logo

Share this issue of conneXion and promote the pleasure of reading

We want to hear you

comunicacion.interna@exolum.com

All content copyright © 2021 Exolum. All content is credited to their respective contributors. You may not use the material for commercial purposes or reuse the content in any form without permission.

IN THIS ISSUE​​

PUBLISHED BY​

Exolum

Management and coordination:

Mavi de Lamor
Carmen Arroyo

Consultancy, editing and design:

ATREVIA Publicaciones

In this issue we hear from:

Alfonso Álvarez
Javier Alonso
Daniel Casas
Darren Cook
Jose Luis Conde
Karin Decker
Félix Gómez
Jorge Guillén
Jenny Jank
Cristina Jaraba
Daniel Lee
Carlos Molina
María José Muñiz
Anne Prince
Pazmiño Rodríguez
Franc Sanmartí
Jennifer Strijder
Andrés Suárez
Sonia Suárez
Marian Vicente
Jack Wintersgill

Editorial

Looking Towards the Future from the Present

“Your commitment to safety continues to be fundamental”

There’s no doubt we’re going through uncertain times with the economy and various geopolitical crises preventing us from gaining a clear view of the future. Despite all the conditioning factors around us, I firmly believe in the direction and path being taken by our company.

At Exolum, we are well aware of the real and potential impacts and influence of external factors on our business. One thing experience has shown us is that only by thinking and acting for the long-term will we be able to overcome the challenges of the times such as the energy transition, climate change and sustainability in order to grow strong as the secure and reliable group we are.

With a view to continuously ensuring our present needs without compromising the needs of future generations, we’re finalizing our 2022-2026 ESG Strategic Plan for the

 purpose of making progress towards more complex environmental, social and governance goals in order to respond to the aforementioned challenges.

And we are doing so all while maintaining our commitment to guaranteeing the supply of energy to the communities where we operate at an affordable logistics cost—a real challenge right now which we’re responding to in a way that must make everyone one of us at Exolum feel proud.

Along these same lines, and as you’ll read about in this edition of the magazine, we are working on a number of diverse projects to meet our company’s internal needs as well as we continue to think about ongoing improvement, our people’s personal growth, an enhanced work environment and the development of a leadership style that will have a positive 

impact on everyone at Exolum. 

We trust we will begin to see the benefits in the coming months.

I shall also again mention one of our company’s other pillars  which enriches us and makes us unique: our diversity. It is with this goal in mind that we have set up a Diversity Committee to promote and manage inclusion while fostering different points of view as part of our strategy.

Furthermore, I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to remind you of the importance of workplace safety. Your collaboration and commitment in this area continue to be fundamental to making Exolum a safe company for all of us who work here. Let’s always remember to pay absolute attention to everything we do in order to return home just as we left in the morning.

Happy reading!

Jorge Guillén
Spain Region Lead

About us​

WE MOVE ON​

The Sustainability Key

Sustainability is no passing trend, but rather a growing need in today’s society. Developing our long-term business sustainably in order to guarantee our competitiveness and the wellbeing of our future generations involves having a plan. Thus, our 2022-2026 ESG Strategic Plan is aimed at moving forward towards achieving our environmental, social and corporate governance goals. Here are the keys.

2022-2026 ESG Strategic Plan Objective

To position Exolum as a company that is not only driving the energy transition, but is also sustainable by diversifying our business, transforming our teams and culture, creating value for our stakeholders and fighting climate change.

Four Levers and a Central Axis for One Goal

Lever 1

Diversification: our new business must be in line with the energy transition
Identifying and investing in new business models which are in line with the energy transition and developing a solid platform to support long-term growth.

Lever 2

Creating shared value
Collaborating with our stakeholders to generate sustainable value.

DRIVING THE ENERGY TRANSITION

Governance and compliance

Promoting a culture of zero tolerance in our policies focusing on business resilience and continuity as well as complete alignment with our corporate values and the highest ethical standards.

Lever 3

The Exolum people and culture
Transforming our company by fostering a global culture that reinforces its purpose and a sense of pride at belonging to it among our people.

Lever 4

Excellence in safety with zero environmental damages
Offering the best service based on our solid experience in the traditional areas of business and evolving our management to reduce our environmental impact and achieve carbon neutral status.

“The axis and levers of our 2026 ESG Plan foster compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals"

Three phases

  • Context: identifying what is relevant by analysing the sustainability context as
    well as internal and external perspectives.
  • Diagnostics: knowing our level of ‘sustainable maturity’ to identify the necessary actions for improvement and the effort required in each area.
  • Development: establishing an action plan based on the items identified.

92 Points in the GRESB Report

GRESB, one of the world’s main sustainability assessment frameworks, has given us 92 out of 100 points in its 2022 report. This framework is used as an evaluation and comparison tool by private and institutional investment funds to measure the quality of their investments in terms of sustainability, tracking environmental, social and good governance performance indicators.

Increasing Our JIG Presence

We are rather proud of the fact that our colleague Beatriz Guirao, Product Quality Senior Advisor, has become a member of the Joint Inspection Group (JIG) Product Quality Committee. JIG is the world-leading organization for the development of aviation fuel supply standards covering the entire supply chain.

We’re also strengthening our commitment to JIG through Federico Merizalde, Head of Quality Control for Exolum Aviation Ecuador, who participated in the Training To Inspect To JIG Standards Course held at the International Training Center for Airports Auxiliary Services (CIIASA) in Mexico City.

On the other hand, Mario Arroyo, Operations Coordinator, participated in the JIG Member’s Technical Forum with a presentation on lessons learnt following the start-up of the hydrant at the Dublin airport.

What’s more…

The Exolum team in the United Kingdom has been acknowledged for being a part of JIG for 10 years. Ana Benito García-Morales, Portfolio Manager, had the honour of collecting the certificate of recognition.

Alliance with Vueling to Minimize Emissions from its Flights

The airline has added the Avikor sustainable aviation fuel purchase service to achieve effective CO2 emissions reduction.

The aviation sector has a major challenge lying ahead: reducing its emissions, particularly those associated with flights. Many airlines are now working to make their activities more sustainable through various initiatives.
One of them is Vueling, which belongs to the IAG Group.  It has decided to work with Exolum to get visible results in this area.

Thus, we’ve reached an agreement with the airline to integrate Avikor, our platform dedicated to fostering sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), into the Vueling ticket purchase process to give passengers the opportunity to voluntarily compensate CO2 emissions from their flights.

The use of this biofuel can reduce up to 80% of all CO2 emissions in comparison with conventional fuel.

FRANC SANMARTÍ, Director of Sustainability and Governmental Affairs at Vueling:
“This service will allow Vueling to continue offering competitive prices all while speeding up its transition towards carbon-neutral and more environmentally-friendly transport.”

ANDRÉS SUÁREZ, Global Strategy & Innovation Lead at Exolum:
“Avikor gives people the opportunity to travel while reducing the CO2 footprint of each flight by facilitating access to sustainable aviation fuel to any passenger who is interested.”

