In 1993, at the age of 23, Darwin Rosales Jácome, born in Pilaló, Cotopaxi, came to Cuenca to found what is now a consortium of companies in the automotive sector. This year, the company, which has 350 employees, is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and the negotiations that were conducted with the DFAC on placing this brand of Chinese trucks on the market were announced for this Wednesday. For this year 2023, the corporation’s projection is to reach sales of more than 500 units per year, between heavy and light vehicles, in all its lines of automotive business, with presence in Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca and Machala, says Rosales history of this family company.

How did the company, this venture, come about?

This company was founded in Cuenca on August 9, 1993. My brother Jorge Rosales, my wife Katia Cepeda and I founded the company Carrocerías Olímpica Rosales Jácome Cía. Ltda. We previously worked in car bodywork in Santo Domingo de los Colorados. But we went to Azuay with the idea of ​​opening a repair shop, because we saw the need for customers who wanted more attention. We learned that there were many accidents in this sector and that it was difficult for them to go to Santo Domingo for repairs; and that’s why we decided to open a craft workshop. But that didn’t happen, we started a body building company and additionally, a repair.

Where does the name Olímpica come from?

At our first place, in front of the velodrome, a Colombian bus arrived with athletes from that country who came to the Olympics. The bus mentions the Olympic Games, hence the name. That was what my brother Jorge thought, but that was the current consensus.

What was body building like at the time and how has it changed with technology?

The way the body is built has changed dramatically, for the better. From 1993 to 2011, all of us who had workshops, metal body factories, built according to the customer’s requirements: height, width, number of seats. But at that time vehicles had many accidents. Lives were lost due to poor body construction, as they technically did not work. But in 2011, the National Transport Agency (ANT) took over the approvals and qualifications for making upgrades. Since then, we have been under the supervision and legislation of ANT. We meet all the requirements that the Agency requires for quality construction between provincial, tourist, city buses, among others. We have 100 types of approvals to build different bodies for different types of chassis. There are many requirements to meet the approval, the first thing is having the ISO 9001 standard.

But what has changed, materials, Ecuadorian components compared to foreign ones?

Previously, all the construction of the bodywork was made of tin, tin and steel, i.e. it was covered with these materials. But modernization has come and now it is made with fiberglass parts and pieces. This is done using molds, for that we have a company called Fibrolímpica. Fiberglass construction reduces weight, which saves fuel. Although we have a company that manufactures parts and pieces, we also import some parts and pieces and even steel from Brazil and China.

The company was inaugurated on August 9, 1993 in Cuenca. Courtesy: Carrocerías Olímpica Photo: Olympic

You are now a consortium. How many companies make it up and what is each responsible for?

We have created several companies specializing in a certain branch of the process. We currently have 18 companies, all of which are associated with the Olímpica name. For example, Fibrolympic for parts and parts. We have Crediolímpica, which was born out of the need to finance buses. Olímpica Motors is dedicated to importing trucks and chassis from Brazil and China. He is also in charge of selling these chassis which are needed to build the armed bus. The importer brings DFAG trucks and sells them to dealers. Nova Olímpica is a fitter. Concession companies located in Cuenca, Quito, Guayaquil and Machala were also created for the sale of trucks. The importer sells trucks to dealers. In addition to Crediolímpica, which is in charge of financing buses, Credisur also finances all types of cars, trucks, buses and school buses. The circle is thus closed.

This Wednesday you will meet a milestone with an important investment, what is it about?

An important event for the family will take place on Wednesday, after two years of negotiations we have managed to finalize the process to obtain a dealership for the DFAC truck brand. 12 million dollars were invested for this. With this, we want to contribute to the reactivation of the road transport and bus sector, which has not yet been reactivated.

Can there be more jobs with this process and investments?

For me, one of the greatest pleasures is that the group can generate sources of employment. I have always told my family that while a position is created to grow the company, it is done more to help people. We know how important it is for a family to earn a salary. One of the goals of our group is to help. That is why we also work on a foundation to support people left alone by migration. Many of them were forced to ask for alms. So we are asking for funding for lunches for them. My other daughter is engaged in an animal care foundation.

QUITO (04-21-2023).- Darwin Rosales, CEO of Olímpica Corp, during an interview in his office, in the north of Quito. Alfredo Cárdenas/ SPACE. Photo: Alfredo Cardenas.

What is the participation of the family in the group?

We have created 18 companies that are part of the group, all of which belong to the family: my four daughters, my sons-in-law. We all deal with management or are on company boards. We all deliver bills. Even my wife, as a wife, mother and grandmother, has the most important role in the heart of the group, which is financial. He divides his time both financially and taking care of the home.

How does the topic of economic and political problems that have marked the country’s production rhythm for years affect you?

We went through many situations like everyone else, from the banking crisis, dollarization, pandemic, but we moved forward. We do not concentrate on what is happening politically; if we want to progress, we have to work. During the pandemic, we did not fire a single worker. I am proud, we wear the Ecuador jersey well. Now we have 350 employees.