barcelona business notes Robotics Master’s degrees in Barcelona are gaining prestige Barcelona to host a larger Bread & Butter According to a survey conducted by Wall Street Journal on 4,500 Plans are underway to hold the January 2008 edition of urban sessions companies, ESADE is considered the best business school in the fashion fair Bread & Butter (B&B) at the Mies van der Rohe pavilion world “for the integrity and teamwork orientation” of its MBA gra- and Palau Nacional in Montjuïc. The expansion will also affect the duates for the second year running. Companies worldwide who hire two upper pavilions and annexed areas, leading to a total of 60,000 such professionals have also emphasized the quality of the service additional square metres. The space devoted to the fair will practically of ESADE’s professional degrees. Coming behind the Catalan school be doubled following the success of the 2007 edition, which attracted were institutions like the Swiss business school IMD, London Busi- over one thousand exhibiting companies and 100,000 visitors. ness School and the Mexican Instituto Panamericano de Alta Direc- ción de Empresas. Interview with Office investment in Barcelona surpasses 1,220 million in the first Meanwhile, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit, IESE is semestre of 2007 Blai Felip the top European school and the third in the world on a ranking of full-time MBA programmes. The office space in Barcelona continues to grow and may reach 5 from Serra million square metres by the end of 2007. Barcelona one of the “coolest” cities in Europe, according to Der According to a report by consulting firm Cushman & Wakefield, the Aeronautics Spiegel current stock of office space is over 4.9 million square metres, and may reach the five million mark by the end of the year. During the The prestigious German magazine Der Spiegel has named Barcelona first semestre of 2007, there was an office vacancy rate of 5.24%, one of the “coolest” cities in Europe, together with Copenhagen, the lowest since 2002. This rate accounts for a total of 257,465 m2 Amsterdam, Tallinn and Dublin. of available office space, although it is difficult to find over 1,000 m2 located in the city centre for one company to become efficiently Der Spiegel sees 22@Barcelona as “one of the major transforma- established. Foreign tions of Barcelona”, just as the Olympics were, and underlines that “200 hectares of industrial land in the Poblenou district are being investment transformed to become a thriving productive district that will con- CCIB receives the 2007 AIPC Award for best technologically centrate and develop knowledge intensive activities”. equipped conference centre in the world report 22@Barcelona is attracting above all companies from industries The Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB) received the such as media, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), prize for technological innovation at the first Innovation Awards or- energy and medical technologies (TecMed), which will create around ganised by the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC). 150,000 new jobs. Some 411 new businesses employing 30,000 This award recognises that the CCIB is at the forefront of the sector workers have already been established or are about to be set up. providing a facility that is equipped with state-of-the-art technologi- cal solutions for all types of events. Barcelona receives an award for best promotional video at the 5th World Investment Conference (WIC) in France The majority of Barcelona’s residents see tourism as beneficial to the city Barcelonians by Barcelona City Council was voted best film at the 3rd European Attractiveness Awards 2007, granted in the framework Ninety percent of Barcelona residents perceive tourism as being posi- Barcelona of the 5th World Investment Conference (WIC) in La Baule, France, tive for the city, according to the initial results of a perception survey near the city of Nantes. commissioned by Barcelona Tourism Board and presented during its 1st Tourism Conference held at the city’s Palau de la Música. looks to space The conference is sponsored by the European Union with the aim of improving competitiveness in EC countries and sharing experiences According to economic data presented by the Mayor of Barcelona, on the international arena. This year over 700 high-level internatio- Jordi Heureu, accompanied by the president and first and second nal leaders and decision-makers took part. vice-presidents of Barcelona Tourism Board, Joan Gaspart, Jordi William Carnes and Jordi Clos, tourism has risen 8.4% between The video, presented by Barcelona City Council’s Economic Promo- January and September, with a 5.7% increase in overnight hotel tion department, was chosen from a total of 28 entries by European stays over the same period last year. Moreover, there was an 80% agencies that were nominated for the 3rd European Attractiveness hotel occupancy rate, 1.3 points above last year’s data. Awards 2007 in the fields of best film, best website and best bro- chure. The city’s fine tourism performance occurs at a time of when Barce- lona is consolidating its position as a tourist destination. In this res- Barcelonians features interviews with foreign residents in Barcelona pect, cruise liner activity has once again achieved excellent results, who explain their experience in the city from a business viewpoint. with a 21% rise, coinciding with an improvement in global figures The video can be viewed at www.bcn.cat/barcelonabusiness. for El Prat Airport, up almost 7% until September. barcelona good news autum 2007 n.41 copyright registration number: B-38-065-206 barcelona publisher: Economic Promotion Department management: Foreign Economic Promotion editor: Olga López, Agustí Esteve image coordinator: Margarita Cabrero design and layout: el estudio del armario blanco address: C/ Llacuna, 162-164, 1st floor - 08018 Barcelona good news autum 2007 n.41 tel.: 93 256 39 17 - fax: 93 485 34 60 - e-mail: proeconomica-ajbcn@bcn.cat www.bcn.cat/barcelonabusiness Economic Promotion summary page 4 page 8 barcelona barcelona innovation companies page 12 barcelona in the world page 15 page 16 barcelona barcelona bioregion 22@ page 18 barcelona infrastructures Deputy Major of Local Public Finance and Economic Developement Jordi William Carnes Chief Executive Officer Economic Promotion Ricard Frigola Assistant Managing of International Economic Relations Mario Rubert Communication Manager Agustí Esteve barcelona innovation barcelona innovation barcelona looks to space MEMBERS On 20th March 2007, BAIE is made up of 87 associated entities: The Barcelona Aeronautics and Space Founding administrations (3): Financial institutions (2): MIER Comunicaciones Week: a professional, cultural and edu- Ajuntament de Barcelona Banc Sabadell Atlàntic MissionAir Generalitat de Catalunya - CIDEM Catalana d’Iniciatives de Capital Risc NTE, Nuevas Tecnologías Espaciales cational showcase to promote the aeros- Govern d’Espanya - Ministerio de Industria, PILDO Labs pace sector. Turismo y Comercio Companies (55): Planeta Planetari ABAC Enginyeria Prae Trade With a view to promoting the aerospace sec- Local administrations (4): Abertis Infraestructures Procon Systems tor in Barcelona and its metropolitan area, Ajuntament del Prat de Llobregat Aeroports de Catalunya Promaut Ajuntament de Reus Altamira Information RDI - Rubi Disseny Industrial the city councils of Barcelona and Sabadell Ajuntament de Sabadell APPLUS+ QUANTETCH ATZ organised the second Aeronautics and Spa- Ajuntament de Terrassa ARIBER RUCKER-LYPSA ce Week, held in September and October. ARTE SENE Barcelona The programme included professional acti- Universities, training centres, R&D centres (12): ATOS Origin SERRA Aeronautics vities in addition to cultural and educational Centre d’Alt Rendiment - CAR Sant Cugat Bax Global, SA Solid Enginyeria CDAL - Centre de Aleacions Lleugeres i CIMSA Ingenieria de Sistemas STARLAB proposals to raise awareness of this up-and- Tractaments de Superfície Composites ATE Talleres MAYPE coming sector in the economy of Catalonia’s Centre de Formació Ocupacional La Paperera Diseño Industrial Italdesign TEAM - Tecnología Europea Aplicada al capital city. CIMNE - Centre Internacional de Mètodes EDAG Engineering & Design Movimiento Numèrics i Enginyeria EDV Ferroviaris, Aeronàutica y Automoción TELSTAR Tecnología Mecànica Pildo Labs, a company devoted to the de- CIEFMA - Centre d’Integritat Estructural i ELHCO ARITEX Cading Fiabilitat de Materials EPSA TTC, Tractaments Tèrmics Carreras velopment and transfer of technology to the CPT - Centre de Projecció Tèrmica EXELGA Ultramagic aeronautics and earth observation areas, CTAE - Centre Tecnològic per a la Indústria FAINSA Voralcel and Serra Aeronàutics, which takes part space sector in Barcelona and Catalonia as over an average of €131,250 per worker in Aeronàutica i de l’Espai FICOSA International W Aeronáutica Consultoria e Ingeniería in projects such as the Airbus A380, A a whole. It currently has 87 associate mem- 2006. IEEC - Institut d’Estudis Especials de Catalunya GPA – Gestió i Promoció Aeroportuària 320/340, A400 and BOEING 787, are two bers. UAB - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona GTD Ingenieria de Sistemas y de Software Other entities (7): The main purpose of the Aeronautics Week, UB - Universitat de Barcelona GUTMAR Mecanica de Presición Aeroclub de Barcelona-Sabadell business initiatives that were created in Bar- UPC - Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Heliports de Catalunya AEOAS - Asociación de Empresas y Operadores celona and are proof of the city’s potential in The aeronautics and space sectors have held from September 29 to October 7, was URV - Universitat Rovira i Virgili INGENIA del Aeropuerto de Sabadell the aerospace industry, an economic sector cutting-edge technologies and they are the to promote, disseminate and explain the im- ICR - Ingeniería para el Control del Ruido Associació Barcelona Centre Logístic that has very favourable future perspecti- mainstays of what is known as the knowled- portance of this field of economic activity, Collaborating organisations (4): IDOM Barcelona Colegio Oficial y Asociación de Ingenieros ves. In fact, Pildo Labs and Serra Aeronàu- ge economy, being added-value economic with a strong focus on RDI. One of the hig- AENA - Aeropuertos Espanyoles y Navegación Indra Espacio Aeronáuticos de España activities like ICTs and biotechnology, in hlights was the 21st tics are just two examples of the sixty com- Century Navigators ex- Aérea Industria HELICAT FAC - Federació Aeria Catalana Cambra de Comerç de Barcelona Industrial NEOTEX Fomento del Trabajo Nacional panies which, alongside administrations, which the city of Barcelona has a special in- hibition. The Aeronautics and Space Week Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona ISEE 2007 FPAC - Fundació Parc Aeronàutic de Catalunya universities, training centres, research and terest. In recent years, the aerospace sector constitutes a professional, cultural and Diputació de Barcelona Mesima Barcelona development centres, financial institutions has considerably increased its activity with educational showcase for the City Councils Metalográfica, SA and collaborating organisations, comprise the participation of Catalan companies in of Barcelona and Sabadell to promote the BAiE, the Barcelona Aeronautics and Space high-level projects. aerospace sector. Events were organised for association. all types of audiences, with professional, The development of the aerospace industry family-oriented, cultural, educational and honda chooses barcelona to host the european BAiE, created in 2000 by Barcelona City is a priority strategy in Europe, and Barcelo- leisure activities. Council, the Autonomous Government of na is committed to becoming a part of this presentation of latest asimo robot Catalonia, and the Ministry of Industry, Tra- growth process. Cutting-edge technologies de and Tourism, took its first steps seven converge in the aeronautics and space sec- years ago with the aim of creating an aeros- tors, which boast high R&D levels (14% of Barcelona was a first-hand witness to the advance of robotic technology during the opening The Sessions are an event for promoting ro- pace cluster to promote the aeronautics and turnover). Moreover, aerospace activity ge- of the 2nd Robotics Sessions organised by the Barcelona City Council, via the Knowledge botics from three viewpoints: scientific and nerates a high percentage of induced em- City department. experimental, commercial and industrial, ployment and technology transfer to other and information and leisure. The sessions sectors. Held at Barcelona Biomedical Research Park from 27-29 September, the indisputable star have two clear objectives: to promote the of this year’s edition was ASIMO, the robot developed by HONDA. The Japanese company robotics sector in the city and stimulate an Barcelona was a pioneer in the early stages chose Catalonia’s capital as the setting for the European debut of the latest version of the interest in science and technology among of aviation at the start of the 20th century. android. the population and particularly young Nowadays, the aerospace sector in Catalo- people. nia is in full expansion and capable of di- By celebrating the robotics sessions, the city aims to show its commitment to the development recting high added-value initiatives with a of robotics in Spain. Barcelona hosts the headquarters of the Spanish Robotics Association, strong growth potential. which was set up 15 years ago, and 90% of robotics companies in Spain are located in Catalonia. Furthermore, Spain is the fourth country in Europe and the seventh in the world In recent years, the aerospace sector has regarding the number of installed robots, with 22,000 units mostly in the manufacturing considerably increased its activity in Catalo- industry (50% are in the car industry). The area of Barcelona (Sant Quirze del Vallès, Ba- nia and it has very good perspectives both dalona, Castelldefels, city of Barcelona, Terrassa, Sabadell, Vilanova i la Geltrú, Sant Feliu in terms of companies’ participation in de Llobregat, Cornellà de Llobregat, Santa Margarida i els Monjos, Martorell) is a major high-level aeronautics programmes (A380, hub for Catalan companies devoted to robotics. A400M, B787) and in the field of satellite navigation services and applications. Barce- One of Spain’s present challenges is to overcome the large dependence on robot develop- lona constitutes an optimal environment for ment. According to data from the Spanish Robotics Association (AER), there are 850,000 the development of the aeronautics and spa- robot units in the world, with a 5-7% annual growth rate, and the sector’s global business ce sector, with universities and the Catalan volume is $6 billion. Coinciding with the 2nd Robotics Sessions, the Research Park was business fabric collaborating closely in a va- also the venue for “Research Night”, a festival held in the 7th framework programme of riety of projects on a national and European the European Union, which aims to raise the profile of researchers among the public and scale. The Catalan aerospace sector turned encourage young people to start research careers. 4 5 barcelona interview barcelona interview interview with blai felip, aeronautics division manager at serra soldadura EADS, formed by Airbus, the German firm Do you think the aeronautics industry in for the centre, which will obviously be Daimler Aerospace, Aerospatiale from Catalonia is a consolidated sector? managed by EADS. It would be good to France, plus the Spanish division of Casa have it here. The Administration has an and the British BAE Systems that belongs The manufacturing industry of aeron- important role to play; it is not a question Serra is a company with an extensive track record in Catalonia. Founded in 1934 as a small workshop manufac- to the Airbus consortium, outside EADS. autics components has no tradition in of undertaking ambitious projects that turing welding equipment and industrial ovens, it has been able to adapt to market developments by diversifying Catalonia, and there are very few high- dazzle the eye but of backing them up activities to the point that it now works for the world’s leading aeronautics builders: Airbus and Boeing. To learn We began to work for this family of com- technology companies or businesses ca- with major investments. more about the company, we interview Mr. Blai Felip, aeronautics division manager at Serra Soldadura, S.A. panies