Helping to Decarbonize Bizum Corporate Travel

We’ve got new travel companions! Bizum, the Spanish banking solution offering immediate mobile payments, has also joined Avikor to decarbonize its corporate travel in line with its commitment to sustainability which will allow it to reduce up to 80% of the emissions from company flights.

Avikor is gaining more and more partners all the time helping make its mission a reality: to fly sustainably.

Together for Carbon Neutrality

As part of our firm commitment to sustainability, we’ve joined the ‘Renewable and Low-Carbon Fuels Value Chain Industrial Alliance’, an initiative aimed at fostering and promoting the use of renewable fuels. The aim is to reach carbon neutral status by 2050 and guarantee both the aviation and maritime transport sectors may access renewable and low-carbon fuels. Azahara García, CoE for the Circular Economy, Lola Vázquez, CoE for Grants & Regulations, and Beatriz Guirao, CoE for Product Quality, will be a part of the various work groups representing the company.

A Common Objective

Our President, Rosa García, recently participated in the II BBVA Sustainability Forum, an event that gathered different representatives from several organizations and institutions to discuss the importance of global sustainability.

During her speech, she made our company’s commitment to sustainability clear as well as how it is included in the Exolum strategic plans. She also highlighted the implementation of our new 2022-2026 ESG framework plan.

Talking About Hydrogens at Sector Forums

We have a whole lot to say at Exolum on green hydrogen. As such, we’ve participated in various events to share our knowledge of this energy vector. It was with this purpose that we sponsored and participated in the VII El Economista Energy Forum during which our CEO, Jorge Lanza, explained our diversification projects such as the construction of the first integrated green hydrogen production and dispatch plant for mobility in Madrid, Hydrogenares.

It was along these same lines that our Global Strategy & Innovation Lead, Andrés Suárez, spoke at Connecting Green Hydrogen Europe 2022 about the Win4H2 project we’re carrying out in alliance with Naturgy in order to create a hydrogen refuelling station system to meet the hydrogen needs for mobility across the Iberian Peninsula.

Patricia Prieto Liguori, Global Strategy & Innovation, talked about this same project at the H2 technical roundtable during the BEQUINOR Technical Conference and General Assembly, an annual event where the latest developments in the industrial safety sector are presented.

Hydrogen was also the main topic of the seminar ‘Green Hydrogen: Uses and Impact on the Energy System’, organized by Enerclub and co-sponsored by us. Jorge Lanza participated in the opening ceremony while Félix Gómez, Technology & Innovation Lead, was involved in the roundtable dedicated to green hydrogen in Spain.

WHO WE ARE

Updating Our Facilities at the Zaragoza Airport

The project, in which we’ve invested five million euros, will allow us to adapt our services to the airport’s current and future needs.

Zaragoza is home to one of Spain’s major air cargo airports. And we have a facility there from where we supplied more than 125,000 cubic metres of fuel to various operators in 2021.

However, the infrastructure had to be updated and expanded in order to meet the airport’s needs and continue providing our customers with quality services.

Thus, following our continuous improvement model, we decided to set out on an important modernization project.  After several months of intensive and demanding work, everything is now fully operating.

 

 

The work focused on two areas. On the one hand, the expansion of the storage capacity which has been achieved with three new tanks capable of storing 400 m3 of aviation kerosene each (1,200 m3 total). On the other hand, improvements to the facilities to begin operating a new lorry loading arm, four automated lorry loading islands and a new, more spacious parking area for into-plane fuelling units as well as new roads.

Another milestone for this project, in which we invested more than five million euros, was connecting the facility to our pipeline system, which makes it possible to guarantee the supply of fuel and reduce transport emissions.

Ready for the Future

Thanks to all of this, we will be able to provide better services with the highest level of efficiency all while reducing CO2 emissions and road tanker traffic in addition to increasing our flexibility to meet the greater demand in the coming years.

A Special Inauguration

To celebrate the success of the facility expansion and improvement project, we held an exciting inaugural event in June with the presence of several people from the company as well as various representatives from the City Hall of Zaragoza and AENA (the Spanish airport authority).

An Action Plan to Keep on Improving

Over the course of the year, we have conducted an in-depth analysis of the needs and concerns detected following the most recent global work climate survey in order to implement a roadmap in response.

More than 1,245 Exolum colleagues participated in the work climate survey at the end of 2021.  This initiative helped understand the level of commitment by the company and employees in addition to different areas for improvement detected by the staff. Based on the results observed and follow-up discussion groups organized to analyse them, we are now immersed in defining an action plan aimed at enhancing the levels of employee promotion, discretional effort and engagement. The goal is to cover general corporate aspects as more local issues associated with the different countries in which we operate. Using this roadmap, we’ll be implementing specific actions to help build a single Exolum where everyone will have a starring role.

We’ll keep you updated!

Three Pillars for Transformation

The action plan is based on three pillars and seven construction blocks:

Together: ONE EXOLUM

We are all a part of a diverse team that has cooperated to build what we are and how we work.

Construction block:

• Exolum Group Awareness

• Collaboration and new roads for work

|

COMMUNICATION

|

GLOBAL ACTIONS
New ways of working, disconnecting, hybrid work, career maps and a leadership model. 

Purpose

We’re proud to be working at Exolum and value our contributions to society now and in the future.

Construction block:

• Proud to be Exolum

• A clear roadmap for the future

|

COMMUNICATION

|

GLOBAL ACTIONS
A roadmap for the present and future as well
as Exolum Day.

 

People

We believe that when we truly look after our people, our people in turn look after our company both today as well as tomorrow.

Construction block:

• Transformation and leadership

• A balanced workload

• Looking after our employees

|

COMMUNICATION

| 

GLOBAL ACTIONS
New ways of working, Getting to know us better, “Who is Who”:  a global directory and clear roles.

 

NEWS BRIEFS​

Collaborating with RAF on their Annual Awards Ceremony

As committed partners of this organization, we participated in the annual Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund ceremony which is held to highlight the contribution of funds by volunteers and partners. Exolum also sponsors the Air Training Corps of the Year Award, which was given to the 2071 (Stamford) Squadron. Nacho Casajus, NWE Lead, was our representative at that event.

New AENOR Certifications

We continue taking steps towards excellence in our activities by earning two new certifications in the United Kingdom. Specifically, we obtained ISO 9001 and IQNET certification, both granted by ANEOR, for our Quality Management System, focusing on our fuel supply, transport, reception, storage and dispatch services.

Hosting the Energy Institute Committees

During the month of September we hosted the Aviation Committee and subcommittee meetings. These gatherings allow us to gain insights into the development of sector regulations all while getting the opportunity to contribute our own expertise. Issues were discussed related to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), sustainability applied to the aviation sector and best practices.

