8 minute read
UNIMAQ
Leader Caterpillar’s in light machinery is all over Peru
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Produced by
Jassen Pintado
Interviewee
Engineer Alberto Parodi, General Manager of UNIMAQ
UNIMAQ’s
path stands out by incorporating and developing new business lines assigned by its head company in such a way that, since opening for business in 1999, the company has also expanded its markets and its presence nationwide, with seamless contribution to FERREYCORP, one of the most important “multilatinas” corporations in Peru.
Belonging to a corporation like FERREYCORP implies the UNIMAQ autonomous operation receiving great support, since UNIMAQ was originally created to sell light machinery and other brands to complement Caterpillar (CAT) equipment. In 2007, the Rentando business unit merged into UNIMAQ, bringing together the rental and light equipment categories, becoming “UNIMAQ - The CAT Rental Store”. Two years after this transition, UNIMAQ became a strong leader in Caterpillar light equipment, becoming -along with FERREYROS and ORVISA, its sales channel in the Peruvian Amazon- one of the FERREYCORP companies in charge of distributing CAT equipment.
The construction sector accounts for 55% of UNIMAQ’s revenue, followed by mining with 15%, other 10% for industry in general, and the remaining is divided into various sectors. Within FERREYCORP, UNIMAQ contributes approximately 12% of total sales. In times of investment and projects generating growth in Peru, UNIMAQ has achieved revenues of US$200 million per year.
“For five years in a row we have been awarded the Caterpillar Light Equipment Distributor with the largest market share in the world,” said Alberto Parodi, General Manager for UNIMAQ.
Alberto Parodi de la Cuadra graduated in Industrial Engineering from Ricardo Palma University, in Lima, Peru. He also obtained a master’s degree in Strategic Business Administration from CENTRUM, the
business school of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. Among other outstanding courses, the executive also attended a face-toface course from the Kenan-Flagler Business School (at the University of North Carolina) offered by Caterpillar in Leadership for Growth and Profitability, another one in Leadership by INCAE (Central American Institute of Business Administration) Instituto Centroamericano de Administración de Empresas, Costa Rica), and the Finance for Non-Financial Managers course, also in person, at Harvard Business School (Boston,
UNIMAQ | Somos Diferentes!
USA). And since 2019, Parodi became a professor at the School of Administration and International Business of the Peruvian University of Applied Sciences.
“I have been with FERREYCORP since 1995. I have worked for practically all commercial areas,” said Parodi, who also has experience abroad, having served between 2000 and 2002 as sales manager in Bolivia for a FERREYROS company and from 2010 to 2015 as deputy general manager in Guatemala for GENTRAC, the largest group company in Central America. His tenure at UNIMAQ started in 2016.
SOUND ORGANIZATION BASED ON OFFER DIVERSIFICATION
By product, UNIMAQ has the following divisions: • Caterpillar Division • Construction Allies • Light Machinery Allies • Rentals • Asian division • Post-sales support (spare parts and services)
Currently, the business line generating the highest income for UNIMAQ is machinery sales, offering a wide range of both new and used equipment, managing over 20 brands that the company has positioned in the country, in addition to the place it has achieved in the CAT world.
Among these brands, in addition to Caterpillar machinery, there are the CARMIX concrete mixers, from Italy, compaction equipment -among other products- from Wacker Neuson, and as from 2021 UNIMAQ has incorporated the Asian lines previously carried by CRESKO, a group company; among the Asian lines, the SEM brands -created by Caterpillar for China- as well as SHACMAN trucks, dump trucks and mixers, and SHAORUI crushers, -a Chinese brand created by METSO- are noteworthy.
“Being a Caterpillar dealer results in a totally different positioning because it’s a leading brand worldwide,” Parodi added.
For machinery rental, UNIMAQ has a fleet of around 1,000 units. These 1,000 units break down into about 350 machines for regular rentals and about 650 Caterpillar forklifts for long-term rentals.
NATIONWIDE AND ONLINE PRESENCE
UNIMAQ’s presence across Peruvian territory spreads through 16 points of sale, including branches and offices. The latter take orders for machinery sales, whereas the branches house -in addition to warehouses- service and maintenance shops. “No competitor can boast having the same coverage
UNIMAQ has. We operate through consolidated logistics, which gives us a competitive advantage,” the executive added.
The opening of specialized retail facilities is one of UNIMAQ’s most recent investments. In 2019, the first of these stores was opened in Trujillo, where on a little bit more than 5,300 sq. ft. the store offers the experience of buying different accessories in a self-service basis.