in the Spanish market and decided pable of creating parts that meet very high to see where it would take us. We haven’t technical requirements. In fact, there are Are there enough qualified individuals stopped since. barely any: Gutmar, Mier… and few more. in Catalonia to work in the aeronautics The tradition here has always been more sector? Serra has an extensive background that From your strategic position in the sector, of capital goods rather than supply parts. began over 50 years ago. What were the how would you define the aeronautics in- Therefore, when we speak of important Barcelona has an important pool of highly company’s initial steps? dustry? Where is it heading? volumes in the aeronautics sector, we are qualified engineers. Automated machines referring to capital goods. However, there require workers who know how to auto- Serra Soldadura began operations in the The sector has experienced a major revo- are other companies like our own that are mate and in Catalonia there are engineers 1930s when the Serra family set up a lution over recent years. September 11 working in the automobile industry and with this ability due to the region’s major small workshop manufacturing welding was a very hard blow. People stopped beginning to create machines for the ae- automated industry. That is not a problem. machines and ovens. Our products were travelling and airline companies, although ronautics sector. What we need are professionals who are quite sophisticated at the time and this not manufacturers, stopped investing. The able to calculate, project, who have ideas, put us in a privileged position. We were situation is different now. Another trans- who understand geometry. We need pro- pioneers working in foreign markets, first port phenomenon has appeared: low-cost “THE MAIN ASSET OF OUR grammers, mathematicians, disciplines in France and Portugal, and then in other airlines, which has led to increased de- that we use to make the machinery. In European countries. We also entered the mand for this type of service. By 2025, COMPANY IS KNOWLEDGE. the year 2000-2001, when Barcelona automobile industry, mainly working with the number of commercial planes is ex- KNOWLEDGE CANNOT BE City Council embarked on the creation of Seat, offering solutions in parallel to auto- pected to double from today’s 25,000. BAIE (Barcelona Aeronautics and Space), mobile developments. In 1999-2000, This means that in the next thirteen years OFFSHORED” one of the first institutions that joined was the automobile industry was undergoing there will be as many planes being produ- the UPC. It was clear that the industry a transitional period with major changes ced as there are operating at present. could not move forward without qualified and we were offered the chance to diversi- Is the Administration sufficiently aware human resources. fy our activities. Zona Franca district. The building, which Installations are carried out here; we then Does that mean you will have work for of your sector’s needs? was the first of its kind in Catalonia, has test them and, after any possible faults are many years? Since then, many projects have been Research is always a determinant factor some special features that enable us to detected and repaired, we take them to The aeronautics industry has always been undertaken, including three aeronautics in a company like Serra. work with large plane parts, and we could Seville where they are fitted to the plane. A plane has a 30-year life span, whereas linked to governments, in areas such as schools. We help to define their syllabu- say that it is the confirmation of our com- any other machine is amortized in 15 defence and security, and many budgets ses, and have even prepared the 2007- We have always invested in research and mitment to the aeronautics sector. I belie- How exactly did you start working for years. An aeronautics programme, from have been assigned to them. Research, 2008 year in collaboration with Escola de development, so we had important know- ve we are currently one of the few com- these companies? the moment a plane is launched until the development and innovation are essential Terrassa. We also work with the Spanish how as regards automation in the automo- panies in Catalonia working for the two parts for the plane cease to be produced, in the aeronautics industry and a large government on actions to promote the bile industry. We tried to apply this know- leading aeronautics constructors, Airbus The diversification of Serra began in 2000 can last up to 50 years. This means that part of funding comes from public sour- industry in Catalonia, and for engineers how to the aeronautics industry, which at and Boeing. at a time when, as I mentioned earlier, the our machines will have to be produced ces, as it is understood to be a strategic who are training to pursue internships be- the time used quite traditional processes. situation of the automobile sector was not for the next 50 years, offering top quality sector and an effort must be made to fore graduating. Our research and development tasks led us very good. Presented with different possi- and service. Moreover, in the next 17-18 maintain it. to employ a design system called Catia V, bilities, we decided to focus on aeronau- years, twice as many machines will have Your main asset is knowledge. and we were pioneers in Spain in the use “SERRA AERONAUTICS tics, a sector with very high entry barriers to be produced to cover demands, and the In the US this is done much more open- of this industrially-applied design system. IS ONE OF THE FEW and a long maturing period for orders, planes already in operation will need re- ly than here, where it is available only in Of course, our main asset is knowledge. This coincided with the period when Air- slightly longer than in the automobile in- newing. specific cases. However, it is clear that Obviously, the machines are then made, bus required suppliers to be equipped with COMPANIES IN CATALONIA dustry. Therefore, because the barriers are without this kind of backing it is very di- but the company’s value resides in the this type of software for the development WORKING FOR THE TWO high and prior in-depth work was requi- There is such a high demand for com- fficult to compete. If we want technolo- knowledge of the people who work here. of its A-380. red, it took us two years to receive our mercial planes, particularly Boeing and gy, if we want Europe to have a say on a Over the years, we have made substan- LEADING CONSTRUCTORS, first order, which finally arrived in 2002. Airbus, that the sector does not have the global scale and not have to depend on tial investments to create this knowledge What does the programme consist of? AIRBUS AND BOEING” Before then we had been working on a capacity to deliver. It is impossible to sa- others, then the sector needs support and base which we hope to recover over the day-to-day basis for two years, making tisfy the demand unless there is an in- businesspeople should not be expected to next few years. Catia V is a 3D design system. We had contacts and promoting the company. dustrial revolution that changes the way carry all the weight and assume all the already implemented the system and had planes are made, that is, unless today’s risk in such a strategic sector. Such knowledge cannot be outsourced. plenty of practical experience with it, so What projects are you working on for Air- We developed a strategy that began in wholly manual processes become much A production line can be taken to a low- we were able to offer Airbus a highly com- bus and Boeing? the local market, as it was much simpler more automated. And this is where we Is Barcelona a candidate to host a Eu- cost country, you employ people there petitive proposal which led to our first or- and largely unexplored. The idea was to have found our niche. We make automa- ropean Space Agency centre of excellen- and after some time you are producing. der in the aeronautics sector. We took part We produce machinery for making the pla- start with Airbus Spain, which at the time ted machines, we have found our place. ce devoted to unmanned aerial vehicles, The knowledge base of local staff is much in the building of the horizontal stabiliser nes. We are working on plane assembly fa- was creating a major