Other Events of Interest

Our presence was quite outstanding at the 7th Spanish Metrology Congress held in Avila. Pablo Carmona, Head of Metrology, took advantage of the opportunity to present a project conducted along with the Polytechnical University of Madrid to optimize the calculation of uncertainty in the company’s quantity measurements

With the same desire to share knowledge, we once again this year offered a training session in Loeches to the Technical Military Group during which we outlined our history and how pipelines, facilities, loading arms and fire defence systems work, among other topics.

Finally, Jorge Lanza participated in the VII Youth Forum organized by the World Petroleum Council where he spoke about our digitalization process through employee-led projects throughout the organization.  This event is no doubt a unique opportunity for young people wanting to start out in our sector.

Firmly Moving Forward

After finishing the first half of the year, our CEO Jorge Lanza shared our company’s evolution over this period with everyone at Exolum and thanked them for the good work done and the commitment they have demonstrated.

Safety: It continues to be a strategic occupational (people), industrial and process priority. To this end, Jorge again brought up the need to pay attention to the most routine activities which is where accidents often arise which are not necessarily serious but can be avoided.

Results: The first semester was positive with global results that are in line with the budget. In the Spanish system we are now only 3% below the results seen in 2019 while we have left behind the 2020 and 2021 losses in Aviation and are on the path to recovery. In NWE, especially in the United Kingdom, the data have surpassed all expectations—mainly due to the increase in Ministry of Defence work and the sale of fuel.

 

Priorities for 2022: We continue moving forward with planned project yet still have room for progress in all areas, which may be summarized as:

  • Responsibility in all operations: safety, cybersecurity and ESG criteria.
  • Continuous business improvement: the digitalization process and SAP enhancements.
  • People: the presentation of the work climate survey action plan.
  • Growth: through new acquisitions and the diversification of our business activities.

We Received the ‘Terminal of the Future’ Award

Our San Fernando de Henares-Torrejón de Ardoz facility was recognized with the ‘Terminal of the Future’ award during the fifth edition of the Global Tank Storage Awards. This is wonderful news which reflects the efforts we’re making at this terminal as part of our diversification plan aimed at new business models.

The awards ceremony took place as part of the StocExpo event held in Rotterdam (the Netherlands) with the participation of our CEO, Jorge Lanza, and our Global Strategy & Innovation Lead, Andrés Suárez.

Shared Experiences at Immingham West

As part of our efforts to work transversally and find out about best practices from other facilities, an Exolum Spain team recently visited the Immingham West facility in the United Kingdom. They were able to share experiences there with the people at the terminal on working in the chemicals sector, with a special focus on oils and biodiesel. It’s a successful initiative that helps us continue to grow.

OUR EXPERT​

Facilities: The Key Parts of the Logistics System

By María José Muñiz,
Head of the Santovenia Facility

Facilities, terminals, plants… These infrastructures are essential to performing Exolum’s logistics services. The people who work at them are in charge of keeping them operative 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, always guaranteeing safety and environmental protection.

Types of facilities

At Exolum, we have a wide range of facilities of all kinds. The most common are storage and pipeline facilities. There are also maritime terminals, refinery-connected facilities and airport hydrants as well as others associated with logistics, etc.  This range means we can fully appreciate the particular aspects of each type as they are all rather similar yet quite different.

Main tasks

The activity that takes place at these facilities as well as the people who work in them in some way represent all the company’s departments. We do maintenance work, quality and quantity control, sales management with customers and hauliers as well as interact with stakeholders on taxation, labour, safety and environmental matters. Of course we depend on all of our colleagues for extra support and help with our operations; however, we are the visible faces when it comes to relations with government agencies and customers.

Daily activities

We try to schedule our work, but things do not always go as expected as more urgent issues often come up. A large part of our activity is automated meaning the group of staff who work at the facilities is smaller than people often think. This means adequate organization is fundamental among everyone involved so we can make sure the ‘machine never stops’.

Managing the integrity and proper operation of our assets and construction sites is another primary task at our facilities. To do so, the team at each plant is assigned preventive maintenance tasks. At other times, the focus is on supporting other departments or supervising third-party work.

This applies to any type of facility even though adaptations may be made for specific needs. Thus, for example, pipeline facilities may need to manage more construction work along the route whereas the goal at storage facilities is to ensure proper operation of the equipment and resolve any incidents.

How does it all work?

Quite simply, a storage facility receives fuel (directly from refineries, the pipeline, vessels and, to a smaller extent, from lorries), stores it in tanks and delivers it (through lorries, the pipeline or vessels). Throughout all of these processes, we guarantee quality and quantity in our logistics, and everything is done under the safest of conditions. Many say that Exolum logistics works much like a bank where fuel may be deposited at a terminal and then taken out at another one hundreds of kilometres away.

This would be the basic process.  However, the evolution and flexibility we’ve implemented in recent years allow for many other operations. For example, fuel received from vessels is stored at port facilities and then re-delivered without ever entering the rest of the logistics system. A blending process is carried out at other terminals so any fuel received that does not meet certain specifications can eventually fulfil all quality requirements and be suitable for sale.

With guaranteed quality

It’s important to mention that one of the responsibilities at our terminals is to guarantee the fuel we make available to the market meets all legal requirements as well as the differentiation defined by our customers in the additivation process.

The most common way to withdraw fuel from our facilities is by loading road tankers. It’s a highly automated process and the drivers are the ones who do it. At the same time, we do all the proper checks to ensure the operators have fuel in their ‘accounts’ to withdraw, that hauliers have all the corresponding regulatory documentation and customers are authorized to receive such fuel tax-wise.

What excites us

EXOLUM-LIVE

First Impressions of Exolum

Marian, Jenny and Daniel are some of the most recent new hires at Exolum. They are still getting to know the company, but they wanted to share a few details with us concerning their arrival and adaptation process.

MARIAN VICENTE
Operations Engineer
(Cartagena, Spain)
At Exolum since March 2022

Can you give us your first impressions of the company?

Exolum is under continuous development and ever since I came onboard, I’ve seen how we explore new areas of business which makes me confident we have a great future ahead. The company has a long history in Cartagena and it’s a personal achievement that I am now a part of one of the largest companies in my city.  I feel quite proud.

How’s your job going?

There’s a new challenge every day and I like that. My job is dynamic and I’m lucky to be around very well-trained people from whom I can learn a lot. I’ve also been quite impressed by the company’s ability to adapt. These are times of change in the oil and gas sector and Exolum is going to great lengths to adapt and stand out among its competitors.

What skills do you need to do really well in your position?

One good way to learn is clearly understanding the task to be performed and encouraging relationships of trust. It is also important to be flexible and adapt in order to effectively respond to unexpected circumstances and offer solutions to resolve them.

On a personal level, what will be your next travel adventure?

I really want to visit Vietnam. I couldn’t go last year because of the pandemic, but I hope to go in December.

“My job is really dynamic and I’m lucky to be around people with a lot of knowledge and experience from whom I can learn a lot”

JENNY JANK
Dispatch Clerk
(Mannheim South, Germany)
At Exolum since June 2022

Talk to us a bit about your background...

