Tubos Reunidos commits to total digital production

Over its more than 130 years, Tubos Reunidos has gone through various phases of modernization and expansion, including incorporating new technologies and more efficient production processes to stay competitive in a fast-paced market.  

The need to modernize has only intensified over the last decade. Today, producing seamless steel tubes for the energy and industrial sectors is markedly different to what it was only a few years ago.

“Early on, we had a much more artisanal manufacturing model,” says Sergio Sáenz Solano, the company’s director of digital transformation. “Over time, based on technological and management advances, more automation has been introduced into the processes, such as tube straightening systems, quality testing, and elements that facilitate the work of the entire staff.”

Currently, the company uses advanced computer systems to organize production based on customer demand, which significantly improves planning, efficiency, and production quality. These systems also improve internal communication between people and departments, and daily process management. 

So the objective, according to Solano, is to continue with this winning formula of continuous improvement of operational efficiency, product and process innovation, and strengthening its presence in strategic markets. “But we must do it in an increasingly sustainable way to reduce our environmental impact,” he says. “And we’re achieving this because we offer tubes manufactured with zero CO2 emissions, under our new brand, O-NEXT.” 

The path of transformation 

With the aim of continuing to compete and use technology as a lever for differentiation, Tubos Reunidos is immersed in its transformation. “The objective is not only the technology, but to improve customer service, optimize processes, and guarantee a safe and healthy environment,” he says. “All of this promotes the professional growth of people and collaboration with our clients within their energy transition.” To do this, the company’s been accelerating its transformation over the last three years, aligned with a new strategic plan. “We’re digitalizing production processes, developing systems that allow us to be closer to our clients, and implementing tools that allow a more agile relationship within our team,” Solano adds.

But the transformation Tubos Reunidos is carrying out isn’t only digital. It also promotes change that ensures the future sustainability of the company. “In addition to digitizing production processes, developing systems to be closer to our customers, and implementing tools to promote a more agile relationship within our team, we want to expand our range of products and services to be present in more markets and sectors, and really accompany our clients in their energy transition,” he says. 

In a process of this nature, the most crucial thing is people and change management, so the objective is to ensure all departments adopt the new systems, processes, tools, and applications as naturally as possible. To meet this challenge head on, people need to feel integral to the project, which, Solano says, is a collective responsibility. “Despite being complicated, we firmly believe in it and it’s essential for any transformation process,” he says. 

As part of this evolution, the IT department specifically was digitally transformed two years ago to drive home how technology is a strategic lever for the company’s management. As a result, the department was restructured into four areas: IT Systems, OT Systems, Infrastructure & Cybersecurity, and Data & AI, with a team of 16 people. 

100% digitalized production 

In this commitment to innovation in all areas of the organization, Tubos Reunidos’ production model can’t be understood without technology. From quality processes and plant automation, to employee safety protocols and production control, it’s all supported by technological systems that allow people to prioritize business value. To achieve this, the company uses solutions from SAP, Salesforce, Microsoft, and Siemens, among others.

“We also have the goal of having net zero emissions by 2050, an objective that we’re capable of achieving, depending on the speed of our clients in their energy transition.” The key is in the data to monitor the carbon footprint and control emissions of processes and suppliers. “We’re deploying new data capture solutions focused on improving the efficiency of our production and reducing our carbon footprint,” says Solano. “Having quality data allows us to take measures and make decisions aligned with improving our environmental impact, which is part of our DNA and day-to-day work.”

To further accurately analyze data, the company applies ML and LLM solutions to improve efficiency, and deploys data lake systems in its plants and new information monitoring systems in the production process. In its offices, as well, it uses Process Data Mining (PDM) solutions such as Celonis to obtain more data and better understand it.

Reducing costs 

One of the most significant achievements of this entire process has been the optimization of operating costs. Raw materials and energy consumption are two critical elements in manufacturing steel products, and represent an important part of the final value of the tubes the company produces. “The changes made to the production process and the improvement of the systems have allowed data to be captured in a more controlled manner with better quality,” says Solano. Plus, Tubos Reunidos has set a goal for the end of the year to reduce its operating costs by up to 4%, based on process improvement projects, use of new technologies, and better management of its suppliers. 

The environment is constantly evolving, so for Solano, innovation only makes sense if it’s done continuously to ensure the company continues to advance and adapt to market needs. “In addition to promoting open innovation with clients, suppliers, research centers, and entrepreneurial ecosystems, we implement transformation models that consider cultural, process, technological, and communication aspects,” he says.