pan-European con- We know how to design machines to sponsored by Serra? more difficult to offshore. of the HTP (horizontal tail plane). That cilities for Airbus, specifically the HTP (ho- sortium with many structural changes. It make planes in an automated manner, was relatively recent, in 2002. rizontal tail plane) assembly line. We are was a period when they were defining the which guarantees demand over the next Yes, there are currently four regions that also working with the Spanish aeronautics factories that would become part of the 13 to 17 years. After that we’ll see what are opting to house a development cen- Then, in 2003, we opened a new aeronau- builder EADS-Casa on the new A400M company. We entered Airbus Spain, whi- happens, as no company can make much tre for unmanned aerial vehicles. There tics building at our facilities in Barcelona’s humanitarian transport plane model. ch is part of Airbus SAS, a subsidiary of longer-term plans for the future. is also an important programme of grants 6 7 barcelona companies barcelona companies catalonia, with the barcelona area barcelona to host the final of the as its main hub, accounts for 34% of foreign eurecan european venture contest 2007 companies in spain for innovative companies Barcelona City Council’s Economic Promo- The Eurecan European Venture Contest The aim of the contest is to reward the Moreover, projects must have become a tion department and the Catalan Investment 2007 awards, which acknowledge the best creation of innovation-based companies company or be able to turn into a business Agency of the Department of Innovation, European innovation-based business ideas and detect the best business ideas from that generates new innovation-based pro- Universities and Business have presented contributing to economic development, companies, technology centres and uni- ducts, services or processes. the study “Foreign Investment in the Area will be held in Barcelona in December. The versities based on a research and develop- of Barcelona” resulting from fieldwork con- award for the winning project comes with ment process. The selected projects have been distri- ducted on foreign companies located in this a prize of €90,000, one of the highest of buted during semi-finals held in Paris, geographical area. The consulting firm Bos- its sort in Europe. In addition to the award given to the win- Brussels, Turin, Copenhagen and Pamplo- ton Consulting Group took part in what is ning project, the contest serves for parti- na. Those that pass the preliminary stages the fourth edition of this study. The award is sponsored by Eurecan, the cipating enterprises to establish contacts will go to the grand finale in Barcelona in entrepreneur support platform created by with potential investors who will test and the framework of the Caja Navarra Viálo- Caja Navarra (CAN), and the European evaluate the candidates during the semi- gos sessions devoted to entrepreneurs on Venture Institute, which congregates major finals and final. December 10-11. The twenty finalist en- “Foreign Investment in the Area of Barcelona”: Principal Conclusions financial funds from all over Europe. Bar- trepreneurs from all over Europe, as well celona Activa, Barcelona City Council’s lo- Any European individual or legal entity that as representatives from leading European 1- There are over three thousand foreign companies in Catalonia, which Their strategic importance is highly relevant as almost half the subsi- cal development agency, will be organising has created an innovative business project financial and risk capital organisations, account for approximately 34% of all foreign companies in Spain. Fo- diary companies in the area of Barcelona provide services to centres lo- the final stage of the contest and the award may take part in the contest provided they will attend the event. reign companies generate 11% of jobs and account for 20% of the total cated outside Spain and 21% are decision-making offices for branches ceremony. firmly intend to bring it to fruition. turnover of companies set up in Catalonia. in Europe and Latin America. 2- Catalonia accounts for 71% of Japanese companies in Spain, 62% of 6- The factors that lead foreign businesspeople to set up business in the French companies, 61% of German companies, 60% of US companies area of Barcelona include the city’s high quality of life, good location, and 55% of Italian companies. proximity to clients, highly competitive labour and production costs, the barcelona firm apc systems and technically qualified human resources. 3- 61% of foreign companies in the area of Barcelona undertake com- will market the first helmet with airbag mercial and marketing activities, 33% are manufacturers, 29% work in 7- Foreign business people are committed to their projects and their the logistics field and 23% are in the services sector. High value added groups re-invest more here than in other areas. activities are gaining ground, with 15% of foreign companies devoted The Barcelona-based company APC Systems issues a radio-frequency signal to the in- to R&D and design. 8- Knowledge of foreign languages, the cost of freight transport and will launch a helmet with the first ever flator in the helmet, the airbag then opens industrial premises, and the number of air and train connections should airbag especially for motorcyclists. The and covers the driver’s cervical area. 4- The chemical, metal-work, electrical-electronics and automobile sub- improve if the area of Barcelona wants to become more competitive. company, with head offices in Barcelona’s sectors attract the most foreign investment in the area of Barcelona. Poblenou neighbourhood, has researched Other components, such as the helmet, 9- Paris, Milan, London, Frankfurt and Lisbon are those other European the project for three years at a cost of some bag and inflator, are produced by compa- 5- Most companies use their branches in the area of Barcelona as a cities that are competing with Barcelona in terms of direct foreign in- €1.5 million, including numerous confor- nies in Europe and America. platform to enter the Spanish and, in some cases, Portuguese markets. vestment, with Madrid being the alternative to Barcelona in Spain. mance tests to make the helmet available in the Spanish market by early 2008. The company expects to achieve sales of €2.5 million over the first year. APC Systems The APC (cervical protection airbag) is an will initially sell the helmet in Spain but innovative device developed in Barcelona. plans to export to other European coun- barcelona city council helps innovative Easy to install, light and fully autonomous, tries in the medium term. The innovative it does not need maintenance and can be project has received support in the form of companies find funding stored next to the bike’s battery. In the loans and subsidies from CIDEM, Barcelo- event of an accident or collision, the device na Activa and CDTI. Barcelona Activa, Barcelona City Council’s He highlighted the fact that companies specific business sectors and this year they local development agency, works to help located at Barcelona Activa’s business in- focused on the biotechnology, audiovisual small innovative businesses with high cubator and Barcelona Nord Technology and aeronautical industries. growth and quality employment potential Park have received funding totalling €22 keesie and redwood open offices in barcelona find access to finance. million, including risk capital investment, The municipal agency has also signed bank funding and subsidies. agreements with financial organisations and business angel networks to help bu- The Dutch marketing agency Keesie is set to open its first Spanish branch in Barcelona’s Measures carried out by Barcelona’s local development agency were presented last Barcelona Ready4Growth sinesses working in the framework of the Barceloneta neighbourhood. The company currently employs 35 workers, three of whom DetectIT and IneSAT projects, among other will be moving to the capital of Catalonia. Top firms including Procter&Gamble, Unilever, September during a visit by the deputy Telefónica and PepsiCo are among its clients. mayor in charge of Economic Promotion, Barcelona Ready4Growth is one of the programmes and actions, to secure funding Jordi William Carnes, to Futurlink, which