Chapter 6

From architect to businessman. From warehouse to industry

After being recognised as Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017 by AJEV, something changed in me. Until then, my role had been very focused on the technical side, on architecture, design, construction… But that award opened a new door for me: the business world.

I began to relate to other entrepreneurs, to share experiences, ideas, concerns. To listen and learn from realities very different from our own. And, with all this, I realised how necessary it was to start looking at inHAUS from a more strategic perspective. I realised that if we wanted to take this company to the place we dreamed of, we could no longer focus solely on the technical side. We had to think big. You had to think like an entrepreneur.

That same year we took one of the most important decisions to date: moving our headquarters to a new building. What at first seemed like a technical necessity – more space, more capacity – became a decisive step in our evolution. We had been looking for a long time, knowing that sooner or later we would have to change.

Almussafes was not a functional choice, it was a strategic choice. Being next to the Ford plant had a very strong symbolic value for us. We have always looked to the automotive industry as a reference: its capacity for evolution, systematisation, integration. The industrialisation of construction needs to follow the same path. And being there, so close, was one more step in that direction.

In addition, Almussafes is perfectly connected, and many of our suppliers are concentrated in this area. The commitment to zero kilometre and a close network of collaborators has become a fundamental part of our model. We work with ceramists, carpenters, metalworkers and specialists who are not only close to us, but also share our demand for quality and continuous improvement. Being a few steps away from them allows us to have a real control of the process, and to reinforce something we have always taken great care of: constant communication.

The move, of course, was not easy. Many members of the team were already settled in Valencia, and the move was not easy for everyone. We knew it was the way to go and I will always be grateful for the effort and attitude of all those who made it possible. For the first time, the whole team – technical, manufacturing, operators – worked together, in the same space. The connection that this generated was brutal. Fluidity, coordination, commitment. We finally felt that the whole thing was working like a real industry.

Meanwhile, my brother Sergio faced one of the most complex challenges of the moment: how to move the modules inside the ship. He designed ‘the baby’, a tool that was attached to the bridge crane and allowed us to move the pieces with total precision. It was a real engineering feat: he travelled half of Spain talking to crane manufacturers, port tooling experts, industrialists in Galicia, Seville, Tarragona, Granada… until he found the right partners to manufacture it.

Thanks to this solution, today we can do something that very few can do: move large modules, with complex weights and configurations, with total safety and efficiency within our facilities. It is a key part of our work system and a proof that innovation is not only in the plans or materials, but also in the machinery we design to make the seemingly impossible possible. A commitment to R+D+i that is born from within and that continues to mark our path, where my brother’s ability to understand the technique, anticipate problems and find customised solutions is one of the key pieces in the growth of inHAUS. 

2018 was also the year we took our first step towards internationalisation. We spotted great potential in the French market, and translated our website into French to open that first door. It wasn’t just a question of language, it was a statement of intent. inHAUS was ready to cross borders.

This year was, without a doubt, a year of transformation. A change of space and mentality. Of growing, not only in size, but also as a team, as a company and as a model. A demanding stage, but full of meaning.