The CZFB Reaffirms Its Commitment to Barcelona Through New Strategic Projects

• The Plenary Session of the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona highlighted the momentum behind transformative projects for the city, the expansion of DFactory Barcelona, and the approval of financial statements that reinforce the organization’s economic strength.

• The CZFB reported that the DFactory expansion works are progressing at a strong pace and are expected to be completed by the end of this year. It also presented the progress achieved in the implementation of its 2025–2029 Strategic Plan.

Barcelona, July 23, 2026.- The Plenary Session of the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB) held its summer meeting, highlighting the organization’s role in driving transformative projects for the city, the expansion of DFactory Barcelona, and the approval of financial statements that reinforce the entity’s economic strength. The session underscored the CZFB’s dual mission: generating economic activity while reinvesting its resources in initiatives that contribute to Barcelona’s progress. In this regard, the public entity presented several strategic projects linked to urban development, innovation, and the international promotion of the city. These include the future Glòries Public Tower, initiatives associated with Barcelona World Capital of Architecture 2026, and the expansion of DFactory Barcelona, the leading Industry 4.0 ecosystem in Southern Europe.

The CZFB Plenary Session was chaired by Jaume Collboni, Mayor of Barcelona, who opened the session by stating that “we want economic activity to remain within the city, so that people can live and work in Barcelona without having to leave it. New urban industry and advanced technologies make this possible, but achieving it requires spaces like DFactory Barcelona. Therefore, I would like to recognize the commitment of Pere Navarro, Blanca Sorigué, and the entire team at the Barcelona Free Zone Consortium (CZFB) to the city, to the creation of quality employment, economic revitalization, and the dedication of their assets to serving the public interest”.

Expansion of DFactory Barcelona

The CZFB informed the entity’s Plenary Session about the progress of the DFactory Barcelona expansion works, a strategic project that will strengthen its position as an international benchmark in Industry 4.0. The ecosystem is currently operating at full occupancy and is home to 48 companies specializing in advanced technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, virtual and augmented reality, 3D printing, sensor technology, IoT, and cybersecurity, among others. Companies within the ecosystem have already generated 63 international patents, a figure that demonstrates their innovative capacity and the added value that this environment brings to the knowledge economy.

The entity reported that the Cub building has already completed its structural works and the installation of its glass façade and is expected to be finished by the end of October. At the same time, Buildings A and D are progressing at a very strong pace, with construction scheduled for completion by the end of this year, enabling the first companies to move in at the beginning of 2027. The Building B project is currently awaiting approval from the Spanish Council of Ministers, a necessary step before construction can begin. The construction works for Building B are expected to take approximately 15 months. With this expansion, DFactory Barcelona will grow from its current 17,000 m² to a total area of 60,000 m², further consolidating its position as a leading industrial and technological hub.

The Special Government Delegate to the CZFB, Pere Navarro, explained that “the expansion of DFactory Barcelona represents a strategic milestone in consolidating the largest Industry 4.0 ecosystem in Europe. This growth will enable us to continue attracting companies, talent, and investment, creating new opportunities for people and the region. DFactory is the heart of the urban industry district that we are promoting from the CZFB, a space designed to accelerate innovation, drive reindustrialization, and strengthen Barcelona’s leadership as an international benchmark in the new economy and the industry of the future.”

 Finally, Navarro also commented on the transformation that the traditional Zona Franca industrial estate is undergoing as it evolves into an urban industry district, highlighting that “what is happening in this district is, in essence, the reindustrialization of the 21st century. We are creating opportunities, attracting economic activity, and developing the spaces needed for innovative companies to grow and thrive. Our goal is for the spirit, innovation, and dynamism of DFactory Barcelona to extend across the entire industrial estate, driving its transformation until it becomes the true DFactory Barcelona District, an international benchmark for the new urban industry.”

Commitment to the City and New Strategic Projects

During the plenary session, the State Delegate of the Spanish Government to the CZFB also briefed members on the protocol recently signed with Barcelona City Council to promote the development of the Glòries Public Tower, a strategic project for the city that will integrate affordable housing, administrative spaces, and community facilities. The project envisages a minimum surface area of 35,000 m², comprising 10,000 m² for affordable housing, 20,000 m² for administrative uses, and 5,000 m² for community facilities. This initiative will help expand the supply of public housing while strengthening services and infrastructure for the benefit of residents.

Furthermore, the CZFB explained that it is working on new projects linked to Barcelona World Capital of Architecture 2026, an international event that positions the city as a global benchmark in urban planning, architecture, and innovation. It is worth noting that the CZFB recently produced a permanent 82 m² 3D-printed model of the city of Barcelona, which can be visited at the former Gustavo Gili publishing house, the headquarters of Barcelona World Capital of Architecture.

Update on the 2025–2029 Strategic Plan

Blanca Sorigué, Director General of the CZFB, also presented a progress report on the implementation of the Strategic Plan for the 2025–2029 period, stating that “the progress achieved during this year of implementation demonstrates that the 2025–2029 Strategic Plan is delivering tangible results aligned with our vision for the future. We are driving key projects such as the development of the DFactory Barcelona District, the attraction of innovative companies, the improvement of the industrial estate’s urban environment, and the rollout of ESG initiatives. All of this demonstrates that the CZFB is a catalyst for economic, social, and technological transformation in Barcelona and its metropolitan area.” Sorigué also noted that “DFactory Barcelona has welcomed 5,000 visits from organizations seeking to establish partnerships, and 25% of these visits have come from companies looking for a location to establish their digital hub in Barcelona or relocate their operations. We are talking about a real ecosystem housed in a 17,000 m² building, where 48 companies have already set up operations, generating 63 patents and attracting 5,000 visits. Just imagine how these results could scale when we are talking about a district with four additional buildings. This is a first-class economic development initiative”.

 The Plenary Session also approved the audited 2025 financial statements, which reflect the entity’s strong financial position. The fiscal year closed with a profit of €40.5 million, revenues of €77.7 million, representing an increase of €12.2 million compared to the previous year, and equity of €694.7 million. These figures reinforce the CZFB’s management model, based on self-financing and the reinvestment of profits in projects of public interest, and ensure the entity’s ability to continue driving strategic initiatives in areas such as innovation, industry, housing, sustainability, and urban transformation.

BNEW Refreshes Its Content and SIL Evolves into the Logistics Innovation Exhibition

The Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB) also presented the seventh edition of Barcelona New Economy Week (BNEW), which will take place from 5 to 7 October at DFactory Barcelona. This year’s edition will connect eight key sectors of the new economy: Aviation & Space, Agrofood, Gaming, Talent, Science, Health, AI, and Energy.BNEW 2026 is expected to bring together around 270 leading national and international speakers, participating in more than 50 panels, debates, and sessions, which will be held across three television studios. In addition, the event will feature a comprehensive programme of more than 30 experiential activities, offering visitors a unique opportunity to discover the latest developments in some of the industries driving the new economy, while also exploring part of the cultural, leisure, and design offerings of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area.

Finally, the CZFB announced that in 2027, SIL (previously known as the International Logistics Exhibition) will embark on a new chapter by becoming the Barcelona Logistics Innovation Exhibition. The event will evolve into a platform for inspiration, knowledge sharing, and business generation, where the future of the supply chain and international trade will be explored and anticipated. Featuring a more experiential format, it will strengthen its focus on innovation, talent, sustainability, and emerging technologies, further consolidating its position as the leading international meeting point for the logistics of the future. SIL 2027 will take place in Barcelona from 9 to 11 June.