Mecanizados Rodríguez Fernández SL (MRF) is a company from Ourense whose activity started in 1966. They began machining steel, and over time they have incorporated many more processes, always in the metal sector: cutting, stamping, welding and polishing, as well as an engineering department, together with tooling and in-house tooling manufacture.
MRF usually designs its own products and then develops and manufactures them. When it comes to fasteners, hinges and other components for industrial bodywork, they mainly work in stainless steel. In bodywork, they are one of the most prestigious brands in Europe, being a benchmark for quality products. They regularly sell in more than 30 countries, with exports representing more than 70% of turnover. There are currently more than 80 people, with a turnover of 8.5 million euros in 2022 and a growth forecast for 2023 of more than 10%.
Why have you decided to bet on Mindtech in its third edition in 2023?
At MRF we are proactively committed to offering customised solutions in other lines of business beyond what has been our main activity, industrial bodywork. We are convinced that we can add value to other lines of business, taking advantage of our capabilities and our industrial experience combined with our own technical office, and the ability to shape tailor-made solutions, for example by manufacturing the dies ourselves for specific needs. This is our main MRF value proposition for Mindtech 2023. In fact, we already have many success stories outside the car body, and several of them were forged as a result of our participation in Mindtech 2021.
What is the added value for your company in participating in this fair?
Mindtech has an advantage that is not so common at other trade fairs: the combination of industrial and technological. For us it is an exceptional opportunity to meet with suppliers, customers and partners, taking advantage of the meeting of both branches at this fair. We have many collaborators from Galicia and the surrounding area, but, in addition, with the growth of Mindtech, more and more companies from the Iberian Pole are joining us, both as exhibitors and visitors, so we will surely have the opportunity to seek synergies and collaborations in the near future.
What novelties will you be presenting at Mindtech 2023?
Faced with specialists who only cover one field, such as subcontractors based on a single industrial process, or engineering offices without such a direct connection with manufacturing processes, at MRF we offer “steel solutions from design to manufacture”. Complete services tailored to the needs of our clients, taking advantage of our knowledge and experience: In addition, we are able to cover specific non-standardised needs without the need to industrialise large series.
How do you face recovery/reactivation in the current context of lack of raw materials, rising costs of supplies and energy, etc.?
With regard to the rising cost of raw materials and dependence on external factors outside MRF, we have been working for some time with local suppliers and are in the process of changing to solutions that we can manufacture ourselves, and in this way we avoid excessive dependence on circumstances that could lead to a significant increase in costs.
On the other hand, more than a year ago we installed a photovoltaic installation that allows us to be partially self-sufficient, covering 25-30% of our demand, and which has allowed us to cushion part of the increase in costs.
What do you think is the differential value of the metal industry and its associated technologies in the Iberian Pole in particular?
We are sure that our profile is attractive to customers who want to turn an idea into a product, whether it is new in their line of business or a new project. In an environment of specialists, we believe that our culture and capabilities ranging from design to manufacturing allow us to provide efficient solutions in situations where quantities need not be high, and design, development and manufacturing are required, as well as listening, flexibility, experience and empathy.
