, I want to thank Carbures employees in West and East Coast that are doing such a great work; I want also to congratulate the team of Carbures in the rest of the world because every piece counts and adds value to the general picture; and finally, I would like to let the shareholders know that this First Anniversary is just one milestone in the road. Our passion for what we are doing is big, and our goals are ambitious. 

Congratulations from USA!

Home sweet home

1 week ago at the West Coast

 

2 days ago in Florida

And finally in Greenville, SC

Investor Day in Carbures

As you know, CARBURES is a publicly traded company since March 2012. Last Saturday, just a week ago, Our first Investor Day was celebrated in our facilities in Europe. The board of Directors, and the executives from different areas were present as hosts for our shareholders. It was an opportunity for everybody to know everything better, and to get closer to the activity of the company and how investments are used. Shares value was increased 63% just in 10 months: from 1,08€/share in March 2012 til 1,76€/share in January 2013.

I was ready to get on the plane, and I was very excited to meet our shareholders and to be able to explain to them all CARBURES is achieving in USA. Unfortunately, weather didn´t respect my desire, and I couldn´t get on time due to a snow storm. Of course, my colleagues were ready and prepared to offer details about Carbures activity in USA.

I am looking forward to having another opportunity to meet personally this important people in CARBURES: our shareholders. And of course, this blog is open to them for their questions. Here is a video made after the event, were we can see the comments both from employees and from shareholders.I hope you enjoy it!

Ivan Contreras, Carbures USA CEO attending JEC Composites 2012 in Boston

Blogging, sharing and showing.

Hi, everybody. I have decided to start this blog. Why a new activity for a busy executive? We don´t need additional obligations. Well, I have seen some of my fellow workers in Carbures like Rafael Contreras (President of Carbures USA), or Joaquín Martin-Perles (Communication Director) using this window to share their experiences, and their knowledge.

The last few years have been very intense for me: starting a company in a different country, moving with my whole family to a new culture. Carbures stance at  this moment is very exciting: good position in international markets, high technology, different sectors (aeronautical, automotive).

All this, has motivated me to create this blog and to tell my story to those interested in Carbures or feeling curious about the daily work of an executive of a Tecnological Company.

I hope the results interest you, I commit publicly to keep the blog as updated as I can, and I am available to  answer questions and exchange experiences, opportunities and ideas. 

Thank you for your interest!