The Association of Manufacturers and Distributors and the CZFB sign a collaboration agreement

• With this agreement, both entities are committed to strengthening the logistics entrepreneurial ecosystem by collaborating in events and activities that promote knowledge and opportunities for startups in the sector.

• The agreement was formalised by the special delegate of the State in the CZFB, Pere Navarro, and the general director of AECOC, José María Bonmatí, at a meeting held at the DFactory Barcelona

Barcelona, April 16, 2024.- The Association of Manufacturers and Distributors (AECOC) and the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB) have signed a collaboration agreement by which they will carry out joint actions with the aim of promoting support for the development of logistics entrepreneurship. This agreement was reached during a meeting held between the special delegate of the State in the CZFB, Pere Navarro, and the general director of AECOC, José María Bonmatí, at the DFactory Barcelona facilities.

The objective of the agreement is to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem, specifically in the area of logistics, through collaboration in events and activities that promote knowledge and opportunities for startups in the sector. This includes the mutual dissemination of programmes and participation in events to promote entrepreneurship and networking, such as SIL Barcelona – the world-renowned International Logistics, Transport, Intralogistics and Supply Chain Fair – or the Barcelona New Economy Week (BNEW).

AECOC, one of the largest business organizations in Spain, brings together more than 33.000 companies from various sectors, generating employment for more than 4.5 million people and, in its whole, contributes 25% to the national GDP. Its mission is to improve the competitiveness of the entire value chain by sharing solutions, standards and knowledge to make it more efficient and sustainable. To achieve this, it offers a variety of additional activities and services, helping companies prepare for the challenges of the new landscape. This includes anticipating trends, providing training, as well as offering advice and consultancy in each sector it covers.

Pere Navarro, special delegate of the State in the CZFB, said during the signing of the agreement that “with this collaboration, our goal is to increase visibility and support for startups incubated in Logistics 4.0. At the same time, we seek to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem and create a favourable environment for the growth of new companies in the logistics sector.”

For his part, José María Bonmatí, the general director of AECOC, stressed that “for AECOC, the signing of this agreement means further strengthening our collaboration with the Consorci de la Zona Franca. The willingness to work with the only incubator for logistics and transportation-related startups highlights our priority to establish lasting partnerships to foster innovation in the industry. The agreement will allow startups to come into direct contact with the business fabric, exploring possible collaborations. In addition, for the companies that are part of AECOC, this initiative represents a unique opportunity to learn about and incorporate new technologies and innovative approaches in logistics and transport, improving their operational efficiency and maintaining their competitiveness in a constantly changing market”.