The Optimus company celebrates 90 years with a turnover of 12 million euros and with the aim of consolidating internationally.
The Optimus company, which specialized in public address systems, will reach its ninety years in 2023. And it does so by being the main company in the state in the field of design, manufacture and distribution of public address, voice alarm and intercom equipment. This family company has a turnover of about 12 million euros and is expected to exceed 15 million by 2026 with the company's current Strategic Plan. Approximately 20% are exported, although many of the international works are done by clients of the state. Since its creation, the company has maintained its headquarters in the city of Girona. During all these years it has created an extensive commercial network in the state and distributors on five continents.
Its range of products and services allows the sound from large facilities, such as pavilions or station networks, to smaller ones such as schools or gas stations. During these 90 years of activity, Optimus has supplied products to the Ferrocarriles de la Generalitat de Catalunya, the Oceanográfico de València, the University of Deusto in Bilbao or the Las Glorias tunnels in Barcelona, for example. As its CEOs point out, at the state level “our service is comprehensive, it includes everything from pre-sale to on-site assistance and start-up of the equipment. This proximity, the relationship with our customers, is surely our main card, our added value”. But not only this, the equipment of this brand from Girona is also installed all over the world. With transport infrastructure projects in Manila, Singapore, Taiwan, India, Romania, and Chile or the sound reinforcement of the new Felipe Ángeles Airport in Mexico. Regarding this latest project, one of the CEOs, Lluís Pla, highlights that they feel very proud because “Mexico is a significant market, with a lot of potentials. We have been working in this country for years with works as significant as the Coatzacoalcos submerged tunnel or the Toluca railway in Mexico City. Accessing this large international airport is a milestone for us, as it is a specialized and highly competitive sector”.
Already consolidated as a reference brand in national sales, Optimus now intends to become the world reference public address company in sound systems for transport infrastructures, mainly the railway sector and road tunnels. All while continuing to innovate in new intercom systems and their integration into today's world. According to the other CEO, Joaquim Pla, innovation is “a strategic aspect of great importance for the company; we have a highly qualified, experienced and committed R&D department”. On the other hand, the CEOs emphasize that at Optimus we are also "committed to the sustainable development of three axes that we try to fulfil in harmony: environmental, economic and social".
New logo
Optimus has taken advantage of his 90th birthday to renew himself. A new corporate image was presented at ISE 2023 Barcelona, the world's leading audio/video and system integration fair. The event was also an opportunity to present to customers and suppliers the Compact and Optimax2 systems and new public address and intercom solutions.
Optimus S.A. was founded in 1933 when Manel and Joaquim Pla Mir decided to create a radio sales and repair shop. Between the 1950s and 1960s, the company created its first factory and began selling radios and TVs. It was in the 1970s, with the appearance of large-scale production companies, that the company specialized in a much more specific market such as public address and voice alarm systems. Currently, the company is still 100% family capital and is led by the third generation. Optimus has a staff of almost 100 workers. Of these, a third works in the factory, other third deals with technical and administrative tasks from the Girona headquarters and the rest are distributed in the commercial delegations throughout the state.