The thriving Andalusian industrial refrigeration sector, with Lucena as its production hub representing nearly 80% of Andalusia's industrial and commercial refrigeration capacity, is confronting an increasingly pressing challenge: the difficulty in finding personnel with the necessary technical training. Profiles in automation, advanced maintenance, technical welding, and refrigeration engineering are highly sought after.
María Torres, Head of Selection, Training, and Human Resources Development at Grupo Infrico, confirms that the scarcity of technical talent is one of the main hurdles. "There is great difficulty in finding specialized profiles," she states, within a context of sustained growth and the need to integrate competencies related to digitalization and process automation.
In response, Grupo Infrico has intensified internal training. Many new hires lack prior specialization, and the company assumes part of the required technical training. This strategy aims to meet immediate production needs and prepare for the future of an industry facing a significant generational shift, with many employees nearing retirement after 40 years with the company.
A key project in this regard is the establishment of the Cátedra del Frío (Refrigeration Chair) in Lucena, promoted alongside the Association of Andalusian Refrigeration Manufacturers (AFAR) and various institutions. The initiative seeks to connect businesses, education, and universities to strengthen a sector with significant economic weight in the province.
The chair aims to cultivate specialized talent in industrial refrigeration, energy efficiency, automation, and sustainability – areas crucial for the sector's competitiveness. The generational shift issue is shared across the Andalusian refrigeration industry, which has been warning for years about the lack of qualified profiles in advanced manufacturing, assembly, and specialized maintenance, amidst a period of expansion and internationalization.
Beyond the industrial and training aspects, Grupo Infrico, through its corporate foundation, engages in social initiatives. The Fundación Grupo Infrico focuses on technical training and social action related to employment, collaborating with organizations like Fundación Proyecto Don Bosco and Cruz Roja (Red Cross) to facilitate the reintegration into the workforce of individuals facing difficulties in accessing the labor market.
"Economic growth is meaningless without the growth of talent and innovation, and that is only achieved by investing in people," asserts Torres. The foundation thus aims to give back to society a portion of the impact generated by the company's industrial activities. The current challenge is to ensure a successor generation for a sector that represents approximately 30% of Lucena's Gross Domestic Product and is a key industrial hub in Andalusia.
