CMPC promotes program to strengthen local suppliers

14 small and medium-sized companies completed their training in the first version of the Local Supplier Development Program, promoted by CMPC. It is expected that, by the end of the year, there will be 100 providers trained by this initiative.

“We have vast experience in the field, I started with my mother when I was 8 years old. We are located in Mininco, so we have a quick response, tools that have been modernized more and more and are also environmentally sustainable”, says Patricio Sperje when he talks about his business “Sperlimp”, which is a supplier to CMPC performing cleaning and sanitizing tasks in the trash can.

Like him, there were 14 small and medium-sized companies from the Biobío and La Araucanía regions that participated in the first edition of the “Development of Local Suppliers” Program, an initiative aimed at promoting the growth and strengthening of transport and service companies, maintenance and industrial cleaning.

Therefore, 14 SMEs from the districts of Nacimiento, Laja, Angol, Collipulli and Loncoche, all local suppliers of the pulp and biopackaging businesses, were part of this first stage of the program.

“I value it a lot because it is a great help for us. Although I am a professional and have my studies, over time some internships are lost. In my case, here they helped me refresh my knowledge and modernize ourselves. What this program has given me the most is being able to reach clients and look for more job opportunities,” says Patricio.

The initiative that was born in 2021 consisted of four stages: diagnosis, gaps and opportunities for improvement, strengthening and support. Therefore, for six months, the theoretical and practical program was executed by the Industrial Corporation for Regional Development, Cidere Biobío; addressing issues such as competitiveness, new businesses, management skills, financial management, communication, sustainability, among others.

CH Industrial is a company that performs industrial mechanical maintenance, working with CMPC Celulosa Laja, Pacífico and Nacimiento. Its owner and manager, Carlos Hidalgo, was part of the first version of the program. “We reinforce knowledge and apply new techniques to jobs we do regularly. It helped us organize ourselves as a company. I greatly value and appreciate the invitation to this program, I really liked it to learn, to know what I was failing and to improve”, he says.

The closing ceremony, held in Los Angeles, was also attended by the general manager of CMPC, Francisco Ruiz-Tagle. There, he stated “as we have said, CMPC has defined as part of its strategy of sustainability and involvement with the communities to be a development impact factor and I believe that this is being fulfilled. This type of work gives value and life to a company; CMPC needs the community and local entrepreneurship, innovation and development. I believe that this is a shared value management model that is what we value most as a company”.

Finally, and due to the success of this initiative, the expansion of this program was announced and it is expected that by the end of 2022 there will be 100 trained providers.