Interview with Adelina González, Site Manager Depisa Galicia

When did you start working for Depisa?

I joined the Depisa Galicia team in late July 2008 to work in business unit production. Initially, the job involved taking measurements and control for small projects. Currently, as Site Manager, my responsibilities involve preparing studies and offers, organising teams, control and monitoring of projects and ensuring their proper implementation, always under the management and supervision of the business unit manager, Juan Sousa, who I’m indebted and grateful to for having trained me.

How has your career evolved over the years?

I’d been working in a construction company for 9 years and didn’t know anything about the industrial sector or anti-corrosive applications. As I became familiar with the role, I learned about the great variety of procedures involved and the importance of surface preparation and the application of coatings for the plants we work on.

You don’t often come across women in this sector. How would you encourage more women to reach managerial roles in the industrial maintenance sector?

I think the key to reaching any position shouldn’t involve being a man or a woman, but should be based on the individual, their training, commitment and desire to work and learn. However, above all, the ability to perform the functions and the responsibilities of the job assigned.

What changes have taken place at the business unit in the Galicia region from when you joined to the present day?

The Delegation has seen a big turnaround in every sense during this period. With the arrival of Juan Sousa, everything changed and improved, from far more central and welcoming offices, the company and worker image, and even the delegation management. At the beginning, we didn’t work with many customers and we’re now covering practically the whole Galicia and north Portugal industry. We also have over 50 loyal, frequent customers.

Which aspects would you highlight about the Galicia region when working?

The length of the projects we do in my department vary greatly. Some are short (2-3 days), others take weeks, annual campaigns and maintenance and some projects can even take several months. Each project and customer is different, and you learn from all of them. I’d highlight the difficulty of growing despite the problems of operating in a region with highly changeable weather and orology, and with the closure of strategic companies. Our ability to keep our services going is a success story.

Which projects have given you the greatest satisfaction?

Over these years, we’ve undertaken many and diverse jobs. One of the projects I’ve liked working on the most is the painting of some 40-metre high tanks at the Mugardos gas terminal. Their landscape integration was required for compliance with Council regulations and the project defined some vertical strips with the autumn colours in Galicia. The project was complicated due to the time of the year, doing the work in extremely difficult weather conditions, where the wind and rain stopped us from making progress and meeting deadlines. As well as this project, I should also mention jobs such as the restoration of the Redondela Bridge, the technical stoppages of the Thermal Power Plant, the restoration of the A Coruña Maritime Control Tower or the restoration of large structures at the Alcoa San Ciprián plant, and many more. At the end of the day, large or small, each project is a challenge and I’m happy when we finish. Small jobs are often as interesting as the big ones, because you learn from them too, and they play a big role in my department.

Any stories you’d like to share?

To be honest, thanks to this job, I’ve had the chance to go inside most industrial plants and do a wide range of jobs. A few years ago, we restored a concrete column at the Rande Bridge in Vigo. To access the work site, we first had to take a boat to the base of the bridge and then ascend over 100 metres in height to a mast climbing work platform, looking out over the whole estuary area. It was stunning. The experience was unforgettable.

What is the most rewarding thing about your job?

For sure, the best thing is doing a good job and above all, having the chance to do new things. Each project is different, and we’ve done jobs that hadn’t been done before, and have learned new techniques and applications.

Why would you recommend companies work with Depisa?

Due to their capabilities, professionalism and credit as a company, constantly moving forward and their investment in continuous staff training.

How do you see the company in the near future?

I think it’s a leading company in its sector and will stick to the current standards of moving forward and continuous improvement.