Jose Ignacio Lopez
The Basque engineer Lopez de Arriortua, known as Superlopez (nickname that don’t like him), starred in one of the most successful careers of a Spanish Executive, which ended with the battle between General Motors and Volkswagen, with included accusations of espionage. He began his professional career in an engineering company dedicated to build factories, but after a while, he touched moved to direct the construction of the motorway Barcelona – La Junquera. Paradoxically, half the world from here to there in their various positions – seemed to Lopez – who later was very far, and sought another job near his home, entering the factory of Westinghouse in Erandio. There began to cultivate his philosophy, according to which workers Lords (how he called them) are those who know the processes, and therefore as engineer should be more factory than in the Office. After four years there, he asked for a job at Firestone (which he had even closer to his house), where he remained ten years. He learned methods of organization, passed by the quality control Department, and directed the Department of standards and methods.
Age 29, he won the first patent of tires produced by a company in Spain, in designing a tire with lateral force zero. From there he became integrated into General Motors, as Director of Industrial Organization of GM Spain in Zaragoza. Applying their methods, Opel in Figueruelas factory got the first year 30,000 cars more than those who were expected. In Opel also began its journey in the procurement section, to the realize that the cost of materials represented 80% of the total cost, thus had to look for improvements there. The Opel plant was in danger at that time spoke of its sale to Fiat – and had to look for solutions. Lopez de Arriortua negotiated with all providers, and won for the first time in the history of the company lower prices compared to the previous year, proposing suppliers to help them improve their processes to reduce costs and getting it.
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