Raquel Martínez is the projects and quality coordinator at Grupel, one of the women in the company’s Engineering Department, in a sector where men predominate. With a long experience in the function and industry, Raquel takes Grupel’s Energy further, overcoming daily challenges and coordinating many aspects of the production of our energy solutions.
The engineer talks about her routine at the company and her experiences in the industry, revealing what moves her and the goals she has for the future.
I have been working here for almost 12 years, since Grupel bought Cymasa in 2010.
Well, initially it was due to my curiosity – how and from what can we produce something? I have always been interested in industry and the different phases that make up the development of a product, mainly the conception and design stages, but also the production stage and how, while at it, solutions are sought to optimize the available resources.
In the last few years, I have been working in the management of Grupel’s special projects, which allows me to be present at all stages, taking it as proposed in the area of application engineering and sales and accompanying it in the detailed engineering, purchasing and production phases. Likewise, I am in constant contact with the customer, ensuring that all the steps we take are headed to their satisfaction.
Being able to learn from each of my colleagues with whom I share a project, regardless of the department. And receiving positive feedback from customers, both in terms of the quality of the product, the service provided and the relationship they have with Grupel.
I love demanding customers; I think they bring out the best in us. However, there is one type of customer that I don’t like so much – those who demand an extra effort, not to ensure that their demands are met, which is perfectly normal, but to impose a solution or way of working that we know, from our experience of over 45 years in the industry, is not the most appropriate or may even cause problems. The challenge here is to explain and make the client see the best solution, which is not always easy.
Unfortunately, women in engineering and in any sector have added challenges; there are still many people who don’t trust us at first. However, I consider myself privileged. At Grupel, both myself and my colleagues are valued for the work we do, without having to make an extra effort to show what we are worth, besides presenting the results of our work.
I would like to continue with the development of relevant projects for Grupel. Explore new applications where the client’s demands imply challenges for all of us. Analyze them looking at each critical point with the respect it deserves, but with the confidence that they will not only come through but be successful.
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