The Counsellor of the Presidency of the Government of Catalonia, Albert Dalmau, visits the heart of District 4.0

• In a meeting with Pere Navarro, the State Special Delegate to the CZFB, and Blanca Sorigué, Director General of the CZFB, he observed the organisation’s strategic vision and firm commitment to leading the digital transformation of industry.

• He visited DFactory Barcelona, the internationally renowned Industry 4.0 ecosystem, which already hosts 40 companies, and which will expand from its current 17.000 m2 to 60.000 m2 by the end of 2026.

Barcelona, 12 June 2025.- The Counsellor of the Presidency of the Government of Catalonia, Albert Dalmau, visited the heart of District 4.0 this morning, an initiative promoted by the Consorci de la Zona Franca and centred around DFactory Barcelona, the internationally recognised Industry 4.0 ecosystem that is home to nearly 40 companies dedicated to robotics, 3D printing, sensors, artificial intelligence, IoT, augmented and virtual reality, blockchain, and nanotechnology, among other leading technologies.

Counsellor Dalmau held a meeting with the State Special Delegate to the CZFB, Pere Navarro, and the Director General of the CZFB, Blanca Sorigué, and was able to see first-hand the organisation’s strong commitment and strategic vision to lead the digital transformation of industry. This activity has a significant global impact on the entire industrial sector, bringing high added value to the region by generating new jobs and attracting and retaining talent. District 4.0 is transforming the activity of the Zona Franca of Barcelona with highly innovative and technological projects, attracting leading international and national companies, and creating an environment conducive to collaboration and the development of innovative solutions.

Subsequently, Albert Dalmau learned about the activity of some of the companies based at DFactory Barcelona, which already has 40 companies of various nationalities, and is currently at 90% occupancy. This has prompted plans for an expansion that will increase the space from the current 17.000 m² to 60.000 m² by the end of 2026, consolidating it as the largest public initiative that, in partnership with the private sector, fosters collaboration between innovative technologies and creative talent related to Industry 4.0.

The Counsellor of the Presidency, Albert Dalmau, highlighted “the firm commitment of the Consorci de la Zona Franca to make DFactory Barcelona the central hub of the industry 4.0 ecosystem thanks to the support for public-private collaboration in areas such as robotics, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, and 3D printing.” Dalmau also emphasised that initiatives like these will have the support of the Government of Catalonia, “as they align with this Government’s objective to restore Catalonia’s economic leadership.”

Meanwhile, the State Special Delegate to the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona, Pere Navarro, stressed that “DFactory is the largest public initiative which, in contact with the private sector, encourages collaboration between innovative technologies and creative talent related to Industry 4.0. Here we have multinationals, leading technology centres, national companies, and some SMEs that are creating synergies and collaborations among themselves to solve challenges and offer innovative solutions.” Navarro added, “We want the philosophy of DFactory Barcelona to permeate all of District 4.0 and the entire industrial estate, so that it spreads throughout the territory, making us international benchmarks. In fact, this is already happening, and it is our vision for the future of industry.”

 Lastly, the Director General of the CZFB, Blanca Sorigué, pointed out that “none of this is happening here by chance, but because Barcelona is a unique region worldwide, internationally connected, attractive for attracting and retaining talent, with a powerful technological, innovative, and entrepreneurial ecosystem… all of which makes it the ideal location to become the world capital of Industry 4.0 and attract international investment.” She concluded by stating that “to all this, we must add that the Zona Franca of Barcelona is one of the main economic areas of the country, which has always led the most innovative industry, in a unique location in the world, so all the ingredients are present to lead this type of initiative and make District 4.0 the economic activity area that leads Industry 4.0 internationally.”

The Counsellor of the Presidency of the Government of Catalonia has also shown interest in the certification recently awarded to the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This certification has enabled the CZFB to become the first free zone in the world to receive the certificate for security and transparency in trade, highlighting its business model focused on innovation, Industry 4.0 and sustainability, as well as its strong commitment to transparency in management and security in international trade.