The history of LemuGroup

Get to know us: A Look at Our Story

02/01/2025

1. When and how was the company founded? 
   The company dates back to 1963, when Demetrio Larrea Ollaquindia, in a small mechanical workshop consisting of a lathe, a drill, a saw and a grinder, and occupying an area of approximately 40 square meters, was dedicated to the machining of parts to order.
   In the 70's, the activity was expanded and the company started to manufacture machinery with its own design for paper handling. More specifically, machinery was developed to manufacture paper rolls for the adding machines and calculators of the time. The activity continued to grow and the company began to diversify and open up to new markets. In 1980 Talleres Lemu, S.A. was established with 13 employees and a turnover of 18 million pesetas in the paper handling sector.
   Over 60 years, LemuGroup has grown and incorporated other companies into the group (Llorens-Planas, Bragernes, Mida and Robolan) and currently has three manufacturing centers in the Basque Country and one in Catalonia, as well as subsidiaries in Central America and the United States.

2. How has it evolved throughout its history? 

Development of the company
As a result of a constant investment effort in internal development, in the 90's, Talleres Lemu had several ranges of semi-automatic machines that allowed exporting more than 50% of the production to the paper handling and converting segment for the manufacture of paper rolls. Later, in the first decade of the 2000s, with the development and great acceptance of the first automatic machine, Lemu exported 75% of its production, mainly to the Central European market and the rest of South America.
Thus, one of the first milestones overcome has been to promote the company's own design and development of high-end automatic machines for international markets. The second critical point could be said to be the need to diversify, to expand the catalog. The great development of telephony, internet, communications in general, etc. made us suspect the disappearance of the paper ticket, so we developed a new line of machinery for the manufacture of labels and printing in line.
From that moment until today, the objective has been to position ourselves in new markets, taking advantage of the proven technological capabilities in advanced machines for handling and printing paper.

Acquisitions

LemuGroup's acquisitions are aligned with a specific strategy. All of them, except Robolán, are dedicated to paper handling and converting. Robolán, on the other hand, specializes in robotic engineering. The four factories are perfectly integrated, as each factory specializes in a particular area, although they all contribute by manufacturing machinery for the seven divisions.

Mida, the Vitoria plant, focuses on the label division. It transforms preprinted labels into high value-added products through digital designs, such as screen printing and embossing, turning simple preprinted label rolls into premium labels for markets such as wine and beauty.

At the Mataró factory, Conveq, our machines are designed to slit large reels of various materials and transform them into smaller diameter rolls, thus adapting to different production needs.

Ibarra's mill, Lemu, specializes in rewinders for a wide range of applications, from thermal rolls for dataphones and lottery, to baking paper, labels for scales and logistics, plotter rolls and vinyl, paper bags and envelopes. Its main function is to slit and rewind a variety of paper-based materials for different industrial applications.

And in Hernani, Robolán specializes in automation engineering, which allows us to take advantage of their expertise to automate the final processes of all our machines. In other words, once the roll is produced, machines are designed and manufactured to pack the final product into boxes and palletize it. Automation is gaining more and more relevance among customer companies, and being able to offer these systems gives additional value and puts us at the forefront of the market.

It is important to note that these factories share a family origin, just like ours, and share the same values.

Export

LemuGroup's export level has varied over the years, but currently stands at 98% of its turnover.

In 2005, the value was around 65%, mainly in the Central European and South American markets, but it quickly rose to 80% in 2010, thanks to the development of high-performance automatic machines. This has made it possible to face the economic crises suffered in the Spanish market, such as the one in 2008.

The main strategy has been to have a strong sales team composed of both our own staff and agents distributed throughout our main export markets. This exporting profile of LemuGroup and knowledge of the commercialization channels is a very important guarantee to consolidate existing markets and to advance in new markets.

A great effort is currently being made in the North American market where automation is an important added value. Thanks to the knowledge in the area of automation, both for the end of line machines where the final products are boxed and palletized by robots, as well as for the automation of complete manufacturing plants, we can compete against large companies in such a demanding market as the North American one.

Group Clients
We work with customers of various sizes and adapt to their needs. From the creation of simple and economically accessible machines, ideal for small companies with limited budgets, to the execution of large-scale projects involving the manufacture of machines and the automation of complete plants.

We have been observing how, over time, customers, particularly those from the US, Germany and in nations with robust industry, have become increasingly interested in projects where automation of complete machines and plants has become essential. Labor availability is steadily decreasing and employee turnover is high, posing challenges for recruitment and retention of workers. Automation is presented as the solution to many of their problems.

3. What is the current situation of the company?
LemuGroup currently has 200 employees and a total surface area of 18,000 m2 in the different facilities.

