ISR (Sensory and Robotic Integration) is a technological company that was born in 2016 within the University of Jaén, located in a research group with a high capacity for innovation. Its co-CEO, Arturo López Riquelme, explains the characteristics of this company that have led it to be a finalist in the IX CEPYME Awards, in the Technological Innovation SME category.
How did you decide to apply for the CEPYME Awards? What conditions does your company meet to attend them?
We have a technological and innovative DNA that drives us to continue growing in key industrial sectors, developing vision and artificial intelligence solutions for quality control. The recognition of being finalists in these Awards is not only an opportunity to have visibility, but also helps us to reaffirm our identity and value proposition as a human team, through technological innovation.
The CEPYME awards are for us a symbol of the fundamental role played by SMEs in Spain and in provinces such as Jaén. We decided to present ourselves for the awards because of the illusion that makes us as a team to be recognized for our work and good work on a day-to-day basis.
Do you think that the CEPYME 2022 award could improve your company’s image with customers, suppliers and future investors?
Last year we were finalists and it had a great impact on our environment. Although our clients are multinationals, many of them foreign, being endorsed by CEPYME with this recognition is news that generates an impact. Of course, also for future investors, where we continue in the investment search process that we began in previous years.
How has your company dealt with the increase in costs and the consequences of the pandemic?
Fortunately, the direct effect of the pandemic has gradually been mitigated. It is true that, indirectly, the economy is still partially affected by that year 2020 and ISR is affected just like the rest of the companies. We have had to make an extra effort to take care of the project from a human point of view, promoting a team capable of facing the challenges posed by the current situation.
From an economic point of view, we also strive to expand our client and market portfolio, thus achieving greater billing volume and compensating for the cost structure we have. In 2023 we continue to rise, with a positive growth forecast for turnover and EBITDA.
What measures have you adopted to face this new crisis caused by inflation and the lack of some supplies?
Inflation has affected us at various levels, from the areas of human resources, to the costs associated with supplies in projects. As if that were not enough, the 2022 component crisis jeopardized billing targets due to customer delivery delays. We have adopted measures with the aim of being prepared for situations of uncertainty such as those experienced in the last two years, such as forging alliances in the market with collaborators and suppliers that provide us with new opportunities, security and stability.
Have you recovered the activity and results prior to the pandemic? Objectives and main challenges of your company for the coming years
As I mentioned before, 2020 was a very tough year for us and for many companies. We have dedicated time and love to recover from that pandemic year, and, today, we can say that we are stronger than then. In both 2021 and 2022 we grew consecutively in turnover, also expanding our human resources structure. We are accessing new customers and new markets, which fills us with enthusiasm for 2023 where, once again, we expect to grow by at least 30%.
Shortly, we will close a strategic plan where we will address challenges such as internationalization, increasing production capacity or opening new lines of business in SRI.
What role does innovation play in your company?
Innovation is our reason for being and our essence. Since the founding of ISR, innovation has been the engine of the people who have been part of the company. Specifically, ISR leads R&D projects in national public calls, mainly CDTI, and in Andalusia, through the Junta de Andalucía.
The ISR team, being a spin-off of the University of Jaén (UJA), is strongly linked to it through the transfer of knowledge in innovation projects. The most outstanding collaborators of ISR are professors and researchers from the UJA.
Investment percentage and future prospects
To reach the current situation in the technological solutions that ISR sells, the project has required more than 10 years of strong investment in R+D+i, also supported by its own funds.
Although the medium-term outlook is positive, ISR is still a company that needs to provide itself with resources to face the challenges that the coming years bring us.