The success of this store has been such that the opening of a new store is planned within the Arequipa branch, and the opening of a third store with these same features in the Cusco branch is scheduled for before the end of 2021.
“The idea of the retail stores is like going to any UNIMAQ branch in the future and visiting a nice store first, either to buy a machine, an accessory or spare parts. This has been an interesting investment. We want to open more points of sale to be closer to the customer”, Parodi said.
Regarding online presence, UNIMAQ offers the Parts.CAT.com (PCC) sales channel, which is a website that allows obtaining quotes for Caterpillar spare parts used with the Allied machines represented by UNIMAQ. The call center’s capacity is spread all over Peru, thus minimizing the risk of contagion of call center agents during the pandemic.
STRATEGIC PARTNERS UP TO THE TASK
Behind UNIMAQ’s success, there are the aligned efforts of suppliers whose performance and timely work provide solid support to the company’s operation. There are three groups of allies that undoubtedly stand out to keep the company’s operation running: • Suppliers: brands distributed and represented by UNIMAQ provide conditions that make business continuity easier, delivering the same kind of support expected from them even during the pandemic.
• FERREYCORP companies:
the corporate sister companies
are strategic allies. Most of the machinery and spare parts purchased in the United States are transported by Forbis Logistics, a specialized unit of FERREYCORP with presence in several countries, including the US. Forbis consolidates the total load required by the FERREYCORP companies in Peru with daily trips. Fargoline, in Peru, also solves logistics tasks for UNIMAQ. • Banks: Finances became relevant not only to offer customers favorable conditions to acquire machinery, but banks have worked with the company on credit lines that have allowed to meet suppliers’ and payroll needs, particularly during the strict quarantine in Peru. • CAT Financial: Caterpillar finance company that finances a good percentage of Caterpillar machines sold by UNIMAQ directly to the end customers.
COVID 19: A SUM OF EFFORTS TO MOVE FORWARD
The strict conditions imposed by the Peruvian government during the pandemic affected business activity in March, April and May 2020. UNIMAQ was able to arrange the return to activities, obtaining permission to reopen in June, in compliance with all the biosafety protocols that the situation and the government required.
Employees’ safety is a priority for the company, and for this reason investments were made in supplies to comply with these protocols. Schedules were established so that, in each company location, the capacity approved by the State could be observed. UNIMAQ provided its own vans -which followed all the biosecurity protocols- to reduce the use of public transport by collaborators who worked in person.
According to each position’s duties, part of the staff works from home and with reduced assistance in offices, and based on this agenda, the frequency
Being a Caterpillar dealer results in a totally different positioning because it’s a leading brand worldwide
- Engineer Alberto Parodi, General Manager of UNIMAQ
of the screenings has been organized through antigen tests that are being conducted every 15 days for those who attend daily, weekly or once a month.
The company changed its advertising spending for solidarity campaigns with the other regions of the country. Likewise, it adjusted its expenses and raised funds to guarantee payroll and supplier payments until December 2020, considering that since July, after returning to activities, sales and collections almost reached the prepandemic levels.
WIDE PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY
UNIMAQ’s ties with its community go beyond compliance with concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility, since it contributes to specific causes:
• The company works with two associations for children with different abilities in the city of Lima. • The “Sembrando Mi Futuro” (Sowing My Future) program benefits high-potential children living in extreme poverty through scholarships. • The topic of inclusion is addressed through the UNIQAS program, which encourages the hiring of women with technical skills.
The company also contributes to the VIDAWASI association in the construction of the first Children’s Hospital Specialized in Childhood Cancer in Peru, in Cusco. And it also takes part in the annual FERREYCORP 4K race, with the purpose of raising
funds for the social programs in which the Ferreycorp Association is involved.
GROWTH IN CONSTRUCTION
Following the halt to activity caused by the pandemic, UNIMAQ regained strength after reopening under new provisions. Towards mid-2021, it plans to work on the next strategic plan for the next five years, but what has been achieved until now and the planning until the end of the year undoubtedly give rise to optimism in UNIMAQ, which expects significant growth for this year.
We want to open more points of sale to be closer to the customer
- Engineer Alberto Parodi, General Manager of UNIMAQ
“We are going to end 2021 in a positive way and it will be, for us, a year of transition towards significant growth for the following years, since it will make us financially solid, united and strengthened”, concluded Alberto Parodi, General Manager for UNIMAQ.
