The year 2022 was a year of strengthening the company’s values, especially with regard to people – ETMA’s most precious asset.
Despite having been a year of challenges and overcoming challenges, ETMA got 29 new clients, more than 100 new projects tailored to the client and with all this its turnover grew by 7% compared to 2021 to €14,300,000.
With a strong presence in the automobile and electric market, in 2022, ETMA intended to develop other business areas such as household appliances and mopeds and penetrate further into the German market and Eastern Europe.
In its global strategy, it sought to: retain and attract talent, implement more sustainable environmental policies, have social responsibility practices more present in its day-to-day activities, maintain lasting links with customers and manage to attract new ones, invest in the knowledge and training of its teams, investing in innovation and continuous improvement of procedures, maintaining a transparent and trusting relationship with all stakeholders and continuing to adapt to the demands of the market and the world.
Let us now see how ETMA worked on its corporate values in 2022:
– Respect for the community and environment
Aware of the importance of preserving the environment and its responsibility towards its employees and the surrounding community, ETMA has been continuously updating and complementing its Environmental Policy for many years.
In 2022, internal actions were developed that appealed to the awareness of employees, such as visiting Braval, and more global external actions such as adherence to the environmental pact of corporate mobility for the city of Braga.
Under the motto TOGETHER TO PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT, over the years, the company has developed a series of other actions that, together, reaffirm its commitment to making its contribution to environmental sustainability.
Over the years, Social Responsibility has also been growing and being assumed more and more by ETMA to meet the needs of the community. TOGETHER FOR A CAUSE is the slogan that summarizes the implementation of various Social Responsibility actions and campaigns, namely:
• Sponsor an institution annually with the aim of raising funds so that it can acquire the resources it needs;
• Occasionally, participate in various charitable campaigns, both nationally and internationally.
– Respect for people
This was undoubtedly the value most worked on by ETMA, as there was a strong commitment to valuing and recognizing the people who are part of the ETMA family.
ETMA believes that people are its most precious asset, one of the pillars of its sustainability and one of the ingredients of its success formula. In this context, in 2022 the company created the #MAIS VALOR Recognition Policy with the aim of recognizing and valuing its employees and teams, through internal dynamics, recognition actions, various forms of tribute and even awards.
ETMA recognizes that its employees are one of the keys to its success, so nothing can be achieved without their involvement and the key role they play in the company’s growth and development.
In this context, prioritizing long-term relationships, in recent years the VIP PLAN Benefit Policy has been increased and successively updated, which aims not only to attract the best professionals, but also to retain them.
As its name states, VIP PLAN is exactly a benefit policy for those who are “very important people” in this company – its employees! A benefits plan that demonstrates the significant effort that ETMA has made, over the last few years, to attract, retain and develop employees capable of guaranteeing the continuity and sustainable growth of this company.
– Customer orientation
At ETMA, the objective is to always be one step ahead, focusing on the company’s internal needs and on improving its service in order to better serve customers.
In 2022 ETMA focused on:
• Offer quality and value products/services/ideas to keep customers coming back for more.
• Carry out satisfaction surveys to collect improvement information to better meet customer expectations.
• Practice competitive prices and adjust according to market fluctuations.
• Look for up-to-date and efficient Control Systems, with the aim of meeting the requirements demanded by customers.
– Confidence
The trust that ETMA has with its employees and partners is also reflected in the open and transparent communication with all stakeholders, namely through actions that include the sharing of results, indicators and investments.
ETMA’s commitment also includes the development of a #MORE FUTURO Career Progression Policy, giving its employees the opportunity to grow professionally within the company.
– Loyalty
This is data that fills ETMA with pride and that well reflect the connection that the company has with its customers and employees:
• 85% of customers have been with the company for over 15 years, with a large number of customers having been with the company for over 30 years, seeing ETMA as an important business partner.
• Employees with ETMA decades (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and more years) – With each passing year, ETMA is proud to have more than 50% of its employees more than 10 years.
