Interviewee: Javier Maldonado, Executive Director, Home PSI Pinturas
Produced by: Jassen Pintado, Director of Construction Projects at WDM Group
During its timeline, Home PSI Pinturas as a commercial brand has overcome multiple challenges, reforms from the government and even losses, after one of its plants was destroyed by a fire. All of these happenings have shaped and strengthened the company during its more than 50 years of operation since the road to success was firstpaved by founder Antonio Maldonado Bandini. Bandini started by producing brushes in the 1950s, until the family's business opened after purchasing a small paint factory in the city of Puebla; the fourth largest in Mexico.
Today, Home PSI Pinturas is a nationwide company offering products for homeowners, color solutions for businesses, painting products and franchising for entrepreneurs.
PSI Pinturas executive director Javier Maldonado is the founder's son. He's been tied to the company since his childhood days, but it wasn't until he attended college that his life inside the company began about 40 years ago. His first position was in the production area, afterwards he was in charge of deliveries, visiting clients and closing sales.
"I've been through every position in the company with satisfying results. This experience has provided me with complete knowledge about the tasks to be performed in every single area," says Maldonado.
Going hand in hand with his position as Executive Director for Home PSI Pinturas and his entrepreneurial vision among the sector, the executive was also president of ANAFAPYT, A.C. (National Association of Paint and Ink Producers), and was in charge of COE (Business organizations counsel).
Competitive differentiation
Home PSI Pinturas offers excellent products to local consumers. Its architectural line is the perfect balance between price and quality, providing flexible options for customers. Availability and specialized service are also unique advantages of the company, whose franchising and increase of point-of-purchase plans bring them closer to customers nationwide.
"We are determined in innovation both product-wise and also in terms of distribution," says Maldonado.
Constant upgrading and modernization are part of the company's policies, as Home PSI Pinturas became the second company in this sector to introduce online retail in the country.
Expansion within Mexico
Home PSI Pinturas' business vision focuses on three important points:
1. Franchising: Solid presence nationwide is strengthened by adding 50 franchises to this years' distribution portfolio.
2. Repurchase: A very strong boom for franchises is expected.
3. Broadening of the national distribution network: after opening company-owned points of purchase in strategic markets, these outlets are to be franchised to executive entrepreneurs. Afterwards, results from market research will determine the opening of new outlets in areas where the product hasn't had significant presence.
Sixty percent of the company's production is sold in Mexico City, where the distribution network growth is planned to grow in coming years.
Endeavors in Latin America
The introduction of Home PSI Pinturas' franchising model into the rest of Latin America is a long-term plan for the company. The sector is being scouted and under research in nearby countries, such as Panama, where there's a strong margin of purchase for paint products.
Franchising
Home PSI Pinturas' business units, either owned or franchised, are under continuous supervision, with their staff receiving constant training and dedicated attention to store opening and closing times, busiest sales hours, surveillance cameras, among other factors, enabling operators to provide the brand's good service based in their experience and trade know-how.
"We want our franchisees to worry exclusively about helping customers and sales, that sums up our philosophy and every effort we do is directed to provide franchisees with timely, efficient, easy-to-use tools for them to introduce the brand into their area's specific markets," says Maldonado.
To make a success story out of every single franchise, franchisees are provided with the most complete information about their local market, including a segmented database and the projected take-off for the brand's most popular products.
Green solutions
Home PSI Pinturas follows through with the global tendency of working with eco-friendly materials, such as their water-based coatings. Some of their environmental-friendly efforts have introduced business solutions into intelligent buildings, for example using paints that produce cooler temperatures.
"Thanks to our suppliers, new technology developments help us become more responsible with the environment. This tendency has two reasons: one, it has to do with conscience, and the other reason is because our market demands such measures," says Maldonado.
The executive added that there isn’t an established blueprint in the sector as to certify any "green products", consequently the association took to the task of creating the guidelines and regulations to determine the eco-friendliness of products according to the solvents used in product preparation.
Vision-led suppliers
The Home PSI Pinturas brand has become a household name due in part to its suppliers' reliability and the quality of the raw materials they provide. For their own part, the company's engagement vision with business partners aims to get them involved with new product engineering.
"It is wisely stated that the customer comes first. And it's true, we owe our success to the market, hence to customers, but I think suppliers find themselves at the same level of importance," says Maldonado.
Sketches for a colorful future
"We want to become the second-largest distribution network in Mexico," says the executive. The company has grown closer to different market niches and specific trades for sale of specialty solutions in paint, giving way to their prosperity on Mexican soil.
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