-----An Interview for Yu Mingsheng, the Managing Director China and North East Asia of Spanish Levantina Group

 

 

As we known, Spanish stone industry is so developed. It is amazing that its excellent quality and high-tech processing technique. However, the quality and technique are parts of success, the advanced manage pattern and sale idea are more important. Maybe the Chinese stone businessmen could learn something and know better about the Levantina through our interview.

 

Editor: Hello, Mr. Yu. Could you introduce your company?

 

Yu: Levantina Group, the largest stone company in Spain, which is very famous in international stone industry. The former Levantina was the family business which set up by Antonio Esteve in 1959. In March 2006， it was invested by two Private Equity Funds to set up the Levantina Group which managed by the professional managers. The Levantina Group, the largest stone company in the world, which has more than 2,000 employees in the world. Its total asset is more than 6,000 million RMB. There are 72 marble and granite mines in Spain, Brazil, India, Angola and Zimbabwe and the 16 factories produce 10 billion square meters rubbed slab every year to sell to Europe, America, Middle East, China and South America.

 

Editor: When did your company enter the Chinese market?

 

Yu: From 1995 or 1996 on, the Chinese customers began to buy our block. At that time; Levantina was the family business so the sell pattern was very traditional and passive. After being integrated, the traditional sell pattern had been changed. Nowadays, Levantina is not only the biggest stone company in the world, but also has the top-ranking in the sell pattern. However, we have to improve ourselves in many areas. To Chinese market, we pay more attention on the brand to drive our development to meet the special need in China. Chinese office plays an important role in developing operation. Through the office, we collect the information about the sell and stockpile of our customers, try our best to provide the perfect service. Growing up with Chinese partners in the varied marketing segmentation is our ultimate goal. 

 

Editor: How do you feel about the Chinese stone industry?

 

Yu: Chinese stone industry began with the family business, but has some canonical big company such as Wanli Stone and Best Cheer. The company has to adopt the modern management system to replace the family management, if not, the company is hard to advance. However, the Chinese stone industry develops so quickly that we wish we could grow up with it to create a win-win condition.

 

Editor: Why did your company set up an office in China?

 

Yu: China is our third largest market in Levantina Group. We aim to deliver our best customer value to our customers and the brand of Levantina in natural stone market should be the benchmark when customer is looking for Spanish marble. Plus the potential of the Chinese market is very strong and the real estate and varied kind of buildings develop very well. Take the real estate for example, it increasing more than 30% every year. Meanwhile, the building material market is developing too. Due to these facts, we set up the Chinese office to provide the top service to Chinese customers. In fact, from the Chinese office working on, the business increases 50% every month. Every year, there are a lot of Chinese stone company come to Spain or other countries to buy the block. Because of know little about the overseas market, they are tired and spent a lot of money, what’s worst, they may be buy nothing. Due to the mistrust between the sells and the buyers, the buyer’s cost increases. We aim to establish the faith between each other to achieve the win-win purpose. 

 

Editor: Why did you set up the first office in Xiamen? Where will you establish other offices in China?

 

Yu: Because Xiamen is the famous stone trade distributing center and many companies set up their offices in there. It is convenient for our business. We will set up the other office in Guangzhou, Shanghai or Beijing. It is most possible in Guangzhou. Because 44% of the 50 strongest real estate companies of South China is in Guangzhou. And the real estate value is very advanced that go with our production.

 

Editor: What are your main productions in China? Will you have new production in China?

 

Yu: Our productions are sold to all over the world. Now, we have many kinds of productions in China, such as Gream Marfil, Emperador Dark, Coralito, and Yellow Sandstone, etc. We sell the slab and block, but we prefer to selling the rubbed slab than block, for one hand the customers could discern the quality of the rubbed slab, for the other hand, the high-tech Spanish processing technique would improve the add-ons value of the slab. This year our company plan to promote a new production—Techlam which is an industrialized production. Only Italy, Turkey and Spain could produce the Techlam at this day. But Italian and Turkish prices are treble ours. Because our capacity stronger than theirs, which our unit price is lower. Due to its speciality and competitive price, the Techlam will be warm welcome in China.  

 

Editor: What are the differences among the Chinese market, American Market and European Market?

 

Yu: America develops so well that a lot of places could not construct, plus the real estate continually declines, so the development of American market is limited. And the European market develops more slowly. But the potential of Chinese market is so strong that we are full of confidence to it.