The executive president of the multinational in the swimming pool sector Fluidra, Eloi Planes, believes that with the European Next Generation funds an opportunity to transform the water sector has been lost. The businessman regretted yesterday the little impact of this aid in an area that can “become an energy contributor and a water reserve” in the future, especially in times of drought.
He said this during the colloquium that he held yesterday at the CÃrculo Ecuestre within the cycle “Successful Catalan Companies†with the collaboration of La Vanguardia. The event was welcomed by the vice president of the CÃrculo Ecuestre, Enrique Lacalle, while the presentation of Plans was given by the third vice president of the club, Ignacio Marull.
In the opinion of the President of Fluidra, the Next Generation funds “were an opportunity to reduce water consumption by 90% and energy consumption by 60%, and with much less chemicals”. Planes added that “it was not done, and the transformation will be slower, but if it doesn’t come here, it will come another way,” he said.
Given the context of drought, which has forced the Generalitat to take measures such as prohibiting the filling of swimming pools for private use, the president of Fluidra defended that “the swimming pool must not be considered a large consumer of water” and assured that the Data from France show that consumption “is 0.15%” of the total water in the country, “and in Spain it is even a little less”. In his opinion, the pools are not the problem.
Planes said that “the sector and regulation have to take a step forward by reusing rainwater and gray water to promote sustainability, as is done in Australia”, and that there is “betting on sustainability and digitization as elements of transformation of the sectorâ€.
During his speech, he reviewed the evolution of the company, founded in 1969. He highlighted the entry of Banc Sabadell into the capital, the transition to the management of the second generation of the founding families, the IPO or the merger with the American Zodiac to become the world leader in the sector.
Planes defended as “determinants” for its continuity and growth that the company be listed but maintain the presence of the four founding families. In his opinion, the company has “the best of a multinational, international and listed company, which helps to continue evolving and to be more efficient, and the best of a family business, which allows us to have a long-term vision, bearing in mind the importance of the people, the project and its honestyâ€.
Another of the elements that has made the company evolve throughout its history, according to its executive president, has been the “international mentality”, which “has been part of the company’s DNA since its foundation”.
