Boiko Penev has an interesting motto. It's an old Bulgarian proverb: "The chickens are counted in autumn", a variation of the more common proverb "Don't count the chickens before they hatch". The results-driven civil engineer from Sofia is working over 25 years for Xella Bulgaria.

Anyone who has worked in the construction industry for such a long-time benefits from routine and experience in his daily work. This is the basis. But the icing on the cake for Penev is innovations. That's why he became a member of the innovation manager's team at Xella. "For a civil engineer, the accumulation of expertise in different areas is a great challenge in itself. In recent years, the sustainability of our building materials has also become a priority," says the engineer, describing his current goals. He is happy to take them on. "I know that we at Xella have a lot of expertise and the ability to influence construction processes." That's why he wants to help develop and implement creative ideas for better products, services, and visionary solutions at Xella Bulgaria. His extensive network within the company is a great help in this field.

Valuable feedback
In the beginning, Penev worked as a product manager for Ytong building systems only. Later, he also became responsible for Multipor and Silka brands. "I know almost everyone in our local company personally," he says. He was involved in the developing of a Quality Management System, as well as introducing new products and processes. 

"The most valuable thing I've learned is that anyone can contribute a good and valuable idea, regardless of how educated, experienced or skilled they are." Penev applies this not only to his internal colleagues, but also when it comes to working with external partners such as designers, contractors, or members of the academic community. For example, he collaborates with the Academy of the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior on fire safety issues. He also shares his knowledge of building materials, sustainability, recycling and the re-use of production and construction waste with other experts in the field.

"Their external feedback really helps us stay on track and not deviate from our mission, which is to provide solutions that work – simple, affordable and retaining their value for years." Penev and his colleagues are welcome to attend and participate in scientific and marketing events. This is also a form of appreciation. It motivates him as much as "the opportunity to do things we can be proud of". There is one thing that he would like to emphasize: "Failures never demotivate me. They simply show me what not to do and how to avoid further missteps."
 
Reducing CO2 emissions
Right now, Penev is particularly interested in seeing how the latest innovation from Bulgaria will be accepted by the market. "We are developing a product for partition walls, namely Ytong masonry units, which are twice as high as conventional blocks. They reduce construction time, mortar consumption by 25 percent and labor costs by up to 15 percent, making the masonry works more efficient. The more efficient transportation of the larger components also saves us up to 25 percent in CO₂ emissions. So, with the larger masonry units, we also can be more sustainable without any loss of quality."

One thing Penev is proud of: "Just one month after the start of production, at the end of October 2023, we have achieved the first sale in the residential segment." One of the reasons for the rapid progress is that the sales and production teams have worked closely together on the design and implementation of the project. 

The engineer draws the energy he needs from a hobby that has nothing to do with technology. This is probably where his French school education in Sofia, Bulgaria, comes into play. "I love ancient and medieval European history, the history of the Balkans and Bulgarian Orthodox painting from the X-XIX centuries, as well as classical European and Russian literature." And he adds with a smile: "the Bulgarian wine culture as well." The art-loving Bulgarian is still working on fulfilling a dream: "I would like to visit all the European capitals. As a child I loved the game `Countries and Capitals´. Long before European history became my hobby, this game sparked my interest in the capitals and my desire to visit more cities. "

Encouraging creativity
Boiko Penev is an experienced engineer. He has seen many trends in construction come and go. But one thing is non-negotiable for him as an innovation manager. That is the importance of people to a business. Penev is convinced: "The creativity of employees is what makes companies market leaders. We should respect, appreciate and motivate them."