Revista del Ascensor in México
This is how Servando Domínguez, born in México City, conceives his job to which he arrived through a relative of his and which he never quit as he is passionate about this profession. The owner of Saitek Elevadores S.A. de C.V. talks about various issues that make to the elevator industry in this exclusive report he brought to Revista del Ascensor.
SAITEK LIFTS INSIDE
Revista del Ascensor: -Servando, how did you start your career in Vertical Transport?
Servando Domínguez Flores: – I started working at Schindler México as a general assistant and then I moved to the repair area and after that to the maintenance and fault service areas.
In 2000, I decided to retire from Schindler to perform service on my own, as I’ve got several clients in my portfolio.
A few years later I created the AMRE Elevators Company.
R del A.: – Why did you choose the elevator as a profession?
S.D.F.: – I started working at Schindler on the recommendation of a relative, and being within the sector, the teams operation caught my attention, so I decided to improve my learning so in the future I could work by myself.
R del A.: – How was your professional training?
S.D.F.: – A large part of my training consisted of attending training courses at Schindler. Later, when I became independent, I continued my training taking courses on electronics and the rest I’ve learned it through everyday work experiences, and that gave me the suitability that I have today.
R del A.: – Was Elevadores AMRE your first own company?
S.D.F.: – After having some equipment in my portfolio for maintenance and repairs, and as the number of clients increased, I decided to start a more formal company which, in effect, was Elevadores AMRE (Elevator Maintenance and Repair Consultancy), in 2010.
R del A.: – How and why did you decide to change your name to SAITEK ELEVADORES?
S.D.F.: – As a result of starting a commercial relationship with SAITEK CONTROL from Argentina, we began to import their products and technology into Mexico. In order to fully understand the operation of their products, we requested for them to send us a technician to train us. In a short time an important project to modernize 3 elevators arose, so Christian Ferraris visited us together with Hernán, who was the technician who trained our team. After completing these works and after a couple of visits I’d made to Argentina, we asked SAITEK CONTROL for their authorization to use their name in Mexico.
R del A.: – How is the company composed today?
S.D.F.: – Today we have a preventive and corrective maintenance service area; an area for modernization of elevators; the administrative area, and a team for the assembly of new elevators.
The most important area is the maintenance one, the others vary greatly, but maintenance is constant from month to month. I want to emphasize that our technician Ricardo Vázquez has been working with us even before the creation of AMRE Elevadores.
R del A.:: – In what areas of Mexico do you work?
S.D.F.: – Mainly in Mexico City and the State of Mexico. In any case, when clients arise outside of this area, we have the capacity to serve clients from all over the Mexican Republic. In fact, we work in Acapulco and other cities.
R del A.: – From what origin are the components you use?
S.D.F.: – The components we use are of foreign origin, the main quantity comes from Argentina. I already mentioned our main business partner is SAITEK CONTROL. Spare parts from brands such as Schindler, Otis, Kone, etc., need to be request them from Germany or China.
Asked if his company specializes in a certain client profile Servando Domínguez replied that most of them are residential buildings; secondly, automotive agencies and hotels.
Rdel A.: – How did COVID-19 change the way you were working? Did users adapt to those changes?
S.D.F.: – Yes. The situation generated by COVID-19 forced us to carry out administrative activities at home, minimizing meetings with the whole staff, summoning it only when it is necessary to deliver the work plan for each month.
Users for their part also modified the way they received invoices since most had to be carried physically and now, at this time, most of it was done electronically. They also adapted to the prevention measures when using the lifts: Reduction of the maximum users capacity , mandatory use of mouth covers, mandatory use of antibacterial gel when climbing the elevator, avoid as much as possible contact with the surface of the cabin.
COMO VE SERVANDO DOMINGUEZ A SU PROFESION
HOW DOES SERVANDO DOMINGUEZ SEE TO HIS PROFESSION
R del A.: – If we ask you what you like and don’t like about this activity, what would you tell us?
S.D.F .: – I will tell you I like that each work, each building, each client means a different challenge to me and each day is different from the other, we don’t t fall into a routine. There are easy repairs and there are difficult failures in the modernizations in which we have to put and test new products with new functions and that is where we highlight the support we get from Saitek Control of Argentina to achieve this. And when I pass by a building where we did a job, I like to be able to tell my family and friends that we install this elevator and we also maintain it.
And what I don’t like, is the situation when a client doesn’t want to invest or when the money is lacking to fix an elevator or provide adequate maintenance. And I also don’t like that when an elevator breaks down or a part breaks, or when an accident occurs, it is very difficult to convince the customer that the machine broke down due to lack of maintenance, supervision, or misuse by users.
A LOOK AT THE MEXICAN ELEVATOR LANDSCAPE
R del A.: – Is the elevator valued as it worth in Mexico? Condominiums give importance to their maintenance or they privilege other things in the building?
S.D.F .: – It varies a lot between each client, some do value the elevator, especially in buildings with more than 6 floors; in buildings of up to 5 floors they give it less priority.
R del A.: – How do you see your sector performance? Does it work well? Is the technical training good?
S.D.F.: – The sector grew a lot in recent years. This is because many residential buildings were built throughout the City, which increased the demand for new equipment and in turn the demand for maintenance and repairs.
Currently, there is no special training for elevator technicians. It is necessary to have a base in electronics and mechanics; having this base, the rest comes with the experience on the field.
R del A.: – Are there many accidents in Mexican elevators?
S.D.F .: – As in everywhere there are accidents, however, most of these are due to misuse of the equipment and also due to lack of maintenance. Unfortunately, many users wait until they have an accident to make the repairs that are needed.
R del A.: – Are there enough regulations? Do you work under any standard?
S.D.F: – There are two standards in Mexico, one for the sale and installation of new elevators and another for preventive maintenance and we accomplish both of them.
ELEVADORES SAITEK S.A. de C.V.
ADDRESS: Diagonal 20 de Noviembre 293, Colonia Obrera, C.P. 06800, Cuauhtémoc, México City
PHONE: 55 7950 7563
MAIL: elevadores_saitek@hotmail.com
WEB: www.elevadoressaitekmx.com
INSTAGRAM: elevadores_saitek