most significant programmes offered by under favourable conditions. The Redwood Group, a global advisory and real estate management company, with offices is one of the companies that found funding Barcelona Activa, which consists of two- in Asia and Europe, has also chosen Barcelona to set up its European headquarters. after taking part in the Barcelona Activa day-long seminars that prepare companies programmes. for investment. Each edition is devoted to 8 9 barcelona companies barcelona companies the world’s leading trade fair for textile machinery river island to open in barcelona to be held in barcelona in 2011 River Island -the British fashion, acces- to the good results of international brands sory and cosmetics retailer-, will open its in Catalonia’s capital, its desire to promo- Barcelona has been chosen to host a trade fair which is on a par with Construmat, first store in Spain on Carrer Portaferrisa. te the firm in this commercial hub because Meeting Point and Alimentaria. Itma is the world’s leading fair for textile machinery and The store will have a surface area of 630 of the area’s tourist potential. The chain’s equipment; it takes place every four years and will be held in Barcelona in September square metres previously used by Leoni. future plans include opening ten more sto- 2011, making it one of the main attractions for Fira de Barcelona. According to CB Richard Ellis, a real es- res in two years, two or three of them in tate consultancy firm representing the Bri- Barcelona. According to Amec, the multisectoral association for exporting companies that has wor- tish firm, Barcelona has been chosen due ked with Fira de Barcelona during negotiations, the trade fair will generate business for the city worth €800 million and is expected to attract 1,300 exhibitors from 40 countries and 100,000 visitors. Itma will cover the entire Gran Via venue, an area of 245,000 m2, and by then the two pavilions -not yet to opened- will be in full operation. By 2011, the line 2 metro is expec- ted to connect to the Montjuïc venue and line 9 will be enlarged to reach the airport. chemical firm dow wolff cellulosics opens Textile industry sources have classed the fair as the Olympics of the textile machinery in- dustry, as it presents the latest technologies and is an essential gathering point for buyers offices in barcelona and sellers from all over the world. Itma will rank forth on the list of professional fairs organised at Fira de Barcelona after Construmat, Meeting Point and Alimentaria. The US chemical multinational Dow Wolff Cellulosics will keep the Spanish commercial organisation of Bayer division Wolff Walsrode in Barcelona, having formalised the purchase of the chemical firm specialised in cellulose derivatives. As a result of the purchase, Dow Chemical, with Spanish headquarters in Madrid, will also be present in Barcelona and thus hopes to strengthen its position in Europe. nissan to invest €400 million in barcelona plant Nissan Motor Ibérica will invest approximately €400 million between 2008 According to the general director of Nissan and 2010 in the company’s plant located in the Zona Franca district. As a Spain, the RDI investment plans will conti- result of the investment, the plant will incorporate the production of 40,000 nue in the city as the industry’s future relies units of the X-83 models (Primastar, Trafic, Vivaro) over the next three years, with a on added-value innovation of the brand’s view to reaching the target of 180,000 units. In addition, Nissan plans to demolish the vehicles. The plant currently employs 4,160 facilities that have become obsolete and incorporate the suppliers within the same Zona people, 3,000 of whom are direct labour. Franca premises, thus reducing production costs. french firm eurazeo to open a branch in barcelona catalonia raises its total entrepreneurial French investment firm Eurazeo plans to open an office in Barcelona. The activity two points in 2006 group, with headquarters in Paris and advised by the financial firm Roths- child, has announced its intention to open Spanish head offices in Barcelo- na, given the interest of the company in promoting its presence in Spain and as a result of the city’s dynamic activity and transformation. With offices already established in According to the latest Global Entrepreneu- rate in Europe. The typical profile of a Ca- The Catalan government plans to double Germany and Italy, this will be the firm’s third foreign base of operations. rship Monitor report, the Total Entrepre- talan entrepreneur is that of a man (61% the budget for entrepreneurs from four to neurial Activity (TEA) in Catalonia is 8.6%, of cases) who is around 40, has higher eight million euros, with particular empha- Despite losing the bid to purchase Applus in July, the company was able to see which is higher than the average in Spain education (30% of those polled), works in sis on projects by women, young people, Catalonia’s major growth possibilities and the dynamics of its family business groups, (7.3%) and Europe (5.5%). Catalonia is an urban area and earns a monthly income long-term unemployed and people with which was precisely one of the reasons the city was chosen when Eurazeo began as a thus third on the list of Spanish autono- of 1,800 euros. disabilities. family business. mous communities after Madrid (9.3%) and Aragon (9%). According to data supplied by the Depart- Eurazeo is an investment group with interests in a variety of sectors, a stock market ment of Labour at the Autonomous Govern- value of almost €6 billion, and significant stakes in Danone, Veolia and ANF. The rate, determined by the Autonomous ment of Catalonia, 2,026 microcompanies Government of Catalonia and the Provin- were created last year with support from cial Government of Barcelona, represents the department’s company creation servi- the percentage of the adult population who ce, which led to 3,818 jobs. The document have created or launched a new business concludes that these enterprises employ activity over the 42 months prior to the an average of 3.1 workers (not including survey on which the report is based. the entrepreneur) and the average capital required to start up a project of these cha- The female TEA in 2006 was 6.7% (a racteristics in Catalonia is €53,450, whi- 1.8% rise over 2005), one point above the ch is considerably lower than the average Spanish average and almost double the amount in Spain (€ 66,157). 10 11 barcelona companies barcelona in the world oracle to open software development centre small format films on mobile phones in barcelona The Barcelona-based companies Albiñana Films and Canónigo Films have joined forces with Senator, a German firm based in Hollywood, to create and commercialise a film for- US software multinational Oracle has that the US multinational is studying the nounced before the end of the year. Among mat designed exclusively for the small screen of mobile phones. This breakthrough idea appointed Fèlix Monedero head of the possibility of setting up a European centre other reasons, the company has chosen will enable the user-spectator to watch a series while, for instance, travelling by metro or firm’s Mediterranean operations in Barcelo- for software development and innovation Barcelona because it is a very attractive sitting in a waiting room. na. With the appointment of Mr Monedero for a specific applications environment. Al- city for foreign workers and due to the wel- and the opening of new offices in Pedral- though the company already has a support come offered by Catalan administrations to The companies working on the project have used their synergies to give the go ahead to bes Center, Oracle is increasing its focus on centre in Barcelona with fifteen employees companies looking to become established the first short-format series Urban Legends, primarily aimed at adolescents, the group the Mediterranean area, a key market for offering Oracle base technology support, in the city. most inclined to use the multiple functions of mobile phones. However, the company the firm in Spain with a turnover of €28 the professionals at the new centre will plans to reach larger audiences shortly. million, representing 15% of national bu- specialise in specific applications. Other immediate challenges for the com- siness. pany