ValutionX

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the General Manager of a company located in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. It was founded in 1995 with its main activity repair of motors and electrical fork lift trucks, production and trade with spare parts for fork lift trucks.

Since 2003 the company's main orientation is production of spare parts and a large variety of build-to-order metal parts. The production process is divided into four directions: laser cutting, machining, welding, and powder coating. The production process is equipped with modern high-tech machine.

Our team consists of specialists and employees with extensive experience in the production of metal parts. The company's strategy is focused on continuous upgrading the basic equipment, improving the staff qualifications and expanding production areas.

The company is ISO 9001 certified with functioning quality management system as well as certified special processes: БДС EN ISO 9001-2015 for welding and EN 1090-1 for powder coating.

For what projects/services did your company hire ValutionX?

The facility is located on the outskirts of the town in the industrial area and the owner of the electrical grid is a private contractor that sells the electricity to all nearby companies at a higher price. As we grow the cost for electrical energy has grown rapidly and we started to look for alternative.

We met the guys from ValutionX at a local fare. After talking to Miroslav and exchanging emails, we decided to hire them to develop the best strategy for implementing the best renewable source of energy at our facility and where they should be best located for maximum efficiency.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to integrate solar panels as an alternative energy source to lower the cost and amount of electricity bough from the distributor. The plan for the project had to be done in short time and repay itself in the shortest period of time possible.

How did you select this vendor?

After meeting them at the fare, we exchanged emails and met couple of times to see if they are serious enough and discuss the cost.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After I selected this vendor, they made a research into the best alternative renewable energy source and it was concluded it had to be solar energy because the efficiency would be higher than buying for example from the local nearby wind turbines.

At the beginning we were going back and forth between the two but at the end it was decided to be solar energy. The team was responsible for foreseeing the entire strategy and vision for the project, where the panels should be located (the company is spread over wide area), finding the right company that can deliver and install the panels and all the legal - government paperwork.

What was the team composition?

The team members involved where 4, we communicated constantly throughout the project and where capable of answering all the questions that emerged.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Since the end of their project, work of installing the panels should start closely. Unfortunately some government procedures slowed down the project by two months but it is not a problem. Hopefully by the end of February we will have pictures to provide.

However, when installed and integrated into our grid the panels are expected to lower the cost of our electricity by up to 40% and on Sundays when the facility is closed, we will sell the excess energy.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Although young and hasty their team was highly motivated and had no problems getting used to our workflow and adapted quickly at any new problem that emerged.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I'm impressed with the way that they see problems and their unconventional way of finding solutions. Although they are small company and team, they demonstrated high level of professionalism.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It could have been done faster, as always, but overall the work was done well. Only time will tell and more similar project if there are any serious gaps but at this stage their work was more than satisfying.