The Barcelona metropolitan area, with a population of 5 million people, is currently experiencing a major crisis. The period of investment and transformation is “equivalent to or greater than what took place during the 1992 Olympics in terms of innovation”guaranteed … Pere Navarro, Special National Representative of the Barcelona Free Trade Zone Consortium (CZFB), spoke this Saturday.
During the COPE Catalonia and Andorra “Converse” program with the participation of the ABC, Mr. Navarro enumerated the projects already implemented or undertaken and affirmed the great economy of the metropolitan area and the moment of modernization. Full restoration of employment by Ebro Motor Company and Cherry Motor Company in facilities abandoned by Nissan The last expansion of the city of Barcelona, the construction of the Prat Vermer district, includes the construction of 30 islands of Eixample, which will be added to the ongoing project in Sagrera, and the relocation of the hospital clinic to the beginning of Diagonal, the old Mercedes factory, or the land next to Esprug and L’Hospitalet.
knowledge residence
The CZFB strategy of transforming free zone industrial parks into District 4.0 fully oriented towards innovation will also contribute to the economic development of the metropolitan area. With a surface area of 17,000 square meters, the DFactory 1 building is a veritable “cathedral of Industry 4.0”. 40 companies have installed it and it’s “at full capacity,” and growing demand is driving the development of DFactory 2 Until it reaches 50,000 square meters, it is also intended to include research institutes and innovations in sectors such as health, agri-food industry and advanced technology as the core sectors of the district. The proximity to the Baix Llobregat Agricultural Park, the medical hubs of the Bellvitge Hospital, the Oncology Hospital, the Sant Joan de Déu Hospital and the relocation of the clinical hospital will favor these objectives.
The second phase of DFactory will incorporate new iconic buildings and specialized spaces, expanding the recruitment of laboratories related to robotics, artificial intelligence, and scientific and productive innovation enterprises. For example, already Construction of a thousand square meter glass cube with a giant screen for hosting events is underwaythe creation of a residence to facilitate the exchange of knowledge in the style of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston is being considered.
Port cooperation with Tarragona
The impending bid to draft a new master plan for Barcelona Airport, an important document to start work on expanding aviation infrastructure, is also one of the projects currently underway. For Navarro, Airport expansion is “not just for economic elites, but it’s very necessary for metropolitan areas to be competitive and create opportunities.” And then continue with the world map. Mr. Navarro also recalled the connection between the Ports of Barcelona and Tarragona, saying that their complementarity with the airport constitutes a “first-level logistics corridor for international trade.”
In this sense, it is noteworthy that this Friday, Port Tarragona President Santiago Castella was appointed President of the Barcelona Catalunya Center Logistics (BCL) Association. Previously, the BCL was alternately chaired by the Port of Barcelona or the Free Trade Area Consortium. Now, as a result of a new phase in the strategic relationship between the Ports of Barcelona and Tarragona, the two port authorities have agreed to share the presidency of the organization. Port Tarragona holds the position of President of the BCL Association, dedicated to promoting Catalonia’s logistics competitiveness, becoming the third organization to join.
The Special Representative of the CZFB also underlined the growing role played by Chinese companies in the Catalan capital, underlining Barcelona’s position as a privileged pole for the introduction of Chinese companies in Europe. “Barcelona is an impressive brand in the world and a very interesting gateway for China in Europe.”. In this sense, Mr. Navarro recalled that the arrival of the multinational corporation Chery Automobile on the land of the former Nissan and the restoration of the Evro brand made it possible to successfully complete one of the most important industrial processes in recent years.
Thanks to the operation, which was completed this week with the hiring of the last 48 Nissan employees still unemployed, the total number of jobs that existed before the Japanese company shut down has been restored and surpassed. Pere Navarro emphasized that: The reconversion is “a true success story, not just for industry but also for society.”the result of cooperation between the administration, trade unions and the consorti itself.
Rising stakes in Asia
Navarro explained that Asia’s approach to Barcelona responds to a range of factors, from innovation and talent to the city’s strategic position within Europe. In this sense, he recalled:Chinese companies are looking for a strong base to operate on the continent, and Barcelona ‘brings all the pieces together’ So that these companies can find a place to develop high value-added projects here,” he asserted.
The head of the CZFB also emphasized the consorti’s social involvement, which is not limited to economic promotion. He recalled that the organization had transferred land in Sant Andreu and Marina del Prat Fermer to the Barcelona City Council for the construction of around 1,800 affordable rental housing units, and emphasized: “As a public company, we must also contribute to addressing housing issues in urban areas.”.
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