
I want to highlight Consorci's ability to anticipate the latest economic trends, essential for ensuring opportunities and progress for the new generations.
In 2023, the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona continued its vital work for business competitiveness by fostering innovation, improving sustainability, promoting equality, and opening up to internationalization. For this purpose, the entity promoted initiatives and established many strategic agreements to consolidate the development of Industry 4.0.
With startup acceleration initiatives, ZF supports the new economy, talent, and innovation. In 2023, it created the new Logistics 4.0 Incubator, boosting entrepreneurial entrepreneurship in the new logistics, in the same line as the 3D Incubator for additive printing.
BWAW consolidates in the business debate on gender equality and a diverse and inclusive company, aspects that the Consorci defends by joining the Charter for Diversity international movement.
The reindustrialization board for Nissan reached a pact in 2023 among all involved parties to guarantee jobs and the industrial future of its old factory in the Zona Franca. After a year of negotiations, a historic agreement was reached that showed the responsibility and social sensitivity of everyone involved.
With 80% of its commercial space marketed and about 30 new technology companies settled, DFactory was the scene of Barcelona's current technological affairs, with more than 200 events and visits in 2023. The success of its model heralds a second phase to project an actual technical district.
2023 was the year of Barcelona's logistics capital, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the SIL professional exhibition, an anniversary celebrated in June with a multitude of international sector meetings and by the 26th Conference of Ibero-American Free Trade Zones (AZFA), which also concentrated an excellent number of sector events at the DFactory Barcelona.
Once again, CZFB contributed to the projection of the city of Barcelona not only by attracting events but also by having the leadership of its entity and its senior management internationally recognized with various positions and awards in several areas of action for its urban action for the promotion of the circular economy, for its contribution to international trade, as an example of social responsibility, and for its support of the 2030 Agenda.
I want to highlight Consorci's ability to anticipate the latest economic trends, essential for ensuring opportunities and progress for the new generations.
The Zona Franca is a primary connector between environments that previously did not converge, grounding practical projects and blending technologies. We are the factory of new 4.0 opportunities, keeping pace with the rapid technological changes worldwide.
More than a century as an active agent energizing the economy, talent, and innovation. We rely on this evolutionary experience to leap into Industry 4.0.
We have a solid network of public and private agents, establishing alliances with the main social entities of our environment.
We want the international economic agents to discover the global strategic value of our metropolitan region.
The 2030 Agenda structures our activities strategically by guiding the social, environmental, and economic goal we must achieve.
We are committed to promoting gender equality and equal opportunities in the workplace; hence, our efforts to make women more visible in the industrial environment.
Promoting training and cultivating talent are essential to the competitiveness of our companies and our society. Opening up to new sectors, training for change, incubating emerging companies, and making them visible at events are all key aspects of this.
The Consorci de la Zona Franca is an indispensable partner in Barcelona's urban and financial strategy and a prominent public service tool for the country as a whole. Its contribution has been and is fundamental to facing the economic challenges of Barcelona as the undisputed digital capital of Spain and the digital epicenter of Southern Europe.
Throughout its 107 years of history, the Consorci has been a benchmark for economic, social, and environmental sustainability. It has strengthened the Barcelona model thanks to its ability to weave public-private alliances, reach agreements, and cooperate with other administrations.
On the one hand, it is an engine of innovation, with the creation of startup incubators in the fields of logistics 4.0 and 3D printing, the transformation of Industry 4.0, and the connection of all sectors that are part of the new economy. On the other hand, it plays a prominent role as a meeting point for industries such as logistics and as a promoter of new congresses and international events like BNEW. Not to forget the management it carries out of the extensive industrial territory of the Zona Franca or its role in facilitating the agreement for the reindustrialization of the Nissan plots.
Furthermore, the Consorci anticipates the latest economic trends, which is essential to ensure opportunities and progress for the new generations. It has become the most prepared entity to manage new technological centers, such as DFactory Barcelona, an ambitious project that is an international reference.
Numerous examples demonstrate the social commitment of the Zona Franca, whether through initiatives to achieve a more equal society, acting as a sandbox for new mobility, or as a testing area to promote new energy mixes, advanced manufacturing, and circular economy, allowing us to progress towards a more decarbonized economy.
The Consorci has numerous future projects underway, among which the development of the second phase of DFactory Barcelona stands out, which will revolutionize the productive profile of our city, attracting international companies from Industry 4.0, with the expectation of creating 5,000 jobs, mostly in technology, committed to sustainable production and environmental respect.
There is no doubt about the critical role played by the Consorci de la Zona Franca in generating shared progress and new opportunities for young people, entrepreneurs, and companies, previously unthinkable and now essential.
Thanks to all those who are making this possible.
Jaume Collboni,
Mayor of Barcelona and President of the CZFB Board