#MeetOurDistributors: Almaxi

What is the history behind Almaxi?

Almaxi has two closely related histories, the first as a registered trademark owned by Garruchas y Equipos S.A. and the second as a consolidated company. and the second as a consolidated company, in the case of the trademark its beginnings date back more than 20 years, where the ALMAXI brand is registered, to be used in all internal transport equipment that the company manufactures, buys or sells to its end customers and in the case of company its beginning is much more recent thanks to some legal benefits that are granted to companies wishing to formalize or become a company given by the government of the day, giving facilities to the creation of simplified society companies.

The company to which the brand ALMAXI belongs or has belonged, has a legal existence of more than 20 years in the market, Garruchas y Equipos S.A. is a family business managed by its owner and partner Marlon Muñoz Cardona, who in partnership with his wife Mrs. Mayi Osmery Colorado, decided to settle in Ecuador since 1999 and start their business in the lines related to materials handling and internal transport of loads, specializing in industrial wheels, metal shelving, racks and other complementary elements for internal transport. Almaxi operates mainly in the city of Guayaquil Ecuador, making presence throughout the Ecuadorian territory through its commercial advisors. 

As a family business it has the participation and collaboration of the children of the Muñoz Colorado couple, with their sons Felipe and Federico who have participated in the changes of commercial guidelines of the two companies, even more from 2020 as a result of the health crisis covid-19 that has significantly affected the expansion and growth projects not only of Almaxi but also of the logistics market in Ecuador.

What is Almaxi's range of products and services?

Almaxi as the company that provides solutions in internal logistics, with a wide range of Racks, light shelving, racking for shops, assembly, maintenance, maintenance services, etc. In addition to the line of material handling equipment, forklifts, stackers, hydraulic forklifts.

 

In terms of storage and industrial racking, what distinguishes Almaxi from its competitors?

In its more than 20 years of existence, the company has had several work fronts in relation to commercial, light and industrial racking, from local suppliers with simple racks made by hand to importing racks from different suppliers in Colombia, China and Spain.

The great competitive difference today is that the company has managed to establish commercial relations with AR RACKING, and although this alliance is in the process of development, little by little the company has been presenting, promoting and even importing AR's product line. Thanks to this, Almaxi has set its objective to become a national reference in the supply of industrial racks of the highest certified quality at prices in line with the market with the great differential recognised in the world of racking in the world.

 

How was the collaboration with AR Racking established?

After knocking on many doors, after many trials and errors, after many good and not so good experiences, the management of Almaxi seeks to contact the company AR Racking, gets a response and finds a good possibility of matching their objectives with those of AR, they decide to start the collaboration and we decide to give our all to make it happen and establish with AR a long, reliable and very good commercial relationship based on experience, trust and responsibility.

 

What does it mean for Almaxi to be an authorised distributor of AR Racking?

As an AR distributor, Almaxi expects to be an important reference in large logistics projects, to contribute with its experience and to validate it with the development and the great infrastructure of AR.

 

What are the future challenges for Almaxi as a company?

In the near future, Almaxi hopes to strengthen its presence in the Ecuadorian market, and to be a reliable and experienced supplier in large storage projects, in addition to maintaining a stock of industrial racks for small or medium-sized racking projects in Ecuador.

 

 

What are the current challenges in the industrial warehousing and logistics sector in Ecuador?

The main challenges encountered in the Ecuadorian market definitely have to do with commercial customs, as well as arguing quality vs. price, profit, guarantee, support vs. prices at any cost. Facing this system in our countries is always a challenge to work on.

 

What kind of warehousing needs are Ecuadorian companies currently moving?

The crises as a country, the political instability, the lack of business creation or the existence of artisan enterprises make Ecuador a country prone to import highly elaborated products, therefore it will always have the need to have warehouses of imported products, this generates a constant need for industrial racking.

 

Which sectors are demanding new storage solutions or the renovation of their intralogistics in Ecuador?

In Ecuador, 4PL warehousing service companies are being created. Creation of Distribution Crentres and companies specialising in the storage of their own products or those of third parties. 

 

What warehousing projects have you carried out recently?

The last two years have been difficult years, stagnant markets, very high freight rates, companies in crisis, Ecuador has not been unaffected by what has happened throughout the world due to the covid-19 health crisis, but nevertheless we have managed to keep the doors of our business open and standing, it has been quite difficult but we are standing, we have done business in remodelling industrial racks, some companies that have closed have offered us their used racks to place them on the market, this has helped us to keep going, very important companies have generated repair service work for us.

In the immediate future, we are moving forward with important logistical projects that are being studied in terms of costs and project presentation. We believe that the worst is over, we must wait for the whole market to stabilise and for our commercial presence in the country to generate favourable results that will allow us to catapult ourselves as distributors of a great allied company such as AR Racking.

 

Name of interviewee / Position of interviewee:

Marlon Muñoz Cardona Legal representative / Owner.