Industria sigrama

Successful business leaders will agree that the key to success is to find that niche where your expertise fills a void in the market. When Industria Sigrama opened its doors in 1987, it began as a builder of electronic cards for process-controlling equipment. However, after finding the market to be saturated by similar businesses, the company switched its focus to become a service provider of integrated hardware and software systems. While still designing its own control strategies and regulation algorithms, Industria Sigrama began working on incorporating other product brands such as computer programs from Siemens and Allen-Bradley. In other words, it became an integrator with hardware and software from other companies, but with its own system designs.

According to Alfredo Hernandez Cuellar, who started with the company in 2007, the business is divided into three main divisions: product distribution, panel manufacturing, and projects and services. As the director of both the panel factory and product distribution, he shares his insights on the company’s development over the past years and its plans for growth.

“I am convinced that the future of the company comes in these three areas: panel fabrication, distribution, and services/projects and product distribution,” Cuellar notes. “I would also say that there are other areas that are starting to grow and are important; for example, the department of mechanical projects or the metrology laboratory.” Because providing customers with “comprehensive engineering services” is one of the company’s mission statements, Industria Sigrama encompasses several engineering departments. The newest of these service areas is the company’s Energy Control and Quality division.

This work team designs and implements electrical protection systems, monitors energy consumption and analyzes the quality of energy for all types of plants: hydroelectric, thermoelectric, mines and food and beverage.

Always a Work in Progress
Industria Sigrama has worked on some international assignments, including projects in the United States, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, and is looking to do more. The company is currently quoting jobs in the United States, where Cuellar believes the cost is more competitive. In Mexico, the company is currently assisting in a major rehabilitation of an electrical center in Colotlipa, which was damaged from heavy rains during a hurricane. Industria Sigrama is supplying electrical boards, automation and instrumentation.

Cuellar notes that in recent years, the integration market has intensified. “On one hand, we are looking for ways to become more efficient internally and to keep ours costs low,” he says. “We already have a good size and good prices by scale. But, more importantly, we strive to add more value for the client through service and innovation; for example, the design of intuitive and intelligent systems, with major security for operations and maintenance personnel, the opportune attention for new types of communication, congruent with the efficient use of energy. We can’t continue with what has already been done.

“With every service company, the main key is its people. We are not the exception,” Cuellar affirms. “This factor is more important than any technology or product.” Industria Sigrama looks to employ or develop people who have a strong knowledge of the industry and ample technical experience. Collaborators are trained in different engineering topics to resolve any issues they may face.

Keeping up with training is just another way the company ensures it is providing clients with the most value in its projects and products. “For all the people we work with, we look to provide integrity in our service and we strive to be an engineering company that develops in its engineering,” Cuellar says. “With an exceptional attitude, we help our clients to determine the ideal equipment, services and systems for implementing, monitoring and controlling their processes, as well as achieving their optimal operating points.”