I trained as an industrial mechanic at an open pit mine, but it closed when the government decided to get rid of coal for environmental reasons. So, I took care of my family and once my children were older, I trained as an administrative assistant. I worked for several companies doing administrative work, even in the healthcare sector, before coming to Exolum.

What are your first impressions of Exolum?

They’re rather special. I didn’t have any prior experience with this kind of business, so it took me a bit to understand exactly what we do. Now I’m curious and have a better perspective which helps me learn more every day.

What are some of the challenges you’ve come across?

Getting to know and understand the business model, sector and such specific processes has been quite the challenge. What I have found most interesting is just how incredibly precise all the work we do here is. That super detailed way of doing things has helped me understand my job as well as the company and sector in which it operates.

On a personal level, what will be your next travel adventure?

Perhaps Fuerteventura, but not before November.

“I’m curious and have a better perspective: this helps me learn more every day”

DANIEL LEE
Hydrogen and Circular Economy Project Developer (UK)
At Exolum since May 2022

 

Tell us a little about your educational background...

I’m a chemist. I worked for Shell as a greenhouse gas analyst before moving on to sales duties at INEOS. I had been developing circular economy projects before moving into the hydrogen sector where I worked on developing strategies before managing hydrogen projects. Now I’m really focused on being able to apply my experience at this company.

What made you decide to join Exolum?

There’s a real ambition to evolve the business in order to align it with decarbonization and the energy transition. There’s also a solid foundation for project development in these fields given the existing infrastructure, resources, experience and flexibility in the approach. This makes Exolum an impassioned place to develop and take on big projects. 

What are your first impressions of Exolum?

What has most grabbed my attention is the up-close personal culture as everyone is really quite accessible. Upon arriving at a new company, one of the main challenges is getting to know people and what they do. I have been concentrating on developing a strategy to position ourselves and grow in the hydrogen and circular economy areas. I’ve also been in contact with possible partners to sketch out what Exolum can offer, and the projects are beginning to grow.

On a personal level, what will be your next travel adventure?

I’m going to get married next year, so it will probably be our honeymoon in Santa Lucia.

“What has most grabbed my attention is the up-close personal culture; everyone is really quite accessible”

MEETING...​

“Working is all about continuing to learn”

Pazmiño Rodríguez’s passion is his job.  There’s no technology, equipment or system he can’t handle. And if any seem a bit complicated, he dives right into researching (his second passion) in order to find the solution and even create his own prototypes!  Would you like to meet him? 

 

What do you do?

My work revolves around the electromechanical maintenance of equipment at the plant as well as in the transport system and refuelling units.

Pazmiño Rodríguez

Electromechanical maintenance at Panama Airports.

What’s your day-to-day like?

I mainly take care of managing and repairing electrical and electronic damages in equipment as well as checking them. Everything is easier now, but I can remember when the new refuelling units arrived and there were no manuals.  I had to study and investigate in order to find technical solutions. Experience has also helped me figure out what’s wrong when there’s an error so I can fix the situation.
It’s always important to do repairs right away in order to guarantee operations and the proper functioning of the facilities so the work never stops and all the quality and safety standards we have are met.

Out of everything you do, what do you like the most?

There’s no doubt about it.  The electronics.  Everything that has to do with getting new materials up and running in addition to anything involving research. In fact, our climate here is quite raining and intense which can damage the equipment. In order to protect it, I came up with a prototype that has proven to be efficient.  I’ve already presented it to various manufacturers. For me, working is all about continuing to learn.

What are some of the differences you’ve found ever since Exolum arrived at your facilities?

I’ve been working at these facilities since 2011. The systematics with the previous companies were simpler. When Exolum came in, there was a qualitative jump, and the systems became more advanced.  They went from being electric to smart and programmable. The equipment has absolutely been modernized and is now more complex.

What are some of your passions off the job?

I like research. When I get home, I usually listen to music (all kinds) while studying things related to electronics, systems and technology.

I also enjoy repairing and customizing cars. I have a 1997 Mercedes which is a classic on the outside.  However, I’ve made a series of changes on the inside which have modernized it. A short time ago I repaired a car which had been adapted for a wheelchair.  No other shop was able to do it. That made me quite happy because it wasn’t just about being proud of the job done, it was about knowing I was helping a person in need.

On the other hand, I also like doing barbecues and spending time with family and friends. There’s time for everything. 

“When Exolum came in, there was a qualitative jump. The equipment has been modernized and is now more complex”

TransformACTION

XPIRIT

A New Drive

We all know any cultural change is a process that requires time; however, we must all remember that transformation never ends. Working better, in a leaner and more cohesive way, and putting people at the centre of it all were some of the main topics discussed at the meeting held in Madrid on 23rd September. We’d like to give you the details.

The purpose behind the Agile Transformation is to be ready to meet the present and future needs our company must face. We’re living in a world of constant change, VUCA as it’s called.  And we have to be prepared if we want to ensure our competitiveness. The idea is to foster a different way of working that helps us build a robust yet flexible company where our professionals feel they do their jobs in a secure collaborative environment and where their opinions are respected and considered.

In a view to reinforcing the initiative and spreading awareness among team leaders of the importance of their implication in all of this, a meeting was held on 23rd September with 62 people from the management team (EXCO and LT) as well as the N-1 or expanded management team participating. The focus at this meeting was senior management’s engagement with the organization’s people as a clear reflection of the results of the work climate survey.  They sought to define specific actions to enhance and strengthen the commitment and wellbeing of Exolum employees. Moreover, two people from BBVA’s Agile Discipline initiative participated by sharing the transformation process experienced by the bank.

Seven lines of action

Based on the main conclusions drawn during the meeting, the next steps will revolve around seven major areas:

  1. Proximity: promoting gatherings among the team and with other areas (breakfasts/lunches) to foster active listening.
  2. A new EDE: holding meetings once again with this group to share information directly.
  3. Homogeneous communication: transmitting messages appropriately so everyone gets them, all while focusing on what’s important.
  4. Managing our work: identifying the levers to be pulled at times of overload.  
  5. The size of the team: a commitment to having the necessary resources available to be able to handle projects and work within the organization.
  6. Covering vacancies: revising the process for covering vacancies in order to more flexibly respond to them.
  7. Meetings: through workshops, including best practices in a generalized way to hold efficient and effective meetings and adequately using email.

GROW

Driving change with Exolum’s NW Europe Manager’s Academy

This year we have been delivering our first ever Exolum Manager’s Academy programme in NW Europe, with managers from across the region taking part in a dynamic programme built to the needs of our people and designed to help shape the future of the business.

The five-phase programme has seen three groups of Exolum managers take to road, rail, and sky to visit TS and PS locations in the UK and our Amsterdam terminal in The Netherlands.

Phase three concluded in August and by the time this magazine is published, phases four and five will be complete. The final phase – which takes place in October 2022 – breaks from the structure of the previous four, with a bootcamp-style setup bringing Academy cohorts and the NW Europe leadership team together to bring the curtain down on our inaugural programme.

