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Catalonia and Barcelona revalidate their first position in the European ranking in strategy to attract foreign investment

Posted on 15 de March de 20234 de April de 2023 by studiogenesis

The Parc de l’Alba project in Cerdanyola del Vallès was a finalist at the MIPIM Awards as Best New Mega Developement.
FDi Magazine of the Financial Times consolidates the leadership of Catalonia and its capital in attracting foreign investment.

The Government of Catalonia, through INCASÒL, the Barcelona City Council and the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB) reaffirmed their commitment to inclusive, sustainable and cohesive development models at the world’s leading real estate fair, MIPIM. The fair was held in Cannes (France) from Tuesday 14 March until Friday 17, and was attended by more than 2,400 companies from some eighty countries. More than 2,000 investment and financial companies attended and more than 50% of the participants were CEOs and senior professionals.

Catalonia as a whole, especially Barcelona and its metropolitan area, has a great international, open and cosmopolitan vocation, which seeks to grow in an inclusive manner and to generate wealth and a diversified economy. It is in this sense that Barcelona has been awarded, this 2023, with the distinction of European Entrepreneurial Region.
This is why it is a very attractive territory for foreign investment and the attraction of international talent, as shown by various studies. In 2022, foreign investment in Catalonia reached 620 million euros, a figure that has been on the rise since 2018. Last year’s investment has led to the creation of 3,464 new jobs.

Under the slogan: A way of living! Barcelona Catalonia took its ambitious programme of promotion and investment attraction to MIPIM this year. It had a 250 m² stand and the participation of 35 public and private partners who jointly presented strategic areas and projects. The projects are located in excellent locations connected by a rich network of infrastructures that favour the development of business and host services for international companies and operators.

The outstanding projects presented at the stand were Barcelona Centro, the new 22@, the PDUAE of La Plana de Lleida and La Cònca de Òdena, residential sectors with land available for the development of affordable housing, Biopol-GranVia in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat and Fira, in Cornellà de Llobregat. In this edition, Catalonia Trade & Investment and the universities of Barcelona and the Diagonal-Besòs Campus of the UPC joined the project to increase the value of the offer presented to Cannes. All these business opportunities were projected onto the interactive Barcelona Catalonia model that captured the attention and interest of visitors to this year’s MIPIM.

Barcelona and Catalonia consolidate their leadership in attracting foreign investment

The European Cities and Regions of the Future 2023/2024 report published annually by the Financial Times group’s fDi Magazine ranks Barcelona and Catalonia as the best city and the best territory in terms of investor promotion strategy for the second year running. Thus, Barcelona is ahead of cities such as Berlin and London, and Catalonia is tied with the Ile-de-France region and ahead of the Madrid region and Scotland.

Specifically, Barcelona won the category “Major European Cities of the Future 2023 – FDI Strategy” for its commitment to technology and sustainability. The publication also highlighted the city council’s commitment to encouraging companies to invest in solar energy and Spain’s first green hydrogen plant. They also highlighted the “Plaza Barcelona” initiative, which uses virtual reality to promote the city and facilitate tasks such as finding work.

For its part, Catalonia tied for first place with the French region where Paris is located, in the same category but analysed by region. The jury highlighted Catalonia’s commitment to the SDGs and its digital transformation. It also emphasised the attraction pole, which are the 12 Catalan universities and their engineering degrees. These, according to the magazine, “create a pole of attraction of power that accelerates the transformation of the region” towards an industry 4.0.

The fDi Awards ceremony took place on Tuesday, 14 March.

Parc de l’Alba was nominated as Best New Mega Development at the MIPIM Awards

One of the projects presented at the Barcelona Catalonia stand, Parc de l’Alba in Cerdanyola del Vallès, was selected as a finalist in the Best New Mega Development category at the Mipim Awards, out of 186 projects from 38 different countries.

Parc de l’Alba, located around the Alba Synchrotron, is a new 340.6-hectare sector that will become one of the most advanced platforms for science, technology and entrepreneurship. Its location around the synchrotron and close to the Autonomous University of Barcelona make the site an ideal location for new companies related to research, science, innovation and technology.

The MIPIM Awards are a real estate awards that were created in 1991 and are internationally recognised. The awards recognise the most outstanding projects, consolidated or about to be built all over the world. This year, the awards ceremony was held on Thursday 16 March at 18.30.

