Dimitris Kapetanakis and Stavros Kafounis, Stavros Kafounis and Dimitris Kapetanakis, two experts in the field of electromobility, speak in the November issue of "HRIMA & TOURISM" magazine about Automotive Solutions, the cooperation with the Motor Oil Group and the huge prospects created through this cooperation, but also about the field of electromobility and the new proposals of the company in the hotel market.

The interview of the two well-known businessmen to Konstantinos St. Derizioti, is as follows:

Starting with you, Mr. Kapetanakis, what is the assessment of the tourist season that ended for Automotive Solutions. What are her most important achievements?

– 2022 was a record year for our company, proving that the hard work it has put in all these years is finally rewarded. After all, based on the data of the country's tourism industry, 2022 moved to impressively high numbers. The result of this was that the large tourist units that are our most important customers, also have great needs, which we, with proper planning and investments, managed to satisfy. I am proud because finally this year Automotive Solutions managed to win all the important jobs that arose and respond with great success, something that leaves us with a "sweet taste" for the new year to come.

How much has the technology of electromobility been developed and what are the new cutting-edge products related to the tourism industry?

– Every day we witness a great debate around the field of electromobility. After all, we timidly see electric vehicles around us, which replace others of older technology. This is because every day a "revolution" is taking place in the field of transportation, with electromobility occupying the "leading" role. Something similar happens in the professional applications that we specialize, with the main one being the tourism industry.

The evolution of energy storage technology now enables us to offer products with satisfactory autonomy, very long life, simple maintenance and excellent price. For all the different applications I am confident to state that we can meet every need, small or large unit, with the ideal product, which will combine economical use, practical application, human-friendly technology and, certainly, the ultimate after sales service.

This package makes our proposals favorable for the user and advantageous for the owner. But something that in the end only we can offer because we work on an exclusive basis, with the world's leading production plants and we have the items that incorporate cutting-edge technology at all times. The result and reward is that we are more than 80% a supplier to all large and serious businesses.

How soon do you think that electromobility will be able to replace traditional forms of transportation?

– We have no doubt that traditional forms of transport will be replaced. New forms, friendly to humans and the environment, which we have burdened so much in the past, are sure to enter our daily lives. Now whether this will be realized to an absolute extent by electromobility will be seen depending on the development of technology, which mainly concerns batteries. Many other forms are being developed at the same time, such as using hydrogen, which we are the first to monitor and test, so that we can be the first to offer this product to the market, when and if it becomes a value for money proposal.

Passing on to you, Mr. Kafounis, the acquisition of a large percentage of Automotive Solutions by Motor Oil was announced in the summer. Can you share with us the experience of such an acquisition and describe how easy it was to carry out this deal?

– This energy has so many aspects that it would not fit into the few lines of our communication. It was the result of a well-thought-out decision that we made after much thought with my childhood friend and much later my partner in Automotive Solutions, Dimitris Kapetanakis, with a view to the future of the industry, the country and of course our company. The process, unsurprisingly, had many interesting points and on the way I think both sides learned a lot about each other.

But today, with the experience of the processw, but also from the result, I can say that it was perhaps the most correct decision we have made since the founding of Automotive. Also, that the Motor Oil group is not just a strong "ally", but a strong organization, with people who immediately became our partners, with the same goals and, above all, the same principles and values as those that we have non-negotiably maintained during the 20 years of our company's life. That is why, in my own experience, I urge, without a second thought, every entrepreneur who is at such a crossroads, to dare and choose the path of cooperation.

Because the union of the country's oldest company in electromobility with the country's strongest business group raises huge expectations, what are the goals of this new powerful scheme? What should the market expect from you and what are the activities you plan to develop?

– From the very first moment of the announcement of this cooperation, which I must admit the market welcomed with extremely positive comments, a very large debate was opened about the objectives of the new scheme. Obviously, the strongest business group in the country, but also a financially sound company, would not enter into such a process if they did not share the same vision for an industry that is rapidly transforming, where new technologies are discovered and dominated and new, specialized needs are created, without the corresponding mature options.

Therefore, we are now the undisputed leader in this field and without negotiating quality we have decided to provide comprehensive services for the movement of people and the transport of goods, in friendly and affordable ways, whether they concern our life in the city or the operation of a business unit. And as our 20 years of continuous leadership have proven, we can do it guaranteed better than anyone else.

Unsurprisingly, the new large scheme that emerged from this cooperation has created huge prospects, which go far beyond the country's borders and traditional models of product distribution and service provision.

We want to make our country a pioneer of technologies and that is why we work tirelessly with an excellent team of people. That is why I believe that the "leading the future of e-mobility" that accompanies our brand, perfectly expresses the current position of our company in the industry.