The programme embraces Exolum’s core values
– Innovation, Safety, Trust, and 
Leadership –

and our commitment to learning and development. With integration not long in the rear-view mirror, the Academy also has a key role to play as we focus on cultivating a thriving culture following the amalgamation of Nustar, Inter Terminals and CLHPS back in 2021.

Organisational change on this scale presents a variety of challenges explains Simon Thorpe, who has been delivering the Manager’s Academy programme with his team at The Expressions Partnership.

“There is a need to forge a new, progressive culture for the sustainable success of the brand,” he explains. “The Academy is primarily aimed at enabling management to create a positive, sustainable culture in NW Europe. When organisations with different practises and cultures are brought together, there is a real need to create the best of all contributing parts – the managers we have been working with are the cultural architects for this.”

The Manager’s Academy is a positive forum where professionals can get to know each other better and analyse the challenges together which will be key to our future

Our three pillars for transformation – People, Purpose and Together: One Exolum – are integral to Exolum’s direction of travel. With a strategic focus on renewable energies, circular economy, and our environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda going forward, success depends on targeting effective ways of working and buy-in to our values and behaviours.

Together with Exolum’s Learning and Development team, The Expressions Partnership created a structured learning programme – comprising discussions, interactive workshops, and activities – built on the principles of our transformation pillars.

“The modules cover a wide range of key skills,” explains Cluster Manager, Gareth Rees – one of 40 delegates on the programme. “The sessions use practical situations and a discussion-based approach to enable us to share personal experiences and good practice alongside practical tools.”

Sessions have tackled topics including leadership, managing change, and effective communication. With a range of discussion points and themes emanating from each session, the programme remained flexible to allow content to be adapted according to group need and the topics of importance coming through the workshops.

Delegates took part in C-me Colour Profiling to get an insight into their psychological preferences, and better understand those of the people around them. The exercise provides practical tools to enable people to adapt their behaviours and respond to the needs of others to the betterment of communication, relationships, and performance.

“The self-reflection aspect was great,” says Group Indirect Tax Advisor, Sarah Armstrong. “It allowed us to explore and consider our management styles, assessing where our strengths and areas of development are and improvements we can make in our interaction with others.”

The Academy has also been a positive forum for delegates to discuss and find solutions for the challenges we face as a business. Recruitment and culture fall into this category, particularly as we consider how we can attract, train, and retain the talent we need to cement ourselves as an employer of choice.

“We have put together an action plan to improve challenges within our business,” explains Sarah. “Some actions are being implemented at local level and the more companywide initiatives have been collated for consideration – these revolve around improving the culture and navigating our recruitment challenges.”

To complete each session, delegates created a personal development plan using start–stop–continue – an approach where managers identify one behaviour or activity they will start, one they will stop, and one they will continue to develop – to help make learning areas actionable and encourage development.

The programme has given people the opportunity to build relationships, collaborate, and share expertise across international borders and county lines. Groups visited different sites to see first-hand how other areas of the business operate, discuss and share effective ways of working, and gain further insight into our customer’s products.

“The people focus has helped me develop relationships with my peers, and the environment encourages openness and honesty,” says Gareth. “I feel like part of a team – we are building relationships across departments and starting to collaborate in our day-to-day work.”

There’s a long road ahead, but all of these elements have a central role to play as we plot a pathway for the future. A positive, vibrant culture has a huge role in shaping the kind of business we aspire to be and creating an environment in which we can all thrive.

“Since day one, there has been a notable change in culture,” shares Gareth. “The Academy is enabling us to make positive cultural and practical changes in our teams and areas of responsibility.”

“It’s fantastic to see managers from across the business coming together as a team,” finishes Simon Thorpe. “This cohesion is allowing the opportunity for the three pillars to be implemented at management level and on the front line. The pillars need to be alive in every area of the business and across all countries – the Academy is a starting point for this to become reality.”

NETWORKING

Let’s Talk About the Metaverse

Alternative worlds to teletransport ourselves through virtual devices where we can interact through avatars.  Is this fiction or reality? Well, it seems to be a reality as large technology companies are working on creating parallel environments where we can work, shop and… even live.

If science fiction is known for one thing, that would be revealing where technology is headed in the future. The videocalls, smartphones and virtual assistants we could only imagine decades ago have now become a part of our daily lives. This seems to be the exact thing that is happening with the metaverse, a virtual world concept already mentioned by Neal Stephenson in his novel Snow Crash (1992) on which giants like Meta (formerly, Facebook), Microsoft and Sony, among others, are now working on.

The idea of alternative universes is hardly new–there are several video games out there based on them–, but the metaverse aims to go even further as something that is completely immersive and multi-sensorial with a combination of augmented reality, artificial intelligence, IoT and the blockchain along with other emerging technologies. Thus, our avatars–a digital representation of ourselves–will be able to realistically and naturally interact in these parallel spaces.

Virtual work?

The development of the metaverse is in a very early phase, yet it’s already creating job opportunities. Sectors like finance, entertainment, communication, fashion and real estate are looking at how to expand their business towards this virtual ecosystem.

They are adding people to their teams with backgrounds in computer engineering, big data and artificial intelligence as well as design, user experience and social media.

Even though the arrival of this technology does not seem to be just around the corner, the goal for the future is for all of us to share such virtual environments to be able to travel, work and socialize in them and even create a digital economy. In any case, the challenge with this new universe will be how to regulate people’s digital identities, data protection, privacy and intellectual property, among many other issues. There’s still a lot left to do, but the first steps have already been taken.

The metaverse at Exolum

If you’re interested in finding out more, visit the Te Interesa talk on the metaverse and web 3.0 featuring the participation of the CEO of The Cube, Andrés Haddad.
You can see it on the Exolum channel.

TRENDS

An Even More Flexible Facility in Barcelona

We’ve adapted the terminal to be able to store new products such as oils and biodiesel as a clear demonstration of our commitment to diversification and responding to market needs.

Given its strategic location and multi-purpose nature, the Exolum facility in Barcelona is one of the most outstanding in our logistics system in Spain. And it’s now even more so after successfully completing the dike 1 

adaptation project to be able to store and handle products like oils and FAME (biodiesel), which are more and more in demand.

We’ve invested nearly three million euros in order to complete the necessary work so the terminal may receive, store and serve these products with complete quality and safety guarantees. Thus, we’re meeting the needs our customers have shown and continue making progress with the diversification of our activities.

Oils and all the different types of biodiesel require segregated handling to prevent the contamination of other products. As a result, dedicated infrastructures are needed to manage them. What follows are some of the main tasks carried out:

Tanks

  • The adaptation of four tanks, with a combined capacity of 24,700 m3.
  • The installation of one shaker per tank to move the fuel and do blending tasks.
  • The installation of steam heating coils to maintain a constant temperature and heat them to prevent energy losses.
  • A more modern probe measuring system.
  • A pipe system to foster complete emptying.

Circuits:

  • The installation of drainage pumps at dedicated loading arms to empty them after each loading and unloading operation.
  • Heating systems for pipes and equipment that cannot be emptied.
  • Pipe divisions to prevent contamination.

