More than 35 years of experience channeling water support the business trajectory of Llaberia Group, specialized in the hydraulic sector. The company from Montbrió del Camp started as an agricultural irrigation and gardening installation company at a regional level. Nowadays, it offers all the solutions and technical services related to the hydraulic activity.
The hydraulic company Llaberia Group has made a great evolution in the last years. The family company Llaberia Plastics S.L. was founded in 1994 by Josep Llaberia Ferré, although its beginnings date back to 1979. The company had only three workers, José Llaberia and his two sons, Pedro and José Luis. Back then, the company was mainly diversified in the installation of agricultural irrigation and gardening systems in the region.
Little by little, they were gaining popularity in the province and after their first progress, in 1986, they had the need to expand their facilities. They decided to build a small establishment of 340 m² destined exclusively to the sale and distribution of hydraulic products. This allowed them to start selling their first accessories.
Faced with an increase in demand for polyethylene manipulated parts, in 1993 they began their journey as manufacturers, as we know them today. They invested in their first machine to manufacture polyethylene manipulated parts, along with the acquisition of more machines to speed up the work and optimize production.
Llaberia was a pioneer in the acquisition of PE injectors and welding machinery for large diameter pipes and fittings, which made them the only Spanish company qualified to perform these specialized tasks. This breakthrough led them to build a new space of 3,000m² in 2000, but the constant transformation of the company made them increase even more the surface of their warehouse and also of their staff.
If we talk about installation, Llaberia Plastics S.L. was also gaining ground and began to work for large civil engineering and public works construction companies. Therefore, the company decided to create an independent company called Llaberia Obra hidráulica S.L., in which most of the workers became part of.
Finally, in 2007, they built a new 5,500 m² building to replace the previous one. This large area was divided into 3,600 m² for sales to professionals in the hydraulics sector and 2,000 m2 for offices, conference rooms and warehouses.
As a reward for so much effort, in 2008 the hydraulic solutions company was awarded the prize for the best competitive business in Catalonia at the PIMEC awards. In October that year, they received the “Ser Tendero” award from the Reus Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation Awards.
In 2010, with an upcoming crisis, public works orders suddenly stopped. The factory’s production even had to stop. The future lay in going abroad to look for new customers. So, with the support of the management, Llaberia Plastics decided to formalize its export department. With the creation of this department, Llaberia was forced to diversify its products and to certify them in different countries in order to compete in the European market. This is how they obtained the WRAS certificates and the Attestation de Conformité Sanitaire and Aviz Tehnic (certifying that all manufactured products are suitable for drinking water use in England, France and Romania, respectively).
Since then, the company has been actively working with a broad international customer base. As a result of this growth of the export department, Llaberia has managed to work in more than 20 countries, mainly in Europe, Asia, Africa and Central America.
Thanks to this department they have achieved great successes in recent years, such as the Cubagua fair (Havana), in 2012 a gold medal award for best quality product, the PP-R in fire protection (plastic that replaces the pipes made of carbon steel) and in 2019 another mention for best quality product, the new Llaberia – Klinger gaskets (innovative gaskets that adapt to the installation and do not require readjustment).
Nowadays, Llaberia has two physical points of sale, one in Montbrió del Camp, where its central facilities and all its activities are located, and the other in the Francolí industrial estate in Tarragona, created in 2011. The second one was opened with the aim of expanding its customer portfolio in an area that can reach as far as the Penedès, and also with the aim of turning sporadic customers in the territory into regular ones.
For Llaberia, being in Tarragona has meant an improvement in their relations with important customers like the chemical and petrochemical industry, especially when it comes to offering its own production, for they are the only ones in Spain in producing pipes up to 1,600 mm in diameter.
Finally, in 2015 they realized that it was necessary to change the corporate image and boost the brand image online. As a result, the marketing department was consolidated, creating a new corporate image and a new brand image, changing the brand name from Llaberia Group to Llaberia Plastics.
During these years of crisis, the installation sector has suffered many changes that had to be made, and also a reconsideration of the tasks required to work with large companies. As a result of this, management decided to obtain the AEST certificate and join the AEQT, in addition to creating its own prevention department, obtaining the two certificates required to act as such: the OSHAS 18001 and the Servicio de Prevención Propio certificate, certified by the company Impremet.
Parallel to this infrastructure and business growth, the workforce of the Montbrió del Camp company has also grown significantly, as it now has a staff of more than 90 workers. Besides that, Llaberia has several projects in hand that will boost its sales, visibility and market share by 2020. Their desire to evolve on a daily basis means that the company has no limits when it comes to its ambition for growth.