“Joining forces with Grupo Castrosua allows us to be more competitive and stronger”
- Indcar is a bodybuilder with over 125 years of history, what is the secret to staying “on the front line” for so long?
Well, a large part of it has been, mainly, thanks to working hard from our beginnings. It has also been thanks to staying true to our business principles of sacrifice, generosity, innovation, quality and service, and a commitment to exports, which has allowed us to get where we are today.
This would not have been possible without the team of people who have been part of INDCAR throughout this time, as each of them has contributed to growing the company into what we are today.
With this secret revealed, I must say that I am proud to be in the 5th generation of the company in which my sister and I are involved.
- What are your company’s strengths and what are you particularly proud of?
The most notable strengths as a company are a clear commitment to product specialization in the micro and midi bus range, offering a wide range of solutions, and also a commitment to internationalization. These key factors allow us to be a benchmark in this sector in Europe today.
One of the many reasons that make us proud is being able to go to many European countries and see our bodies circulating.
- From your point of view, how does the future of the sector look?
In my opinion, our sector has been undergoing a significant transformation for some years now. It is a sector that is increasingly globalized and competitive. This demands a lot more from all of us, but at the same time, I believe it will also offer us more opportunities.
It is a sector that lives in constant change, whether due to legal aspects that change some of the rules of the game, the presence of new and larger companies that make up the sector, new competitors (large corporations), or new market trends.
Ultimately, it is a very dynamic sector, and in this context, it is essential to have the capacity and speed to adapt the company to these new changes and challenges ahead.
For our part, we view the future with hope, as I believe that in recent years, despite difficult times, we have taken the necessary actions and made the right decisions to be prepared and face the upcoming changes in this sector.
- Where does the initiative to join forces between Indcar and Castrosua come from, and what does each company bring to the alliance?
It stems from sharing the same concern, which is that joining forces allows you to be more competitive and stronger. If these same concerns are combined with good personal understanding, similarity in values and family business culture, and good future business projects, everything is much easier when it comes to adding value and working together.
Each company brings its experience and generosity in sharing knowledge, which are the foundations for building a project where cooperation is key. In other words, the necessary links to have more competitive companies with guarantees to face future challenges together.
We are starting with an initial phase of commercial synergies, but this is the beginning of many other synergies that will need to be developed in the coming years.
- Do you have cooperation agreements with other companies in the sector? In what areas?
Yes, INDCAR cooperates with another bodybuilder company in France. This company was our main competitor in that market, and with the same spirit and strategy of joining forces, we started cooperating about 7 years ago.
We initiated this cooperation by marketing one of their models through INDCAR, as it was a niche product we intended to develop. However, the cooperation allowed us to minimize development, reach the market faster than the competition, and respond to a market need.
This was the beginning of the cooperation between both companies. But we have moved forward, and we are now jointly marketing a range of products in France, while also leveraging synergies for other markets.
Today, this cooperation is mainly in the commercial sphere but extends to other areas of the company depending on specific needs.
The important thing is that after this time, we have created a climate of cooperation to add synergies and make us increasingly competitive together.
- Changing the subject and to conclude, what would you highlight about your experience as CEO? Any anecdotes you’d like to share?
It is a unique experience to have the challenge of leading a business project, and it fills me with pride to see how a whole team of professionals works each year to achieve the set objectives.
At the same time, it is a very demanding occupation that requires a lot of dedication, but if you achieve the set goals, it fills you with satisfaction despite all the effort one must put in, both professionally and personally.
I would have many anecdotes, but in the end, I cherish those that are personally fulfilling because they have allowed me to feel useful in contributing to improving and helping someone who needed it.
“From Grupo Castrosua, we want to thank Gaël Queralt, CEO of Indcar, for his availability and kindness in accepting our interview request for our blog.”