are the implementation of the Vision The company’s first product was presented in Sitges during the International Film Festival Up to 100 software engineers from Spain 2010 worldwide strategy, which in the of Catalonia. During his presentation as new director for and abroad will work at the centre, the Mediterranean area will involve duplicating the Mediterranean area, Monedero stated opening of which is expected to be an- turnover and increasing the workforce. roca buys keramika sanitaryware manufacturer Corporació Roca, a Catalan manufacturer of bathroom products, has acquired the barcelona in the world Russian group Keramika, owner of Santek sanitaryware, one of the country’s leading ficosa to carry out purchase of 70% product lines. of chinese firm shanghai benyuan this year The Roca family group is thus strengthe- ning its position in the Russian market, where it has been present for over a deca- de with Jika, Laufen and Roca brands. Multinational car component company Ficosa has announced plans for a purchase option on over 70% of Chinese company Shanghai Benyuan this Keramika, with two factories in Russia, em- year. The purchase option was signed in 2001 at an agreed price and it was stipulated ploys 1,400 workers and has a production that the Catalan company would provide technical assistance to Shanghai Benyuan, which capacity of 1.5 million units. The operation is devoted to manufacturing car mirrors, gearboxes and brakes and employs around 300 was formalised following the purchase of workers close to Shanghai. the firm Sime Inax in Malaysia. This year, FICOSA may also buy 49% of a factory in Bursa (Turkey), with 51% of its According to a company press release, shares already belonging to the company. In addition, Ficosa is building a new factory in €191 million has already been invested Poland. Indeed, the FICOSA management team believes the future of the company lies in in Asia and Europe to finance internatio- Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, Slovenia, Romania and Turkey. The firm also has a nal expansion. With Keramika, the Catalan presence in India, China and the United States. group hopes to reach a production of over a million and a half units per year. banc sabadell to launch operations in dubai almirall boosts its internationalisation strategy Banc Sabadell has started to enter the country, hopes to accompany Laboratorios Almirall has carried out two and enables it to enter new markets such as the United Kingdom and Poland. The com- proceedings to open a repre- Catalan companies that are already opera- acquisitions during the second semester of pany also hopes the acquisition will lead to new investment opportunities abroad. sentative office in Dubai, one of the seven ting in the area. the year that will help boost its internatio- members of the United Arab Emirates, ac- nalisation strategy. According to Almirall, the purchase of Hermal meets its needs in terms of market distri- cording to Jaume Guardiola during his first In addition to the expansion plans in the bution, therapeutic areas, facilities and size. It will also enable the company to diversify public appearance as CEO following his United Arab Emirates, Guardiola also spoke Firstly, the company has formalised the ac- its product portfolio. appointment to the financial group. It will of the group’s intention to consolidate its quisition of the German firm Hermal from be the Catalan bank’s second office in the position in Spain and grow and strengthen Reckitt Benckiser. The operation, which Furthermore, the company has reached an agreement with the English pharmaceutical Persian Gulf, where it already has a branch its presence in Florida (US) and Mexico. was announced in July for a sum of €376 company Shire to purchase the license to commercialise eight medicines for approxi- in Teheran (Iran). With the new office in million, will enable the Catalan pharma- mately €151 million. The operation will bring about an increase in sales, with a highly Dubai, the financial organisation will add Made public on November 6, the group’s ceutical company to promote its internatio- significant gains for the Catalan pharmaceutical company. Almirall has also acquired a one more to its network of offices, bran- new master plan will last two years, which nal expansion. The operation strengthens sales network that covers France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Ireland. ches and subsidiary companies abroad. according to economic analysts is highly Almirall’s position in the Germany market With this operation, Banc Sabadell, which advisable given the current market situa- is awaiting permits from the Arab Emirates tion. 12 13 barcelona in the world barcelona bioregion codorniu group purchases wine distributor to consolidate barcelona to open a pioneering centre in its position in the us market comprehensive multiple sclerosis care The Codorniu wine group rry and the French Camus cognac. The Co- enhancing its position in foreign markets, Hospital Vall d’Hebrón in Barcelona is set Hospital Vall d’Hebrón is set to begin re- nisation of treatments and ongoing training has completed the purcha- dorniu brands will be added to the existing which account for 30% of sales. The group to open a pioneering healthcare centre for novation work to adapt its infrastructure to for specialists, a method that has already se of AV Imports, one of the twenty leading distribution. hopes to consolidate its position in the US patients with Multiple Sclerosis (ME) that the requirements of the new CEMCAT cen- been implemented for other diseases inclu- wine importers in the US in terms of busi- and United Kingdom. will combine the work of neurorehabili- tre, which will have team of fifty people. ding cancer. ness volume. Pagés also stated that “the US is a stra- tation professionals and a clinical neuro- The project is a continuation of the pilot tegic country for our group” and that this immunology and research team. The two experience that began three years ago at According to general director Xavier Pagés, operation confirms the commitment of the areas were formerly separate, as therapy for the Hospital Arnau de Vilanova in Lleida the purchase is part of the firm’s strategy to Catalan wines and cavas producer to the people with brain lesions was given at day that combined the work of neurorehabilita- grow and consolidate its position in the US American market, which began many years care centres while diagnosis and treatment tion professionals with neurology and MS market and the international wine industry ago. In fact, Codorniu already owns a cellar were part of the scope of hospital services. research specialists. as a whole. in Napa Valley (California), with 162 hec- Now, with a view to combining both types tares of vineyards in the areas of Carneros, of care, an agreement has been signed to MS, which affects over 4,000 people in The purchase came about following a res- Atlas Peak and Alexander Valley. create CEMCAT, an MS comprehensive care Catalonia, is an inflammatory disease of tructuring period for the Codorniu group. centre, valid from 1 October. With an initial the central nervous system. It does not yet As a result of last year’s restructuring, whi- investment of €4 million, the centre will be have a cure, but it is possible to alleviate AV Imports, with headquarters in Balti- ch led to losses of €905,000, the com- funded by the Generalitat’s Department of the symptoms and specialists insist on the more (Maryland), distributes a variety of pany has designed a three-year strategic Health and the Private Multiple Sclerosis need to make an early diagnosis. The new products including Italian wines, Albariño plan that will bring about organic growth Foundation (FEM) with the participation of model includes an MS diagnosis and treat- Terras Gauda of Rías Baixas, Tío Pepe she- of 22%, triplicating operating profits and the Catalan Institute of Health (ICS). ment protocol, while establishing homoge- barcelona consolidates its position in the top ten of european business cities barcelona will play host to a european laboratory For the second year running, Barcelona quality of life, a position it has held for six ranks fourth on the list of leading Euro- years. dedicated to respiratory disease research pean cities for business