4. What values and philosophy guide your activity?
LemuGroup is a company that places our clients at the center of everything we do. Each project we undertake is subjected to meticulous analysis and is manufactured in a totally customized manner. 

LemuGroup follows a policy of continuous improvement and design of new machine models, always adapting them to the specific demands and needs of each customer. It seeks to integrate technological advances in drive systems, machine components, electronic control of paper processing, improved printing, incorporation of sensors in the machine and automation of operations such as handling and finishing. The goal is to offer solutions that remain at the cutting edge of technology and meet customers' performance and quality expectations. It works closely with them to understand their specific needs and develop machines that deliver efficiency, productivity and advanced capabilities to give them a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Regarding service, we work with Industry 4.0 technology and have remote access systems connected to our equipment to solve problems remotely. In the event that on-site assistance is required at the customer's plant, we can be there within 24 hours.

LemuGroup's business evolution has been supported by a permanent effort to develop its own solutions by its internal R&D&I team. LemuGroup's commitment to R&D&I is a company policy motivated by the need to follow and apply technological evolutions and the dynamics of the sector itself, customers/competitors who stimulate us to seek advanced solutions that are better than those of our competitors.

Finally, LemuGroup has developed from family businesses, and we have managed to maintain that family essence. Being part of LemuGroup is not just being an employee, it is being part of a big family that involves workers, customers and suppliers in a close relationship of collaboration and mutual support.

5. What services/products do you offer?

Our machines manufacture a variety of end products depending on the divisions:

• Labels: include logistics labels for parcels, scale labels to indicate the weight and cost of products, and premium labels such as those on wine bottles that add value to the product to which they are attached.
  - Point-of-sale and lottery: paper rolls for dataphones and supermarket shopping tickets, as well as lottery rolls.
  - Baking paper: paper rolls used for cooking food in baking trays, avoiding dirt and food sticking.
  - Plotter and vinyl: plotter rolls and vinyl used for advertising on bus shelters or buses.
  - Envelopes and paper bags: envelopes for e-commerce and delivery bags for orders or take-out food.
  - Flexible packaging: materials that come into contact with food, such as lids for ready meal trays, designed to prevent spillage.
  - General converting: slitting and rewinding of large rolls according to customer needs, for example: cigarette papers and paper straws, among others.

Paper is becoming very important in everyday life. Paper has a basis and a concept of sustainability that plastic does not have. Society is more aware of the sustainability and recyclability of products and we, with our machines, are helping to replace plastic with paper, so we see a very positive future. 
There are numerous niches where paper is the preferred option, such as paper bags instead of plastic and baking paper instead of aluminum foil.

At the moment the regulations benefit us, but we are keeping an eye on any future changes that may arise in this regard.
LemuGroup is currently the national leader and one of the main international producers of rewinding machines for paper handling and converting. The company has opted for diversification and has developed a whole range of recognized machinery to offer solutions in the seven markets in which it is focused.

The essence of our machines can be summarized simply: we receive large paper rolls on a unwinder and transform them into smaller diameter rolls. These processes vary depending on the market and the needs of our clients, and can include die-cutting, slitting, printing, etc. It is important to note that our machines are modular, meaning we build equipment by incorporating modules based on the specific needs of each client. Therefore, it is crucial to listen to and carefully analyze the client’s needs in order to provide the equipment that best suits their task. As a result, no machine is the same as another; each one has unique features.

6. What sets you apart from other similar companies in your sector?

At LemuGroup, we are aware of the complexity companies face in controlling and understanding their operating environment. In today’s ambiguous and volatile landscape, with the speed at which changes occur, the competitive advantage of companies lies in achieving more productive and profitable processes. Technology and automation play a fundamental role. At LemuGroup, we understand the importance of investing in both areas. “Our goal is to provide solutions to the problems our clients present to us, bringing our creativity and industrial know-how to ensure they have the best solution suited to their needs. One of the key areas we focus on is listening to the client.

7. How do you envision the future?
Over the 60 years of LemuGroup, there has been a constant focus on technological development and improvement, building a solid foundation that has evolved continuously. The spirit of restlessness, along with various strategic acquisitions, has given the group the confidence and experience needed to identify new opportunities and expand into emerging markets. Diversification has been key to growth, always within the framework of a technological foundation adapted to each sector.
By analyzing the continuous growth in revenue and current projections, we can conclude a positive trend for the future. Projects are not only growing in volume but also in complexity and scope. The company’s restructuring is beginning to bear fruit, and the international recognition we are receiving leads us to conclude that we have a positive future full of opportunities and challenges.