Record number of foreign companies established in Catalonia: over 9,600

Nearly 350 new multinational corporations have come to Catalonia in the past year, up 3.7%, for a new record of foreign companies established here: 9,602. These figures were published recently by ACCIÓ, the public agency for business competitiveness that has been working to attract foreign investment and help Catalan companies abroad for the past 40 years.

It is important to highlight, in this regard, that the number of new foreign companies arriving has increased 68% over the past ten years, and the figures show this growth has been steady and even accelerated in the past decade. These companies generate one in ten jobs in Catalonia, 30% of turnover and 47% of exports.

If we look at the turnover of these foreign companies by sector, the most noteworthy are automotive (17%), food and beverages (11%) and chemicals (9%). Nevertheless, by number of companies, technology makes up more than 20% of the total, as Barcelona is a hub that attracts many multinational corporations in this sector.

On the other hand, looking at country of origin, the largest share of subsidiaries established in Catalonia are from the United States (15%), followed by France (14%), Germany (12%), the United Kingdom (10%) and Italy (8%). In total, more than 90 countries are represented by companies established in the region. US and French companies have the strongest growth, 6% per year, although they are behind the notable growth of Canadian companies (12%).

The presentation of the Report highlighted that Catalonia, as a generator of talent, has traditionally been a country open to foreign investment that contributes to the people’s wellbeing by creating quality jobs, green energy and international connections, and they are spread throughout the territory. A good part of the projects identified for future investment are associated with the green and digital economies.