They also kindly invited the Fuel Oil News team to join the group to hear more from the distributor community and experience the famous Cobo hospitality first hand.
The manufacturing business was founded by two brothers, Pedro and Federico Cobo, in Northern Spain in 1955. Cobo is a company dedicated to the manufacture, repair and sale of tanker trucks and semi-trailers and IS considered one of the leaders in the production of tankers for the transport of petroleum products. The family are still heavily involved; the business is now managed by Don Federico Cobo and Don Fernando Gomis.
The Cobo Conference
Claudia Weeks, and Margaret Major, Fuel Oil News, caught up with Joby Clark, Sales and Project Engineer at Cobo, to hear his thoughts on the 2024 trip.
“On the 6th of June, a group of existing and potential customers headed to the Cobo factory near Santander for a presentation and factory tour.
“We like to run our “Cobo Conference” at least once a year as we feel it is a great way for people to gain confidence in the company as they get to see the quality and organisation of our facility.
“A total of 31 guests visited on this trip, and it was possible for some of these to see their own units in build which they were thoroughly excited about!
“We organised flights out of Stansted early on Thursday morning, so some of us stayed at the airport on Wednesday night which meant some of the group could meet and mingle in a relaxed environment ahead of the trip.
“We landed in Spain and headed straight to the factory for a presentation on the design of the tankers and some of the technologies used in production as we feel this gives a good insight into the quality of the product.
“After that we split into smaller groups for a tour of the factory so our guests could get a better understanding of how the units are built and could see for themselves the quality and the modern technologies employed.”
Spanish hospitality
Clive Morin, Managing Director at Barton Petroleum Ltd, has attended the Cobo trip several times: “It was another thoroughly enjoyable visit. From the presentation at the start, through the factory tour and tapas at the end, you cannot fail to be impressed by it all!
“We managed to see our next batch of vehicles in build and meet some of the team responsible for the design. It’s obvious that there is a great sense of pride from everyone involved.
“The trip also provides a good networking opportunity over a few drinks, which is always worthwhile. A wonderful location and of course, the hospitality from the Cobo team was first class! Thanks Cobo!”
Ruairidh Beath, Director and General Manager at Rix Petroleum, added: “It was great to be met with such enthusiasm at COBO. Their appetite for finding new engineering solutions to solve problems is a wonder to behold.
“The factory is also a remarkable hive of activity, and really comes to life when you are guided around by Fernando and Joby. Their enthusiasm for engineering solutions is matched, if not surpassed by their commitment to looking after their guests. Your glass or plate is never empty for long if you’re out with Cobo! It was also great to see some old and new faces in Spain.”
Danielle Knowles, Senior Planner at Local Fuels, enjoyed her first trip to Cobo: “What a fantastic opportunity to be able to see and experience the ‘birthplace’ of our vehicles and to meet so many of the people that make our business possible.
“Being able to see the process that goes into the manufacturing of the tankers and trailers was fascinating. The team at Cobo were beyond hospitable and it was great to meet so many other people from the fuel industry.”
Investment reflected in quality
All the guests were thoroughly impressed by the tour of the facility which opened in 2001 and now employs over 130 staff. It was truly fascinating to see the factory in action; there was a real buzz of activity. There were many tankers at various stages of the build process, with the Cobo team hard at work on each stage. It was clear that each process is carried out with an impressive level of attention to detail. It was also great to see state of the art machinery in action, especially the automated process that delivers Cobo’s superior weld quality.
James Hunt, CEO at New Era, was also keen to feedback on a successful visit: “Being able to see the process that goes into the manufacturing of the tankers and trailers was fascinating. The team at Cobo were impressive hosts and it was great to meet so many other people from the fuel industry.
“As usual the trip is so well organised, I have been previously on a few occasions, this time our transport manager and fleet engineer attended. Our Fleet Engineer, Roy Foster, has worked in the industry and on tankers for many years and it was great for him to see the workings and processes of a build from start to finish.
“The tour gives an inside view on how the staff ensure efficiency and attention to detail is maintained throughout the whole process with dedicated teams on each workstation right through to delivery and sign off. It’s so interesting to see the new processes and technology Cobo are using. Roy felt he got a real sense that they were listening and understanding the ways to further develop the tankers to ensure that our needs are always met.
“New Era was fortunate enough to have 8 tanks in production and we got to see them during every step of the process. The confidence New Era have in the quality of our tanks was proven by the tour, and all questions were answered, and feedback taken on board.
“It was great to catch up with partners in the industry and chat about challenges and the future, plus a few beers do go down well in Santander!”
A fantastic success
Joby continued: “Once we had completed tours of the factory, everyone enjoyed a lunch of typical Spanish fare in the grounds. A bit of free time late afternoon gave our visitors the chance to have a good look around the beautiful city of Santander before meeting up again for a few refreshments and a traditional evening meal.
“The trip, we feel, has yet again proved to be a fantastic success. It’s brilliant for people to see the facility and gain confidence in the product and company. By hosting a large group at the same time, people can network, and potential customers can get an honest answer from existing customers about their experiences of buying a Cobo tanker.”
The Cobo family are understandably proud of their facility and actively encourage visits and tours. The Fuel Oil News team valued the opportunity to see the latest developments at the facility as well as spend time with members of the distributor community and would like to say a huge thank you to Joby Clark and all the team at Cobo Tankers and Services Ltd for the invitation.
Photos taken by the Fuel Oil News team
