Jokin Delgado: "Innovating is bringing new solutions"
In recent years he has worked in Asia. Why did he go to Asia?
In 1996 3M launched a program to reach 3 billion companies in Japan. Within this program I was asked to manage projects related to electronics. While there, the Asian economic crisis began in 1997. It occurred mainly in three countries of great development: South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia. Within three months the Asian economy fell. At that time my Asian technical director retired and was given that position.
Where did he go then?
I went to Singapore. The year 1998 was very long. The money of these peoples was constantly devalued with the dollar and prices had to be adjusted every day. If not, you could sell much lost. In addition, automotive products were not required. 3M wanted to overcome the crisis without abandoning its markets. The daily work was very hard.
How long?
Finally, economic recovery began in 1999. We still had products in our markets. But our competitors do not. Sales grew a lot, so that year was very short. It must be said that Asian countries quickly faced the crisis. In Singapore my obligation was to increase the level of research and development we had in Asia.
What is Asian research like?
The Asian market needs very specific products that meet their needs. Many of our products are suitable for the American or European market but not for Asian. The e-market is the same everywhere, but as Asia develops, it has country-specific products and is also appropriate for these economies.
Will you give us an example?
One notable case is the treatment of infections by Asian hospitals. It is not similar to the mode here. Therefore, some of the products used here are not sold and vice versa. For example, in China catheters are placed with long steel needles. Catheter clamping materials on the patient's arm should be different from those here. Another example may be the cultural characteristics that must be taken into account in the field of domestic cleaning.
How is your economic level?
It varies greatly from country to country. Levels such as Thailand or Japan or Singapore cannot be equated. This implies an adaptation of the product both for the street consumer and for companies. The goal is to develop Asian products. This requires Asian researchers to conduct research and development. We had to expand their laboratories. From simply providing technical service to developing products.
Is theoretical research also being done in 3M?
Part of what 3M supplies are products. But on the other hand, it also provides solutions. Business research and development, as I understand, is the pyramid of knowledge. It is based on technical service. It requires knowing your customer, your products and those of the competition. Above there are product changes. It is necessary to know the technological bases of the products in order to change them. The next is to develop the product. Develop new technology platforms. Finally, in this regard is the basic research you refer to. Basic technology is investigated if the technological platforms you have today do not offer solutions to tomorrow's problems.
How is it carried out?
When you are in a situation of wisdom, you have to develop two areas: create products that can offer the situations of wisdom of today and create a new situation for tomorrow. If you don't work the first you don't have companies. If you don't work the second, tomorrow you won't have a company. 3M's basic research focuses on the platforms we've created. These platforms revolve around adhesives, microreplication, new tissues, biological systems, etc.
The renewal of information media, for example, is occurring at a very high speed. The consumer must innovate technology too quickly. Won't the market unbalance?
I believe it is a cycle of needs and solutions. Technology develops because society and therefore consumers demand it. A clear example are mobile phones. They must be smaller and lighter. This trend is what companies explore. Competition between companies can cause consumers to evolve faster than they need. However, the consumer will decide whether or not they need it. Some systems have been excluded by society. For example, the video beta system was better than the VHS, but it did not succeed. Balance is established by consumers.
Do you also work with magnetic tapes?
No, we do adhesive tapes. In 1996 we were gathering all the departments that we used to do, but that worked in magnetic accumulation and we constituted the new company. This company is called Imation. We develop blind ribbons. They have plastic support and layer of adhesive material and are like the heat of the offices.
What are the main applications of these tapes?
It has industrial uses. For example, when painting cars, certain surfaces must be protected so that they are not marked. It is protected by coating tapes. They are also covered with such tapes to bring new cars from factories to dealerships.
One of these great lines of research in the Donostia laboratory in which you were is emulsion. Does emulsion adhesive synthesis come from?
There are numerous ways of manufacturing adhesives. They can be done in emulsion, but also in dissolution and block polymerization. The traditional way of making adhesives has used solvents. But as a result of the oil crisis, companies worked on solvent savings. At the same time came the impact of the spills. For these two reasons, solvent-based systems were discarded and water-based systems were developed. Solid systems were subsequently used.
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