Montero believes that the activity of DFactory Barcelona is essential to promote industry 4.0 in Spain

• The First Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, accompanied by the Secretary General of European Funds, Mercedes Caballero, have seen first-hand the 30 companies installed in the technology hub promoted by the CZFB

• The special delegate of the State in the CZFB, Pere Navarro, has presented the project of the second phase of the hub, which will add 72,500 m2 with the forecast of creating a direct occupation for 1,500 people and an indirect one for 5,000

Barcelona, 1 March 2024.- The First Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, accompanied by the Secretary General of European Funds, Mercedes Caballero, have visited today the facilities of DFactory Barcelona, the industry 4.0 technological ecosystem of international reference promoted by the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB). 

The special delegate of the State in the CZFB, Pere Navarro, and the general director of the CZFB, Blanca Sorigué, accompanied the authorities on their visit to the emblematic building, where they were able to learn first-hand about the activity of the 30 companies that develop their projects in the hub, as well as the details of the second phase of DFactory Barcelona. In this regard, María Jesús Montero emphasised the key role that DFactory Barcelona is playing as the driving force behind the industrial transformation of our country, within the framework of the new economy. 

DFactory Barcelona, ‘the cathedral of industry 4.0’

A benchmark in the development and promotion of Industry 4.0, the innovative DFactory Barcelona building has facilities of 17,000 square metres on four floors with open, diaphanous and digital spaces, where more than 30 companies with 500 workers have already set up, figures that represent 85% occupancy of its current surface area.

The Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona is working on the promotion of its second phase, a project that will be carried out in the location adjacent to the current facility and that will add an extension of 72,500 m2 more to the existing ones. The prospect is that this growth of the ecosystem will generate direct employment for 1,500 people and indirect employment for 5,000 more professionals. In this way, the public company promotes its goal of becoming the great District 4.0 not only of Barcelona, but of the entire metropolitan area of the city, including the 5 and a half million inhabitants. A technological epicentre of innovation and transformation, a benchmark in southern Europe, which will have an impact on the entire community, will lead Barcelona’s new economy, and will create new opportunities and solutions for companies and society as a whole.

The large corporations, small and medium-sized companies and research centres that coexist in DFactory Barcelona develop innovative solutions and products in the most disruptive and cutting-edge sectors of Industry 4.0, such as Artificial Intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, blockchain, sensors, IoT, cybersecurity or advanced manufacturing. Its management model consists of the coordination and collaboration of projects between all of them, to generate synergies, joint technology and new business models.

The special delegate of the State in the CZFB, Pere Navarro, said during the visit that “DFactory Barcelona is an ambitious project that promotes the transformation of the Spanish productive framework and supports companies during their digitalization process. It is a firm and clear commitment of the Consorci de la Zona Franca to promote industry 4.0, the promotion of new technologies and the business fabric of the country and the creation of new opportunities”. 

For her part, the general director of the CZFB, Blanca Sorigué, highlighted that “the new technologies being developed in this technological ecosystem of industry 4.0 are pioneers due to their innovative nature and are already providing a new range of possibilities and solutions for companies in the era of the new economy. DFactory Barcelona is synonymous with business and social progress, prioritizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.” 

The companies belonging to DFactory Barcelona have taken advantage of the institutional visit to convey to the Government the importance of the execution of the second phase, and thus face the future with guarantees to have more space to develop their innovations and continue to promote the advancement of industry 4.0 from Barcelona.