As part of our 20th anniversary, we spoke with Fernando Jiménez, Director of Continuous Improvement at Importaco, an international company in the food and beverage sector specialized in nuts, snacks, and natural mineral water.
Founded in 1940, Importaco drives a model based on quality, innovation, and sustainability. With more than 2,500 employees and 17 production centers in Spain, Italy, Poland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, its operations are structured into three business units: Nuts, Waters, and Terra.
He shared how Lean has enabled them to consolidate a unified management system across all their sites, empower teams, and achieve sustained operational improvements.
What made you decide to implement Lean in your company?
At Importaco, we were looking for a solid methodology to help us improve operational efficiency, increase productivity, and align our teams around a culture of continuous improvement. In that context, Lean Manufacturing was a well-established solution that offered us tools to identify improvement opportunities, implement solutions in a structured way, and involve all teams in the process. It also allowed us to move toward a more agile, efficient, and customer-focused management approach, so we committed to it.
What results have you achieved through the implementation of Lean?
We have consolidated a standardized management system across all our production centers, which has supported the achievement of common goals. This has translated into sustained operational improvements, with more autonomous teams capable of analyzing their performance, detecting deviations, applying solutions, and creating standards. We have also successfully driven improvement projects that optimize critical processes, reduce waste, and enhance key indicators such as efficiency and productivity.
What was the key moment or highlight of the project?
The turning point was the launch of the actions defined in the first TOP5. In the initial training phase of the project, the team is introduced to key theoretical concepts, techniques, and tools. But it was when the first changes were implemented—such as layout adjustments, improved task coordination, and new standards—that teams began to see real improvements and started gaining motivation and confidence in the project.
Why did you choose SGS PRODUCTIVITY?
In 2013, we met SGS PRODUCTIVITY at a continuous improvement forum where other companies shared their experiences and success stories from similar project implementations. What stood out to us was their people-centered approach, their ability to achieve results by engaging teams, and their closeness in supporting change. We decided to start with a pilot project, and the results were so positive that we quickly scaled the model to other plants. Their practical mindset and commitment to improvement made all the difference.
Can you share an anecdote you’ve experienced with SGS Productivity?
In a project session with one of the consultants from SGS PRODUCTIVITY, after a long day defining indicators, a debate came up about how to measure productivity. “The productivity indicator must always be PPH (pieces per hour),” we said. “Packages per hour, pallets per hour, preforms per hour… the variable always has to start with P,” we joked, making the list longer and longer. Now we always remember that anecdote whenever we define indicators for new processes.
In what ways has your team evolved over the course of the project?
The transformation has been clear. Teams are now more proactive, goal-oriented, and use visual tools and indicators to manage day-to-day operations. In addition, team cohesion, communication, and problem-solving capabilities have been strengthened. The project has also helped develop leadership, empowerment, and a strong culture of continuous improvement.
If you had to define your collaboration with SGS Productivity in one sentence… what would it be?
A joint effort based on method, engagement, and sustainable results.