30. In October 2024, José Giner stood in the production hall of his company, Gimetal, assessing the ruination caused by the flood. The waters rose to one and a half metres, flooding the production area and clogging the machines with mud and debris. Over the past eight hours, huge amounts of rain had fallen in the Spanish region of Valencia, up to 422 litres per square metre, bringing with it flash floods and mudslides. Spain had experienced one of the most severe flood disasters in its history, with a state of emergency declared. José Giner was feeling the effects in Paiporta. The municipality south of the regional capital, Valencia, had been hit particularly hard.
Aftermath of the destruction
Giner recalls: "The roads were covered in mud. Initially, we had no space to move the masses of earth and rubble outside." Everyone is affected on multiple levels: during the day, employees work to clean up Gimetal's premises, and in the evening, they continue the effort in their own flood-damaged homes. Giner says: "There was no water, so they couldn't even wash properly. Supermarkets and restaurants were still closed; aid organisations brought in cooked food and groceries."
José Giner recalls: "This is how high the water and mud rose in the production hall after the flood disaster."
Mud, water and debris had completely destroyed the premises.
But the Gimetal team worked together, spending days cleaning up the production halls.
While Gimetal's offices on the second floor remained undamaged, the production area was decimated: "Our material stocks and all machines with electrical components were completely destroyed." Experts estimated the damage at €1.2 million. What made the situation particularly painful for Giner was that he had only recently invested – in 2022 and 2023 – in a TruLaser 1030 fiber 2D laser cutting machine from TRUMPF, equipped with the LiftMaster Compact automation for loading and unloading, and the ergonomic PartMaster sorting aid. Now, they had all been completely written off.
Normal service resumed in record time
30. Fast forward to April 2025, and José Giner is walking through his production area, watching as the new TruLaser 5030 2D laser cutting system cuts one piece after another. The production hall is a hive of activity. "Today, we've not only returned to pre-disaster production levels, but we're also overwhelmed by the volume of orders. We are currently hiring staff in various areas to resolve production delays," says the managing director. However, the path to fully functional production has been a rocky one: "We had to start from scratch," explains Giner. "We couldn't manufacture anything in the first month after the flood. With the help of employees, families, friends, and volunteers, we got the production line running again, one step at a time."
Solid banking partner provides rapid assistance
One source of hope during this challenging time was Andrea Straube from TRUMPF Bank. José Giner had previously met her during a visit to Gimetal. In this emergency, he reached out to her, and she responded quickly. Giner was given the option to either lease new TRUMPF machines or finance them through a loan. "I was extremely impressed that TRUMPF Bank, as a German company, was aware of what was happening here in Valencia and that they offered us all the financing options on the best terms." The support was incredible right from the outset. "And most importantly of all, TRUMPF guaranteed they would deliver the machines within two months, despite the Christmas holidays."
Opting for larger and more powerful machines, Gimetal's managing director chooses the TruBend 5230 bending machine and the TruLaser 5030 2D laser cutting system. "We were very satisfied with the TruLaser 1030, but the TruLaser 5030 now means we can cut thicker sheets even faster." With the new bending machine, Gimetal is now able to bend larger parts than before. "I am impressed by the quality of the machines. These machines can also be easily scaled with automation components, and in the future, we plan to implement the Oseon production software." There is good news in relation to the LiftMaster Compact and the PartMaster: TRUMPF's engineers can repair them, which will help Giner save additional costs.
Today, the employees at Gimetal have their hands full once more, with production running at full capacity again.
Gimetal can now bend larger parts than before with its new TruBend 5230 bending machine.
With TRUMPF's help, the production hall at Gimetal was back up and running in record time.
At the same time, the company is undergoing an extensive transformation and is introducing a quality management and lean management system.
New sense of unity
Six months after the devastating flood, José Giner is optimistic about the future. Production is running at full speed and the company is in the midst of an extensive transformation. Gimetal is introducing a quality management system and preparing for certification of their welded components. At the same time, the company is rolling out a lean management system: "It is essential to me that all our processes follow a defined procedure and comply with safety standards. At the same time, it is important to me that our employees feel comfortable at work and treat one another and our customers with respect," says Giner.
José Giner and his team have therefore emerged stronger from the flood disaster: "Having to survive such extreme conditions has strengthened the relationships between employees, families, customers and suppliers," he confirms. "At the same time, it sped up the adoption of a lean culture and highlighted how much we should value our colleagues." Giner is also grateful for the strong partner at his side: "TRUMPF Bank provided a real lifeline for us after the devastating flood."
José Giner founded Gimetal in 2001 in Paiporta, near Valencia, Spain. Today, the company employs 18 people and has two main areas of business. On one hand, Gimetal serves as a contract manufacturer, supplying steel and stainless steel components to local mechanical engineering firms, as well as water park manufacturers. On the other hand, Gimetal has also made a name for itself as an expert in art installations and sculptures made from stainless and weathered steel. For a project by Egyptian artist Ghada Amer, for example, Giner's team produced letters of different sizes from three-millimetre-thick weathered steel. Amer arranged them in the Jardin del Túria in Valencia to create the slogan "This will save us", also planting various regional vegetables among the letters.
More about the project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=dvMJVuUu5gQ
