Meet “SuperSealer” Bernal López

With over a decade spent at Trelleborg building up to his current role, our March SuperSealer loves coming up with new ideas and trying to turn them into reality. He discusses the challenge of having to innovate and adapt to new market demands, and how this offers exciting new opportunities for the business.

Who are you?

My name is Bernal López, and I am the Innovation Project Manager for Pipe Seals at Trelleborg Group, working out of the Netherlands.

How long have you worked in this position and what are your key duties?

I am new to my current role, having only started at the beginning of 2020. My job involves bringing together internal and external ideas for developing new products, and turning those ideas into real-life solutions. I also manage time-sensitive projects where the goal is to react quickly to developments taking place in the market.

How long have you been with Trelleborg and what do you like about working here?

I have been working with Trelleborg for 10 years now, and I love how innovation is a key priority. It’s exciting to be able to access other areas inside the group and to integrate new technologies into our products.

What are the key challenges you face in your job?

It’s always a challenge to think outside the box for products that have been in the market for a number of years. It can also be tough implementing new designs and materials and finding ways to improve performance, but I enjoy the intellectual challenge this creates!

How do you think the business in your area is going to evolve in the future? How are you preparing for this?

While our market doesn’t always evolve as fast as other sectors such as medicine, as a business, it’s important that we evolve at that level in order to bring innovation to our customers before our competitors do. With climate change and water scarcity a growing issue, the world is constantly challenging the market to come up with new solutions and more adaptable materials, and to reduce leakages in pipelines. Water is one of the most important resources for humanity, and we need to take care of it in the best way possible.

What do you do in your free time?

I love spending time with my wife and daughter. Besides that, I enjoy indoor sports and playing the guitar. I also like barbecues with friends – when the famous Dutch weather allows it, of course!