Carles Torrentó, Director of International Development of Semen Cardona: “Collaboration is and will be the key to success”

Carles Torrentó arrived at Semen Cardona in 2013, and in 2020 he was appointed Director of International Development, after years of working on this plot for the company. From a family closely related to pig farming, Carles studied Agricultural Engineering at the University of Lleida, has both postgraduate degrees in Business Management and Marketing Management.

As the new Director of International Development, what goals have you set for this new position?

Semen Cardona has had, for several years, the clear will to grow, also on an international level. We already have a presence in foreign markets, such as Mexico and the Philippines. There are other markets where we are in the preliminary stages of settlement and many others that the company has not assessed yet and does not know.

My goals in the position will be to enhance what we have already achieved, to ensure that the preliminary phases turn into real projects, and to track future markets that are unknown to us.

What does this responsibility mean to you in a company like Semen Cardona?

The position is new within the company. I have already been working internationally in Mexico, so it has been a step of natural growth and, at the same time, a challenge. I would define it as a responsibility. So I do have a responsibility towards the company, the international employees, the pig farmers, and the genetics in different countries.

Semen Cardona has not stopped growing and has been gaining an international presence. What is it due to, and what is your assessment of it?

First, success is the background and the experience that the company and the human team have after all these years. Second, the form of management of the company with a clear desire for growth. And third, the company has remained alongside the pig farmers and has known how to adapt to their needs.

What are Semen Cardona’s goals and challenges in the future? How has the pandemic affected these targets?

Semen Cardona is a very lively, very dynamic, and self-demanding company. We have many challenges and goals. First of all, the internationalization of our company. Then, the digitization and development of applications. And also the improvement of efficiency. In addition, some threats, such as biosecurity, play a significant role. They can affect insemination centers and clients, as happened in China or the Philippines. But Semen Cardona is ready, and we hope our clients and administrations are too.

Are there options for new offices or CIA in other countries? What markets could be attractive?

Apart from Spain, we currently have offices in Mexico. And we manager the rest of the international businesses from the headquarters.

To create an office and a structure in a country, we must have a presence there. We currently plan to visit Colombia, Brazil, and Argentina, among other places. We hope we will be able to announce new openings soon.

Will the association and collaboration with other companies be the keys to continue expanding internationally?

Collaboration is and will be the key to growth. Some relationships can occur in several countries, with different agents and different circumstances. These collaborations occur because they see in us a technically solid partner or collaborator and, above all, a predictable and reliable partner who is not governed by short-term results but by strong, beneficial, and long-term alliances.

Can you give us a summary of how the pig market is after the situation caused by Covid?

The Covid has affected and will affect the physical dealings with clients, visits, and canceled events. That is why we are promoting other ways of interacting, to continue being close to our customers.

However, in the pig sector and in the primary sector, being an essential sector, it has affected to a lesser extent than other sectors. Internally, we have learned how to adapt to measures to avoid contagion: teleworking, the usage of face masks, partitioning of equipment.

How is Semen Cardona different from other competitors?

There are only a few companies left as Semen Cardona, both nationally and internationally. The company has been able to adapt to internal and market changes. Few family businesses remain in our sector, so specific, which makes us have our philosophy also transferred to all the workers who are part of this great family.

All this translates into treatment and searches for synergies different from our competitors to carry out collaborations, which is one of the keys to success and emanates from a deep commitment to innovation, evolution, and change. Otherwise, we would not be attractive to our collaborators and clients.