Although close to other cities, Barcelona Barcelona has consolidated its position in came first in terms of residential accom- Barcelona will house the International fourth place on the list of the preferred Eu- modation for expat executives, ahead of Laboratory of Respiratory Epidemiology ropean cities to locate a business. According to the 2007 report “European Cities Moni- Madrid, Berlin and Paris. Similarly, the (ILRE), a European centre arising from co- tor”, conducted by Cushman & Wakefield, London remains in first place, followed by Paris city came third in the hotel accommoda- llaborations between France and Catalonia and Frankfurt. tion category, only surpassed by London and which aims to promote research in the and Paris. field of respiratory epidemiology. The report is published every year based on interviews with 500 senior executives from leading European companies and analyses cities from a variety of viewpoints such as tele- Aspects that could be improved include This international project is led by the En- communications development, urban transport, quality of life and available office space. quality of telecommunications (although vironmental Epidemiology Research Centre the city has risen from 19th to 15th pla- (CREAL), the National Institute for Health and Amongst the most highly-valued aspects of the capital of Catalonia are the efforts being ce), freedom from pollution and languages Medical Research (INSERM), the Munici- made to improve it as a place for doing business. Indeed, as occurred in 2006, Barcelona spoken. pal Institute of Health Assistance (IMAS) heads the list in this category. It also maintains a clear lead as the city offering the best and Paris-Sud University. It will build on the collaboration already established between CREAL, directed by Dr. Josep Maria Antó (Professor at Pompeu Fabra University) and two French groups from INSERM (Villejuif Pneumology and Immunology Research Group and Grenoble Lung Cancer Research Group). The centre will primarily focus on the research of chronic obs- futurlink to open offices in the united states tructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults (asthma and other pulmonary diseases), environmental determinants of respiratory health, atmospheric contamination, physical activity, diet and contact with animals. Based in Barcelona, FuturLink is a company Created in 2003, Futurlink’s production is with an international outlook that is devo- targeted both at private firms and public According to experts, obstructive pulmonary diseases, asthma and COPD are some of ted to high technology research and deve- institutions with an international scope. the primary challenges that the public health sector will have to face. The incidence lopment. It specialises in wireless devices The company deems proximity and interac- of asthma has more than doubled in the past three decades and it currently affects at and applications that interact in proximity tion with end clients as key assets. As a least 5% of adults and 10% of children in the general population. By 2020, COPD is with mobile phones using Bluetooth and result of intense RDI activity, Futurlink has expected to have become the third cause of death in the world and it increasingly leads Wi-Fi technologies. achieved risk capital support from public as to disabilities. well as private organisations. In fact, the The firm plans to open a branch in London company began operations in 2003 with before the end of 2007 and an office in the support from Barcelona Activa after taking United States in early 2008. part in programmes offered by the local de- velopment agency. 14 15 barcelona bioregion barcelona 22@ second meeting of spanish bioregions in barcelona groupe seb iberica at 22@ “Sharing experiences, promoting The purpose of these sessions is to present bioregions as macrostructures for generating Multinational Groupe Seb Ibérica, owner of Rowenta, Krups, Tefal and Moulinex, bio-technology clusters” was the regional wealth and articulating local industries. The gathering aims to facilitate contacts will move to new offices in the 22@ district’s Ecourban corporate building. The slogan of the Second Meeting of and share good practices between Spanish bioregions, and to compare successful inter- facilities will have a surface area of over 1,500 m2 distributed over two floors. Spanish Bioregions, held last November national experiences. in Barcelona. Organising the event were Groupe Seb, leading manufacturer in the small electrical appliances sector with six pro- ASEBIO (the Spanish Association of Bio- The meeting brings together around one hundred sector representatives, including top- ducts sold every second, is present in over 120 countries and employs 18,000 people. enterprises) and INTERES Invest in Spain, ranking autonomous and central administration authorities, and interface and RDI com- The company maintains its market leadership thanks to a policy committed to innova- which works to attract and promote foreign panies that are heading the launch of bioclusters in Spain. The sessions are based on tion, technological and manufacturing knowledge and an ability to adapt products to the investment, with the collaboration of Biocat roundtable sessions and conferences focusing on themes of interest to the sector, such as consumer’s needs. (BioRegió de Catalunya) and Barcelona Ac- biotechnology regulatory policies, examples of international success, management mo- tiva (Barcelona City Council). dels and new trends. american express moves its head catalunya to take part offices to 22@ in the international bio fair The US multinational American Express has The group’s criteria for choosing Barcelona chosen Barcelona to set up the headquarters were the city’s cosmopolitan nature, prices, Last October the green light was given for Catalonia to take part in the 2008 BIO (Biote- Biocat will also help with any related pro- for its European emergency services centre. its high technology level, the availability of chnology International Organization) convention, set to be held in San Diego, California, cedures such as travel arrangements, ac- The new facilities, which will be operatio- multilingual staff and its very competitive on 17-20 June. The gathering is considered the world’s largest event for the biotechnology commodation, freight transport and stand nal in 2008, represent an investment of market. industry. décor, in addition to directly managing one million euros and are expected to em- some of these procedures. ploy 50 to 100 people. The new offices of American Express Via- For the second year running, Biocat, along with ICEX and Fundación Genoma España jes in Barcelona will deal with emergencies (national organisers), will coordinate Catalonia’s presence at the official Spanish pavilion. According to estimates, 20,000 visitors With the move, the 24-hour emergency arising outside normal office hours in para- According to the agreement reached by BIO and ICEX during the last edition, and given the and 2,200 exhibitors from 70 countries are service of American Express Viajes, which llel to the company’s Stockholm offices. years it has participated as an individual pavilion and the number of companies involved, expected to attend next year’s convention. until now has operated in various European this year the Catalan space will be doubled to 250 m2. The period of registration, which These figures illustrate the fine opportu- cities, will concentrate its activities in the entitled participants to their own stand in the Catalan pavilion, ended on 9 November. nities available in terms of generating bu- Catalan capital. siness and exploring the industry’s latest A number of grants have been launched by ICEX, Genoma España, COPCA and Biocat for trends. companies to attend the convention under the most favourable conditions and to enable International recognition for 22@Barcelona the largest number of firms to take part. The US magazine CNBC considers 22@ Poblenou district, which has now beco- of 30,000 new jobs, 3.2 million m2 of Barcelona to be one of the best renova- me a hub of technology that boasts ultra- office space and 114,000 m2 of parks tion projects in Europe. modern architecture”. The author of the and green spaces. article, Rupert Eden, comments that the The leading US business