Pumping station:

  • Exclusive pumps for operations involving different products.
  • The design of a predictive maintenance plan to improve the pump reliability.
  • A temperature maintenance and heating system for the pump elements.
  • The installation of a pump to empty tanks connected to the two circuits.

Digitalization for More Efficient Transport

With technology, we can optimize the efficiency and energy cost associated with fuel movements through pipelines.

There’s no doubt that technological tools are essential allies on the road to continuous improvement and innovation. Under this premise, we’ve developed a digitalization project that will allow us to move forward with our goal of continuing to evolve and optimize our operations.

Specifically, we’re talking about transporting fuel through pipelines. Thousands of cubic metres of gasoline, diesel fuel and kerosene are moved every single day through the more than 4,000 kilometres of our network in Spain. It is undoubtedly one of the company’s most important activities and also one that involves the highest economic cost due to the electricity needed.

The purpose of the initiative, driven by the Logistics Planning area with support from the Digital Hub, was “to precisely determine the cost of transporting fuel from one point to another in order to minimize it,” explains Carlos Molina, Commercial Network Lead. After all, despite all the data we have at the end of the month, there were no tools or knowledge to analyse the information in detail.

The Value of Knowledge

By applying lean methods, the project was developed in just under 12 weeks.  The initial focus was understanding the data obtained from all the different sources (Exolum, power companies…) to later find solutions to automate that data collection and thus create a living process with digital tools. The result: we now know the detailed cost of 80% of all of our operations.

“Having finished this first phase, we must now be capable of entering all that information into our logistics planning model to compare data and then increase our transport efficiency,” says Sonia Suárez, Project Developer.

For Jorge Guillén, Spain Region Lead, “This will lead to significant benefits in terms of efficiency for Exolum as well as for the environment since we’ll be reducing the emissions generated.”

Safety and health

Safety

Safety Is Always the Number One Priority

‘We Have to Talk About Safety’ was the title of the talk given by our Spain Region Lead, Jorge Guillén, who again reminded everyone of the need for and responsibilities each person at the company has with regard to safety. Paying attention to all the little everyday details and even the most routine activities is key to preventing workplace accidents which may have consequences on our people’s health. Returning in the same conditions we left our homes is what most matters.

See the talk again on the Exolum Channel

Velocity, An App for Everyone

In order to standardize the processes and procedures for reporting incidents and monitoring actions, we’ve implemented the Velocity app globally. Already in use in the United Kingdom, its incredible versatility and functionality led to its expansion throughout NWE and now Spain. This tool includes new categorization fields to centralize all incidents. On the other hand, it can analyse data more in-depth in order to implement improvement plans.  Wouldn’t you like to begin working with Velocity? You can also access it via the ‘My Apps’ tab on our intranet.

Rewarded for Prevention

Once again this year, we participated in the Safe and Secure Technical Conference, organized by MAPFRE GLOBAL RISKS.  And once again we’ve proven that our people are leading the fight against fire. Our teams at our Cádiz and Rivabellosa facilities came in first and second place in the extinguisher pair competition and third in the hose competition. Congratulations!

Exolum Ecuador, Committed to Health

For the second year in a row, our colleagues at Exolum Aviación Ecuador have received flu vaccines through their active participation in the campaign implemented by the country’s Ministry of Public Health. On the other hand, this same Ministry has certified Exolum Ecuador as a 100% tobacco-free location which further proves that we’re a company interested in our people’s wellbeing and protection.

WEllness

The Wave of Urban Gardens

As the Spanish saying goes, “those who plant, sow and breed, live joyfully”.  And it’s right on track as growing vegetables and plants has now been proven to reduce stress levels and increase feelings of wellness.

It is estimated that more than half of the world’s population nowadays lives in urban areas which, among other issues, is causing us to lose contact with nature and, therefore, a part of our essence. Although those who live in big cities may find it difficult to re-connect with the Earth and its cycles, the truth is something as simple as growing food, fruits, vegetables and medicinal or aromatic plants, is a good way to reconnect.  And you don’t even have to leave your home!

We are what we eat

You don’t need much to get started with a household urban garden: just a place with light, outdoors if possible, and some motivation. Terraces and balconies are the most commonly used places for this purpose.  But if you don’t have one, you can just use a window.

After choosing the pots and soil that best adapt to the chosen area–a number of tutorials are available on the Internet–, the next step is sowing. Starting off with simple crops like lettuce, tomatoes and strawberries is recommended.  If you don’t have much space, aromatic plants like basil, rosemary and oregano are great. Before diving right in, it’s best to get some information on the best times of the year for sowing and harvesting each variety (this is often available on the seed packets).

With appropriate irrigation and care, you’ll being seeing results in a just a few weeks. Added to the satisfaction of seeing how your crops grow is the ability to cook your own food year-round and thus go back to a natural and healthy diet.

Communities too

If you like the experience and want to take it beyond your home, you can join a community or neighbourhood garden.  Such initiatives are supported by local governments to help recover urban areas not being used or as a way to promote neighbourhood responsibility and sustainability. To participate, you will need to get information from your town hall or neighbourhood associations in your area to find out what the requirements are and how to sign up for existing projects.

But that’s not your only choice. Some owners’ associations take advantage of indoor courtyards and rooftops to create organic gardens to increase the value of the property and encourage ties among the residents. If you find the idea attractive, you can even start one up!

As you can see, there is a whole range of possibilities.  So how about it?

A source of wellness

Working on an urban garden provides a number of benefits beyond improving your diet and preserving biodiversity. Some of them include:

  1. Helping to save on groceries.
  2. Reducing emotional and physiological stress.
  3. Fostering environmental awareness, especially when young kids participate.
  4. Developing a sense of responsibility.
  5. Increasing one’s self-esteem and wellbeing as a good means of therapy for depression and anxiety.

Involved​

de&i

Exolum is Diversity

We continue taking steps to integrate diversity in our corporate culture and turn out differences into a meeting point for the entire company. The creation of a specific global committee is further proof of this.

Diversity is a strategic cornerstone at our company and it’s something we work on day after day. Because it’s not just about saying we’re diverse; we want to prove it with concrete actions. At Exolum, we’re aware of our cultural, language, generational and other differences… but they are actually what enrich us and make us an innovative and competitive company. To continue promoting and strengthening this diverse culture within our organization, we’ve created the Exolum Diversity Committee with people from different countries and who speak different languages. All of us are a part of this great Exolum family and each member has unique characteristics that add value to the group.

A committed committee

Cristina Jaraba: “With help from the Committee, we’re going to promote diversity within the company. This is a part of our strategy for the future.”

Karin Decker:“Our challenge is to make our Exolum world even more ‘colourful’ and I’d  like to help do so.”

Jennifer Strijder: “Our cultural and regulatory differences pose a challenge, but they’re also opportunities to keep on improving.”

Anne Prince: “I firmly believe that equity and inclusion are keys to our success.”

