“The supply crisis has not been overcome in any productive sector, but the need for renewal of minibus fleets is real”, says Óscar Lana, CEO of Integralia.
This year has witnessed a revival in demand that has led the passenger transport industry to face great challenges and opportunities. “The need for fleet renewal and expansion is a reality,” says Oscar Lana.
Integralia’s CEO is cautious, stating that “the outlook is affected by supply problems, exacerbated by specific circumstances, such as the current ones in the Suez Canal, which complicate global commodity traffic”. Although we are about to leap into a new year, the supply crisis that emerged in 2021/2022 persists, preventing a return to normality. “Manufacturing targets are affected, resulting in delays in delivery times for our customers. We sincerely appreciate the patience you demonstrate on a daily basis in the face of these circumstances,” Lana stresses.
In terms of figures, the Navarre-based company anticipates a significant increase in turnover by the end of the year compared to 2022. Although they were already making encouraging projections in June, the current reality has allowed them to exceed their expectations, with a production capacity that reaches one minibus per day. This achievement, “unthinkable” for Integralia’s management at the same time a year ago, puts them in a leading position, with prospects for growth in both sales and market share. “Although we have managed to stabilise our production at one unit per day since September, maintaining this rate is still a challenge”, confirms Óscar Lana.
In response to the growing demand, Integralia has incorporated various profiles to its professional team. “This is the result of hard management work that will allow us to increase our production capacity,” says the manager.
Looking ahead, the outlook for 2024 is encouraging for the company, supported by pre-sold production. However, the uncertain geopolitical environment poses some uncertainties, as the general impression in the sector is that the current momentum could encounter obstacles. Nevertheless, Integralia will continue to forge ahead. “We have plans to expand our facilities in the coming months, adding 10,000 square metres to our current capacities,” says Óscar Lana. In addition, the company is working very focused on different disruptive projects, among which the next version 2.0 of the Integralia Bus Board Control (IBBC) stands out.
“Investment in technology and innovation is an integral part of our vision for the future as we work to meet the changing needs of an evolving society,” concludes Lana, who takes the opportunity to wish “a happy holiday season and much success in 2024”.