In the mid-1980s, Luis Pérez provided transportation services in Neuquén. Along with him, one of his three children used to be as companions.
Since 2013, his two daughters are the ones in charge of this SME. Although today “Transporte Luisito” changed its name to Transfer, the family business retains its spirit, with the father as honorary president and the mother as head of the management system.
Based in Neuquén and with several international certifications, Transer is dedicated to the transport of drinking water, general cargo and the rental of water reservoirs. To these services, a new business unit dedicated to the movement of soil was added. Today, the sisters Marcela, a graduate in Administration, and Verónica Pérez, an agronomist, are at the helm, and they have a staff of fifteen employees.
Transer is one of the SMEs that participated in the Vaca Muerta Cluster reengineering project which, with the support of Pan American Energy (PAE), carried out IDEA. “We were one of the companies selected to take part in the training course. We spent four months working with the guides who were giving us support and getting to know each other with the other companies. We kicked off the Cluster so that the Cluster begins to function, not only with Neuquén companies but also with operators, to have a varied, comprehensive productive offer, where we can give Vaca Muerta a boost ”, highlighted Marcela, Administration and Finance manager of the SME.
“Participating in the Vaca Muerta Cluster is an opportunity to diversify the productive offer, generate new alliances and consolidate a culture of teamwork with other companies,” said Agustina Zenarruza, PAE’s Sustainability Manager.
Pan American Energy, a leading global energy company in Argentina, since 2005 has been carrying out the PAE SME Program in which both its suppliers and those who are not participate, as is the case of Transer. Its main objective is to professionalize the management of companies and entrepreneurs through technical advice, training and facilities in access to credit. Since its inception, more than 2,500 SMEs They participated in the program, which is carried out in a work of public-private articulation with local development agencies, municipalities, provinces and the Government of the Nation, as well as with technical education institutes and universities, among other institutions.
“You try to always be updated and prepare for what is coming. For us, everything is learning, growth, being more efficient in every way and we focus on that, on the client and on the environment, we try to get out of our bubble and be always updating ourselves. Although we are a small company, we try to be a happy company, a model SME to work with and so that the person who works with us feels that too: that they are working with a safe company and that they are not only looking for profitability. For this reason, we always emphasize training ourselves and participating in courses such as those of the PAE Pymes Program ”, said Verónica Pérez.
Last year, the SMEs Program from PAE it was completely reconverted to digital channels and its contents and formats were adapted to respond to the new reality and to orient itself towards the post-pandemic.
With an eye on the sustainability of companies and SMEs that are part of the productive network, within the framework of the PAE SME Program and in partnership with Sistema B, the initiative was carried out in Neuquén, Campana and Caleta Olivia “Measure what matters”. More than 50 companies -among them, Transer- participated in this activity where they analyzed their situation and identified how they impact economically, environmentally and socially in the place where they carry out their activities.
“We are one of the many family businesses in Neuquén, putting our heart, back and soul into this every day. For us, it is a pride to belong to the Cluster and the PAE Pymes Program, the idea is to move forward to continue developing Vaca Muerta, a project that is not only talked about at the country level but also internationally. We feel that we are doing our bit as an SME to move forward ”, he concluded Marcela perez, with the energy put into overcoming that moment of 2020 in which “from one day to the next, the trucks did not leave anymore” and it was necessary to redouble efforts to sustain the company and its people despite the drop in activity.