José Luis Conde: “This Committee is an opportunity to ensure diversity is not just a trend.”

Daniel Casas: “Diversity has a very positive impact on our business and people’s wellness.” 

Javier Alonso: “We must have a Committee to discuss diversity issues as there’s still a lot left to be done.”

Félix Gómez: “There are many ways to see the reality of things and think, but especially to feel and dream. We’re diverse because we’re diverse individuals.”

See again on the Exolum Channel

Speaking Our Own Language

At Exolum we represent many different nationalities. Each one of them has their own attributes which no doubt makes us unique all while enriching us. As part of an effort to get to know colleagues from other countries better and, in short, become ‘more of a team’, we’re launching an internal communication campaign known as ‘Everyone Speaks Exolum’.

We’re also preparing a short document with the most typical customs and work dynamics in the various countries where we’re present. Take a look at it on the Contigo site and find out, for example, how…

  • Many companies in Spain change their business hours in summer
    to 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  • A moderate tone of voice is used in the United Kingdom.
  • The custom in Ireland is to go out to the pubs after work with your colleagues.
  • In Ecuador, meetings must be arranged two weeks in advance and confirmed two days before the scheduled date.
  • If people are friends, they may greet each other with three air kisses to the cheeks in the Netherlands.
  • Saying ‘hola’ in Panamá when doing business is considered very informal.
  • In Germany, you should look people in the eyes when greeting them.
  • Given names are only used in Peru among people who know each other well.
    Otherwise, they always use surnames.

You’ll most certainly be surprised!

Diversity is What Makes Us Extraordinary

To celebrate with the LGBTIQ+ community, we organized Pride Week with our logo in rainbow colours for a whole week to demonstrate our commitment to this group. And because pride is much more than just a parade, we created a test to spread some interesting facts about the flag as well as a Spotify playlist with songs that manifest the right to love freely.  After all, diversity is what makes us extraordinary!

FEEL GREEN

Contributing with Actions to Look After the Environment

World Environment Day is held every 5th June since 1973 to help spread awareness among society for the importance of caring for and protecting the planet. The slogan chosen for 2022 was #OnlyOneEarth, which is the very same one that was used at the first Stockholm Conference in 1972.  That event put the environment at the centre of the world’s concerns for the first time ever.

For Exolum, protecting the environment is a strategic aspect to which we are firmly committed. 

 So, we absolutely did not want to miss the celebration. Besides continuing to spread awareness among everyone for the need to look after the planet, we wanted to share the Phy2Climate project which is based on the phytoremediation technique that is being implemented at our Exolum facility in Tarragona. To do so, we prepared a video featuring our Safety, Pwr and Environment colleagues Pedro Herrero, Operations Coordinator, and Daniel López, Operations Analyst.

Projects Looking After the Planet

The commitment to decarbonize Exolum by 2050. To do so, we’re already taking significant steps to reduce our emissions:

By promoting and encouraging the use of sustainable aviation fuels through our Avikor platform.

Using renewable energies with the installation of photovoltaic power plants like at our Mora facility.

Building green hydrogen production plants using clean energy.

Developing initiatives like Phy2Climate, an innovative idea that combines the environmental remediation of land affected by hydrocarbons with the generation of biofuel through phytoremediation.

See the video again on the Exolum Channel at the Contigo site

NEWS BRIEFS​

Fighting Invasive Plant Species in Barcelona

For World Environment Day, we joined an environmental initiative organized by the Barcelona Port Community to collect invasive plant species from the Llobregat River delta. Our colleagues Santiago Moya and José Ramón Guijarro, HSSE Operations Analyst and Head of the Barcelona Facility, respectively, participated along with people from another 20 companies to help preserve native species.

Environmental Workshop with Prodis

In order to learn and improve our knowledge of recycling, several people from Exolum and their children participated in an entertaining activity organized along with the Prodis Foundation with which we collaborate on projects to integrate the handicapped in the job market. Assisted by the youngest, we decorated an igloo to recycle glass all while learning more about the importance of separating to recycle. It was a small gesture that reinforces our commitment to society and the environment.

Visit to a GREFA Interpretation Centre

GREFA is no doubt one of our greatest allies when it comes to preserving the habitats in the places where we’re present in Spain. One of the most recent actions we’ve undertaken with them was a visit to their interpretation centre in Villar de los Comuneros (Valladolid) where people from our company were able to find out about the dissemination and awareness work done there by the organization. They also learned a little more about the history of Castilla y León through a scale model exhibit and visited land assigned by the City Hall where GREFA is working on recovering the wetlands.

Certification Reinforces Our Commitment to Sustainability

We’ve earned ISCC Plus and ISCC Corsia certification which guarantee the sustainable origin and traceability of raw materials throughout the supply chain.

Exolum’s non-stop commitment to sustainability was acknowledged with ISCC Plus and ISCC Corsia sustainability certification from International Sustainability Carbon Certification.

This is the first biomass and bioenergy certification plan, and the main focus is sustainability with regard to the use of land, traceability and the verification of greenhouse gases from start to finish in the supply chain.

A Circular Economy and Decarbonization

This ISCC Plus certification expands our former certification by proving we are meeting even more specific requirements related to traceability in the supply chain. Likewise, it verifies compliance with high environmental and social standards in addition to promoting a circular economy to convert waste into new raw materials.
On the other hand, the aim of ISCC Corsia is to prove compliance with the specific requirements established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) with regard to compensating and reducing total CO2 emissions in aviation.

Both certificates guarantee compliance with high sustainability standards in the production of biomass, the traceability of its origins and the potential savings on greenhouse gases. By being certified, Exolum is now a part of the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supply chain in ICAO member states, and this guarantees the traceability of this biofuel.

A ‘Te Interesa’ Talk on the Circular Economy

We continue talking about the circular economy because we organized a Te Interesa talk for Recycling Day where our Ventures Technology & Innovation Lead, Félix Gómez, offered an interesting training session on the projects being carried out within our company in this area

See the talk again on the Exolum Channel

Ideas for Optimizing Water Use

At Exolum, we continue to promote entrepreneurism, innovation and sustainability. It was with this aim in mind that we joined the Cajamar Group for its 3rd Call for Water-Related Innovation and Acceleration Projects. The challenge in this context is finding proposals associated with the circular economy and efficient use of water resources in agriculture and livestock breeding. The best projects presented will be made reality thanks to this incubator of ideas to thus contribute to a better world.

FEEL BETTER

Adapted Sports Day - Getting In Their Shoes

Playing football without seeing the ball, shooting baskets from a wheelchair… Have you ever thought about doing sport in those circumstances? Many people with other capacities are successfully engaging in sports. As a way to stand in their shoes for a bit, we organized a family sports day with four activities: football for the blind, wheelchair basketball, archery and sitting volleyball in September along with the Foundation to Promote Development and Integration (FDI).

Initiatives like these help us have a nice time all while learning about others and encouraging inclusion.  Thanks to everyone who participated for your time and solidarity!

