Stainless Women

Many times we take for granted that the incorporation of women into the working world is already absolutely normal. I believe that I am not mistaken if I say that this statement is still very far from reality. There is still a significantly lower presence of women in the workplace at all levels and in practically all sectors.

When we talk about the sector in which I have been working for more than 24 years, stainless steel, this presence is still much smaller. Although the situation is now much better than when I started, it is also true that we still have a lot of work to do.

I still remember one of the first tube industry meetings I attended. Of the fifteen people at the table, directors or owners of companies, I was the only woman. This fact made me reflect on the situation, and it is still difficult for me today to understand why there are so few women in our sector. Surely there are many factors that have played a role, many of them perhaps related to the harsh working conditions of the metallurgy sector in general. Maybe it is also because of the handicaps that we impose on ourselves and the imaginary limit that we create on us, prioritizing our personal and family life ahead of our careers.

But the new technologies and production processes in our sector, the legislative and social improvements to be able to combine the two facets of life and, above all, education and the desire of women are beginning to make things change little by little. Two weeks ago I attended a meeting with some German clients (via videoconference, of course) and I was surprised to see that, of the six attendees, five were women, all of them with important hierarchical positions. In our own company, the presence of women, although still at a disadvantage, has been increasing steadily in recent years.

My experience tells me that in the variety is the wealth, both in the variety of gender, race, beliefs, age… Each human being, with its peculiarities, contributes value, objectives, priorities and different visions. Women too. The fact that we participate in the processes, both from the factories and from the offices or from the Boards of Directors, will improve the results. It’s not just me who thinks about it, it’s proven.

In Grupo Lapuente, and in Isotubi within it, we promote the integration of women in the world of stainless steel on equal terms. There is still a long way to go, but I am sure that we will see many more women in our sector in the coming years and at all hierarchical levels. And with that, stainless will be even better!

Meritxell Arnedo
General Director of Isotubi (Grupo Lapuente)