Spain 

Introduction 

The project “Productive capacity expansion and cutting line improvement ” has consisted on the state-of-the-art technological equipment acquisition that allows large iron sheets plasma cutting into custom-made pieces which are necessary for forestry machinery manufacturing process; being Talleres Ramón Castro, S.L. main business activity at its facilities located on the Oscos-Eo region (Asturias, Spain). 

Talleres Ramón Castro, S.L. is a company that designs and manufactures exclusive and patented forestry machinery, such as forestry harvesters, felling heads and biomass compactors.  

The project´s idea arose to optimize the production process since the manufacturing of this forestry machinery requires custom-made parts with specific shapes that the market did not offer under favorable conditions.  

In this way, Talleres Ramón Castro, S.L., carries out the entire manufacturing process with the consequent increase in productivity and can thus meet the high demand for existing forestry machinery not only nationally but also internationally.  

It is a company that captured the needs of the local forestry sector and knew how to satisfy them by creating specific machines.  

Presentation of the project 

Talleres Ramón Castro, S.L. is a family company located on Barres Industrial Estate, in the municipality of Castropol (Asturias-Spain), founded in 1980 that, at first, focused its activity on agricultural machinery repairment and marketing.  

As time went by and due to the increase of lumber clients with breakdowns in their machines, the company decided start manufacturing processing heads with greater resistance than those on the market, capable of working with eucalyptus wood. Thus, its foray into the forestry sector dates back to 1997, when it created its commercial brand MONRA FORESTAL (MONRA). Under this brand, it offers comprehensive solutions including exclusive forestry machinery design, development, manufacturing, assembly and after-sales service.  

One of MONRA’s main competitive advantages relies on its products specialization in eucalyptus processing. Delimbing this species entails greater difficulties for lumber workers due to the hardness and branches insertion angle. To solve this problem, it manufactures exclusive machinery suitable for this process. It should be noted that most of the equipment manufactured in Europe is not adapted to working conditions required by eucalyptus. This is why MONRA is the only equipment manufacturer with the level of versatility and demand appropriate for working with hardwoods.  

Among its range of products are also the ENFO biomass compactors, with great recognition in the sector and whose design is protected under an international patent. The availability of this equipment on the market encourages forest biomass use as a source of renewable energy, offering great advantages from an environmental, social and economic point of view. Thus, the use of forest residues is promoted, facilitating repopulation on one hand, and, on the other, the generation of tied, packaged, stackable bales deliverable to any biomass processing company.  

Currently, the company has managed to consolidate itself in the national market by being the only manufacturer of forest biomass processors, harvesters and compactors specialized in hardwoods.  

In 2000, MONRA managed to quickly position itself in the South American market, specifically in Chile and Argentina as well as in Poland and Portugal.  

The subsidized project in 2022 consisted of of a new large plasma cutting machine with the latest features acquisition to improve productivity and diversify its production and which is included in a larger project to expand the company´s productive capacity. This equipment will be installed in a recently built warehouse in the Barres Industrial Estate.  

During the LEADER 2014-2023 period, Talleres Ramón Castro, S.L., has received two grants in the amount of €113,286.80, thus contributing to the economic development of rural areas.  

What gives this project its innovative character is the ability of a small family company, located in rural areas, to adapt to the times and know how to satisfy the needs of a sector.  

What stands out in this company is its great expansion, going from a small company for the repair and marketing of agricultural and forestry machinery with a clientele at the regional level, to a company with more than 5,000 m2 of facilities, which designs, develops, manufactures, assembles and sells its own forestry machinery, differentiating itself by its innovative and exclusive character, and with an international clientele. It is a clear example that rural areas do not prevent global business. It sould also be highlithted Talleres Ramón Castro, S.L. founder´s commitment with his hometown, as he had the opportunity to move to other industrial estates closer to the big cities and that offered more expansion possibilities, but he decided to stay and grow in his town because of the strong roots he has in it. He currently employs 23 people in the area in addition to his self-employed position and his wife´s, both partners in the company.  

The CEDER Oscos-Eo Participatory Local Development Strategy aims to support the economic activity of the Oscos-Eo Region, improve quality and innovate in production processes. This project contributes to forestry sector growth by offering the possibility of working in the mountains with greater comfort and obtaining better results, being the reason why it is considered a priority for LEADER Oscos-Eo.  

This project is a clear example of you can work, grow and even internationalize in rural.  

Pictures 

Company website: https://www.monraforestal.com/index.php/es/  

The Asturian Local Development Network (READER) made several videos of LEADER aid beneficiaries for broadcast on local television and other media. In the following link you can see that of this company: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grXAKOmoRQc