An achievement in which, year after year, ETMA has been investing, not only in the implementation of strategies to attract new customers, but also in an increasingly close and consistent relationship with current customers. Hence, the importance of the entire company basing its daily practices on actions that reveal professionalism, rigor and transparency with each client.
With regard to employees, the company has been creating thank you formats that mark not only the professionalism and dedication of its professionals, but also their loyalty to ETMA
– Knowledge
In 2022, ETMA continued its strong commitment to training its professional staff, collaborating with customers and partners in order to exchange knowledge that improves the practice of both. In the same context, it also entered into partnerships with teaching entities (Universities and technical professional schools).
All these activities translate into an increase in technical, technological and human capacity, which allows for a better understanding and adaptation to what is requested by customers, as well as being reflected in the effort shown by the ETMA teams in adapting to new projects and new processes that projects require.
– Innovation
At ETMA it is felt that, more and more, innovation is present in its daily life, always looking for the best. Innovation is to provide the company with the capabilities to not have to depend on others and be able to innovate alone, so it is up to the R&D Department to seek to respond to ETMA’s daily challenges, finding solutions to the challenges that appear.
ETMA believes in its people and in their ability to innovate, or “Innovation” is also one of its Values. Thus, in 2022, the innovation area stood out for:
• Encouraging new ideas with the OPEN INOVATION program and the SOLUTIONS FOR INTERNAL PROBLEMS campaign. The OPEN INNOVATION program is an innovation ideas program open to all ETMA employees, with the aim of putting their most innovative suggestions and solutions into practice. By rewarding the best ideas, the aim is also to ensure that Innovation becomes a routine and part of the company’s organizational culture.
• A commitment to the R&D department, not only with the acquisition of some machines, but also with a commitment to in-house development skills for its own equipment.
• Investment in equipment – in a market increasingly marked by competitiveness, keeping ETMA in line with new equipment and new technologies and concepts will always be a major competitive advantage, capable of significantly improving numerous aspects of its production and business routine.
• Fostering innovation in ETMA’s day-to-day activities – The daily management of research and development, carried out by the R&D Department, makes the company capable of improving and innovating processes, as well as adapting to new projects and new challenges set by the market.
• Partnership with institutions in the scientific, technological and Higher Education areas – ETMA’s participation in joint projects with organizations such as INESC TEC – Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, CATIM – Technological Support Center for the Metalworking Industry and the University of Minho, allow ETMA to respond to the increasingly demanding requests of its customers. Examples of these joint projects are the TECHPARTS Project and ETMA 4.0 – Advanced APS Planning Tool.
• Implementation of continuous improvement philosophies – At ETMA, production management is at the heart of its strategy, as a way of continuously improving its effectiveness. Proof of this has been the implementation of Daily Kaizen, 5S, and Andon Boards.
– Flexibility
ETMA constantly invests in its quality and environment certifications, which were renewed in 2022.
The entire organization is certified by ISO 9001:2015 and IATF 16949:2015 quality management standards in order to guarantee the quality of the parts produced.
ETMA also has environmental certification under the ISO 1400:2015 standard in order to identify and carry out sustainability actions and to control environmental impacts.
Faced with an unexpected and never experienced scenario (COVID 19), ETMA demonstrated the ability to anticipate and be flexible in its strategies. And, in the face of an ever-changing phenomenon, the predictive analysis that the company demonstrated helped to improve its reaction capacity, as well as being prepared to lead decision-making.
In 2022, it improved the implementation of procedures, methods and adaptation and change actions in response to the permanent demands of customers and the market. The 10 Integrated Production Processes are an example of ETMA’s capacity for flexibility and adaptation.
Under continuous development at ETMA, the digitization process has been providing numerous advantages, including greater resolution of problems, faster response to customers and suppliers, flexibility in accessing information, as well as access at any time of the documents, processes and procedures by employees.
And so was the year 2022: a year dedicated to the company’s values, which made ETMA grow, become stronger and thus provide more and better conditions to its employees.
For 2023 we have outlined new objectives, which will certainly continue to lead ETMA towards a path of excellence! Come walk this path with us.