magazine district, once dubbed Catalonia’s Manches- Eden highlights the dominance of the barcelona 22@ CNBC considers the process of conso- ter, today houses distinct sectors including Torre Agbar, commenting that it resem- lidating the 22@ district as one of the R&D, media and marketing. bles London’s ‘Gherkin’, and praises the best renovation projects in Europe. Trambesòs tram connections with the the largest network of us business angels CNBC states that 22@Barcelona “exem- rest of the city and the nearby Diagonal to open in 22@ The article focuses on the efforts Barce- plifies Barcelona’s current investment po- Mar area. lona has made to become an internatio- tential” having already attracted a large nally recognised city which “began with number of businesses. The article goes on the Romans and culminated with Spain’s to comment on other advantages of the re- Keiretsu Forum, the lar- 22@ are the promoters of the initiative, greatest concentration of factories in its novation of Poblenou, such as the creation gest US network of pri- and Xavier Casares will direct the project vate investors, is set to move to the 22@ in Spain. technology district during the last quarter of the year. It will be the first Business Business Angels are a global platform and Angels branch in Europe thanks to backing being member of the investor network of of various Catalan institutions, including Barcelona means that you also belong to public companies, financial organisations those of San Francisco and Beijing. Keiret- and universities. The network also plans to su Forum is the business investor organi- open an office in London during the same sation from California that most invested period and another in Madrid at the start last year, with $51 million in 30 compa- of next year. nies from different sectors. The network, which analyses over 1,500 projects every Josep Piqué at La Salle, Francesc Solé Pa- year, has more than twelve offices world- rellada at the UPC, and Miquel Barceló at wide and a total of 500 members. 16 17 barcelona infrastructures barcelona infrastructures el prat airport expansion moves forward the port of barcelona set to gain 18 hectares from the sea Two of the world’s leading air alliances, Star Alliance and Oneworld, will operate out of Barcelona airport’s new Terminal The Port of Barcelona will gain 18 hectares from the sea in the Moll d’Inflammables area Sud, currently under construction, accor- known as Zona Delta. In addition to increasing the surface area for handling operations, ding to a decision adopted by AENA, the the project involves the construction of a new berth for large freight and passenger ves- Spanish airports authority under the Minis- sels. The project, with an investment of €36 million, will be directed by a firm created by try of Public Works. the Barcelona Port Authority (APB) and Catalana d’Iniciatives. The award, made public by AENA, also The APB does not want to modify the presence of inflammables operators at the dock, includes 17 airline companies that are since they generate maritime traffic and are planning major investments. These compa- not connected to any alliance and will be nies are concentrated in the area known as Zona Delta 1 or northern region. The areas offering services from T-Sud, bringing the where work will be carried out are in the southern region or Zona Delta 2. total number of airlines operating from the terminal to 42. According to the Port authorities, a container terminal will be built in the area and the mooring for Short Sea Shipping (SSS) vessels will be promoted. SSS is a short-distance Compared to the northern zone (terminals for freight and passenger transport between ports of different countries on the same A, B and C), the new terminal has more tellite terminal, which will respond to the terminals. Terminal Nord, which comprises continent, or between European ports and non-European countries located on one of access to runways, which will save taxiing airport’s growth and concentration of over modules A, B and C, will thus handle 11 the seas skirting Europe. The EU aims to encourage this type of transport to relieve land and aeroplane fuel. 70% of passengers in T-Sud. million passengers. transport infrastructures. It is precisely from next to Delta 2 that the 18 hectares will be gained from the sea. Set to open in 2008, T-Sud will also raise Air Europa and the Sky Team alliance, with A renovation process is also planned for the capacity of Barcelona’s airport, boos- 15% of the El Prat market, will be exclu- Terminal Nord, a project commissioned by Catalana d’Infrastructures Portuàries is the new company in charge of the project, which ting passenger traffic from 30 million to sively situated in Terminal A, although the AENA to architect Ricard Bofill, who will is expected to create employment and increase Catalonia’s economic activities. The new 55 million. In the longer term, as of 2013, former may move its air shuttle service to also be directing the work on the T-Sud sa- infrastructure, located beside the southern entrance, will speed up the arrival and depar- passenger figures are expected to rise to T-Sud. Meanwhile, Easyjet and other inde- tellite terminal. ture of vessels and improve connections with the road and railway networks. 70 million with the building of a new sa- pendent airlines will stay at the B and C iberia and the consorci de la zona franca chinese cruise ships at the port of barcelona to build a maintenance hangar at barcelona airport The Port of Barcelona has entered nego- Specific services are required for Chinese tourists to travel through the Mediterranean tiations with a delegation of the Autono- on a cruise ship departing from Barcelona. For instance, the ships will need Chinese- mous Government of Hong Kong to define speaking personnel, Chinese cuisine and décor, as well as specific shows and signs for Iberia and the Consorci Zona Franca de house both widebody aircraft, such as the Airbus 340 and the Boeing 747 Jumbo, and a permanent collaboration agreement to this group. Barcelona (CZFB) plan to build a mainte- narrow-body aircraft intended for short and medium haul flights, such as the Airbus promote the cruise business. The aim is nance hangar at Barcelona Airport, a faci- A319/A320/A321, Boeing 757 and Boeing 737. to attract Chinese tourists, a market with The delegation also expressed an interest in the functioning of the terminals, passenger lity that will offer maintenance services to immense economic potential taking into facilities, ships and services offered. short, medium and long-haul commercial The facilities will be used to carry out general inspections of systems, components and account that some 200 million Chinese aircraft for 100-plus passenger planes for structures, which are usually carried out every 600 flying hours, as well as more extensi- people are expected to travel abroad in the first time in Catalonia and at El Prat ve checks undertaken every 18 months. The new maintenance building will create nearly 2020, according to data published by the Airport. Iberia will hold a 75% share of ca- 200 direct jobs, of which 150 will be maintenance technicians and auxiliary services, World Tourism Organization. pital in the project development company while the rest are management and administration. and the Consorci will hold the remaining 25%. The new building will contribute to pro- strengthening maritime line between moting Barcelona airport by providing it with key maintenance services for Iberia barcelona and genoa aircraft and other fleets operating at the airport and that contract the service. The project will involve an investment of €24 The maritime ferry route linking Barcelona and Genoa, operated by Grandi Navi Veloci, million and construction is scheduled for started up a new route between the Italian city, Barcelona and Tangiers (Morocco) in mid- completion in 18 months. With a cutting- September. By strengthening the line, the transport company has shown its intention to edge design, the building will seek energy work via Barcelona and promote mixed passenger-freight lines throughout the Mediterra- efficiency and a maximum utilisation of na- nean, from Istanbul to Gibraltar. tural resources. With a surface area of 12,600 square me- tres, the hangar will have enough room to 18 19