Running for a Better World

At Exolum, we have people who are truly engage in charity actions. Without going any further, Mark Godwin, Operations Supervisor in Hallen, participated in the Wye Valley Mighty Hike with his son, Ryan, to raise 1.400 pounds for the Macmillan Cancer Support association. Likewise, Matt Wilkinson, shift supervisor in Seal Sands, completed the Great North Run to raise more than 850 pounds for the British Heart Foundation while Norman Rennie, an operator at the same facility, joined this same run to help the organization Motor Neurone Disease.

A Day of Golf in Belfry

Finally, after two years without being able to because of the pandemic, we were finally able to hold our Exolum Golf Day in the United Kingdom at the spectacular Belfry course. It was a fun day of sports with suppliers and customers that allowed us to bond and strengthen our relationships.  It was an amazing day of sports and togetherness!

CHARITY BOARD

Collaborating with…

Maydan Málaga

We’ve delivered more than six tonnes of used clothing to this association for the purpose of providing Ukrainian citizens living in the cities of Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv with work clothes.

Danos tiempo

This cultural organization works on projects associated with the economy, the environment, responsible consumption, etc. To contribute to the cause, we’ve donated laptops and furniture to train the handicapped. 

Asociación El Olivar

We’ve given laptops and furniture to this Madrid-based association that works on prevention and social reintegration among homeless young people.

Asociación Cadelpa

Their commitment to the underprivileged has led us to donating furniture to be used in their classrooms.

Radio Enlace

We equipped this local broadcaster which promotes cultural development in society with furniture.

The Red Cross

We helped sell coupons for the traditional Red Cross Golden Draw. Our assistance brought in more resources for this organization so they may continue engaging in their activities in favour of those most in need. 

Alas Foundation

We collaborated with the Alas Foundation, an organization that works in favour of the intellectually disabled, on a charity market organized in Madrid.  All proceeds went to the nature classroom ‘El Aula de la Naturaleza’.

Sports and Solidarity in Algeciras

Exolum has again this year supported the Algeciras fun run, the 20th edition of which was held in June. And we were not just collaborators/co-sponsors.  We also participated as runners! It was a day of sports with a solidarity side as non-perishable goods were collected for the Algeciras Food Bank.

Passing the Test

Our company’s involvement with the local communities in which we operate is firm and robust. One example of this takes us to the United Kingdom. The company sponsors the Grimsby Golf Club Junior Girls. This team is quite special to one of our colleagues: Darren Cook, Shift Team Lead at Exolum, has been training these young athletes for four years now. Faced with the difficult task of securing funding, Darren sought help from our company. Their story is so moving we donated 500 pounds to be used to purchase new t-shirts, food and prizes at the team’s recent home fixture in which 30 girls took part.

The team is made up of 13 girls including two of Darren’s daughters. Evelyn, the youngest, has diplegic cerebral palsy which affects her legs – one of the reason’s Darren was so intent on keeping the team running.

“When I was a young member at Immingham Golf Club I watched groups of juniors enjoy every holiday and weekend around the club, keeping out of trouble and off the streets. All of them have since developed into kind, responsible adults with great work ethics, and I have always wanted the same for my girls. Now I’m starting to see what I saw 20 years ago – children enjoying themselves, developing life skills and making great friendships”, says Darren.

Wishing Darren and the girls the very best of luck for the rest of the season and we can’t wait to hear more about the team’s progress.

Donating Our Old Work Clothing for a Pioneering Study

Our commitment to sustainability continues to be present in each action we undertake. Proof of this can be found in how we donate our old work clothing from our facilities to OROEL, a European leader in the manufacture of protective equipment, so they can carry out a pioneering circular economy research project with support from the Government of Aragon Department of the Economy, Planning and Employment, the Aragon Technology Institute (ITAINNOVA) and the Textile Technology Centre (AITEX).

ECOROEL was set up to find a useful second life for used protective garments and thus reduce the environmental impact of producing new fabrics and protective clothing. The project has already published a first analysis of how non-recoverable technical fibres can be used to make new threads and the possibility of re-using the thread from discarded fabrics.

Our colleague Rocío González, COE / Operations Lead, participated in the presentation of the hopeful preliminary results. It is also important to highlight how Exolum’s involvement in the project is largely due to Carolina Maestro, Operations Analyst, who initially found this opportunity to participate in such an exciting challenge.

Another Edition of the Info-Exolum Murcia Awards

As part of our commitment to innovation and entrepreneurism, we’re once again and for the seventh year in a row sponsoring the Info-Exolum Entrepreneur Awards in Murcia, organized by the regional promotional institute Instituto de Fomento INFO-Murcia.

The 2021 winners were:

  • First prize: Bleecker Tecnologies, which markets advanced products and solutions for use in logistics processes.
  • Second prize: Geniotic, an engineering firm dedicated to designing
    turnkey applications for the industrial robotics sector.
  • Third prize: Flowgy, medical software for
    otorhinolaryngology clinics.a

Discover

Did you know...?

Methuselah, a bristlecone pine tree located in California’s white mountains, is now more than 4,850 years old.  It is considered the oldest living tree in the world despite the fact that another tree in the same family was discovered in 2016 in the same area which may even be 5,000 years old. Although the exact position has never been disclosed in order to protect it from vandalism, it is possible to walk through the unique setting where it is found. Take a look at the photo.
Can you imagine where it is?

LET'S PLAY

How do you say ‘sustainability’ in...

  • Spanish? Sostenibilidad

  • Dutch? Duurzaamheid

  • German? Nachhaltigkeit 

5 DIFFERENCES

Congratulations Once Again!

Added to the recent recognition for our magazine Connexion by the Astrid Awards, we have now been acknowledged by the Ramón del Corral 2022 Dircom Awards organized annually by the Directors of Communication Association. Our company was a finalist in the less than 500 employee Internal Events category for our ‘Forum 2021. Bienvenid@s a casa’ which we organized last year in Aranjuez recreating Bertin Osborne’s television show ‘En tu casa o en la mía’.  And, in the end, it won the award. This is obviously due to the teamwork shown in the Global People Communication and Project Pool area.

Dear Colleagues and Friends

I’d like to take advantage of this space I have to let you know I am leaving my position as coordinator of this magazine which, more than a job, for me has been a sort of membership. I’ve enjoyed every single issue we’ve shared over the years. Like everything, our magazine has also gone through different stages and significant changes.  From the legendary Campsa and our longest-running magazine Acerca all the way to this new project with Connexion, it’s always been one of my favourite tasks.  Besides being interesting and quite fun, it’s allowed me to get closer to all of you, understand better who we are and what, together, we know how to do well.

Above all, I want to thank you all for the care, collaboration and help I’ve received with each article.  I am taking with me absolutely wonderful memories of having shared so many experiences and good times. It would be a pleasure to stay in contact for whatever you may need.

So long and best wishes!

Carmen Arroyo

IF YOU NEED MORE CONNEXION…​

Access to all isssues

Editorial

About us

What excites us

TransformACTION

Safety and health

Involved