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Juan Gallostra Isern, Grupo JG Consulting Engineers Managing Director
In this edition we talk to Juan Gallostra Isern , Grupo JG Managing Director. He is an Industrial Engineer who graduated in Energy Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, in Barcelona.
Juan, 42, worked for the international engineering company Ove Arup and Partners for about 2 years before joining the family company, Grupo JG. He is a specialist in sustainability and hospital engineering and has been running the company in its more expanding years. Back in 1991 Grupo JG and Niemi & Co started then what was initially called International Q Group. In this interview Juan Gallostra speaks about Grupo JG's participation in First Q and the link between university research and industry, something that "is vital, especially in the engineering sector”, as he says.
How and what do you remember about the incorporation of Grupo JG into the First Q?
Grupo JG is a founding member of First Q. In 1991, we were approached by NIEMI & Co. (a Finnish consulting engineering) that was looking for a European partner. We started then what was initially called International Q Group, and quickly more European engineering colleagues joined us, until we reached a total of 11 members. In 2002, the majority of the members decided to move forward and established a common European engineering company, what we have today as First Q Consulting Engineers. Out of the initial 11 members, 8 of us have continued in this new initiative.
Which has been, until now, the most important Grupo JG- First Q collaboration?
The series of projects we developed for the French book and audiovisual retailer FNAC. We produced the design for their new stores in Madrid and San Sabastián (Spain), Algarve (Portugal) and Athens (Greece). Although the projects have been produced with a lot of difficulty, we have learned a lot about how to work for international clients and how to work together within First Q. We are at the moment working, under a slightly different approach, in a new FNAC store in Murcia (Spain).
How do you see the engineering sector in Europe , specifically in the countries where First Q is present?
The situation is of general optimism, but with different considerations: in the Northern countries (Sweden and Finland) the situation is quite stable, whereas in the center of Europe (Holland, United Kingdom) the workload is increasing substantially. In the southern European countries, the engineering sector is, as the rest of the construction sector, very dependant on the unstable political situation of the different countries (Italy ,Portugal and Spain). We in First Q also believe there are good business opportunities in Eastern Europe and in the Middle East .
About the connection between university research and industry, in your opinion, what do you think about this area and how much we are doing there?
This link is vital, especially in the engineering sector. The industry has to orientate the research activities of the university, so the university is developing research where the industry needs it. In First Q we believe in this connection, and several of our key staff are part-time university lecturers, or come from the academic world. In Grupo JG in particular, we are sponsoring a university research chair ("Cátedra"), to develop studies on the sustainability of the mechanical and electrical systems in buildings. During the four years that the chair ("Cátedra") has been working, research has been produced in the design of double skin ventilated glazed facades, or the right energy operation of indoor swimming pools. We try to put these possibilities at the service of our clients, and try to put the results of our research for their benefit.
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