Barcelona Catalonia conference. The ESG strategy towards better cities and stronger businesses

The official programme of MIPIM included the Barcelona Catalonia conference. This year, the round table will be entitled The ESG strategy towards better cities and stronger businesses and will take place on Tuesday 15 March at 17.15 in the Verrier Grand Audi hall, at the Palais donis Festivals in Cannes. The conference was given by Jordi Gálvez, member of the governing board of Llar Unió Catalonia, Maria Buhigas, from Urban Facts, Miquel Morell, from Promoacsa, economist expert in real estate trends, and Olivia Blanco, Director of International Operations at PGI Engineering; and was moderated by Carles Vergara, associate professor of Financial Management at the IESE Business School.

The conference focused on the importance of incorporating ESG criteria, which seeks environmental, social and corporate governance, in order to achieve better cities and stronger businesses.

The official programme of the fair also included the Barcelona Conference, where the Commissioner for City Promotion, Pau Solanilla, presented the Green Deal as a framework of opportunity for foreign investment aligned with the values of fairness, sustainability and competitiveness. The conference, entitled “The Barcelona Green Deal: New Investment Opportunities”, explained the transformation of the Olympic Port, the enlargement of Mercabarna and the Diagonal-Besòs Campus. The presentation of the Olympic Port was given by Olga Cerezo, Director of this project, who explained the urban planning changes that the area is undergoing in order to open up to its immediate surroundings and to respond to the challenges of this new stage as a new centre of business activity around the Barcelona economy, of nautical dynamism and development of a new gastronomic model. The conference took place on Thursday 16 March at 10 a.m. in the Verriere Grand Audi of the Palais donis Festivals.

Betting on public-private partnerships to attract foreign investors

As in previous editions of the fair, Barcelona Catalonia has opted for a model of collaboration between public and private agents in the sector to make the range of projects on offer more attractive to foreign investors. In this sense, the Mipim stand was attended by 35 companies with an international vocation and municipal, metropolitan and supra-municipal administrations that collaborate in urban development projects in Catalonia. On this occasion, the Barcelona Catalonia stand was attended by the city councils of Cerdanyola del Vallès, Cornellà de Llobregat, l’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Sant Vicenç dels Horts and Viladecans and the public institutions Catalonia Trade & Investment, Campus Diagonal-Besòs (UPC Barcelona Tech), Cimalsa, Parc del Començar el dia and the University of Barcelona.

Also in attendance were the companies Amat Immobiliaris, API – Col-legi i Associació d’Agents Immobiliaris, Archikubik, BuildingCenter, Cornex Capital, Fabregat Perulles Sales, Forcadell, Gina Barcelona Architects, Grup aFinance (aCapital – aRetail), L35 Architects, Maher Homes, Lava Corporació, Barcino Property, Domus Management, Fomenti, Invest Center Catalonia, Jap, JG Enginyers, Meridiana, Smart Point, Spinnia, Tasinsa, TrGrupo Immobiliario and the social housing cooperative Llar Unió Catalonia.

Financial Times Group highlights Catalonia and Barcelona as leaders in attracting foreign investment in Europe

Posted on 8 de March de 2023 by studiogenesis

According to FDi Magazine of the Financial Times group, Catalonia and Barcelona are the region and city, respectively, with the best strategy for attracting foreign investment in Europe. This ranking is highly valued by multinationals to study future business investment projects and recognises the strategy carried out by the Generalitat de Catalunya, especially that of ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment, which attracted 94 foreign investment projects, an investment of 620 million euros and the creation of more than 3,400 jobs by 2022. Of particular note is the ProACCIO Green programme, which offers support and aid to business projects related to sustainability.

The project of the South Korean company Iljin Materials, which will invest 600 million euros to open its first factory in Europe in Catalonia and create 500 jobs, stands out as an example of the success of the strategy of attracting foreign investment. FDi Magazine also highlights the presence of 12 universities in Catalonia that are helping to accelerate the region’s transformation into a leader in Industry 4.0. Catalonia was ranked first, along with Ile-de-France (France), in the category of Large European Regions of the Future – FDI Strategy.

The recognition shows that Catalonia is attractive for foreign investment and is a magnet for high added value projects, according to the Catalan Minister of Enterprise and Employment, Roger Torrent. He also commented that “a large number of foreign companies in Catalonia decide to reinvest here again, so they have confidence in the country and in our government”.

The document places the Catalan capital in first place in fDI’s European Cities and Regions of the Future 2023 – FDI Strategy category. The award also highlights “the city’s successful technology ecosystem, which received a boost last year with Intel’s decision to partner with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center to establish a microchip design lab”. Barcelona is ahead of European cities such as Dublin, Berlin, Munich and Milan.

Barcelona has lower house prices than before the pandemic

Posted on 8 de March de 2023 by studiogenesis

Despite its attractiveness as a place to live, with a wide cultural, leisure and gastronomic offer, and options in the labour market, the price of housing in Barcelona is 4,637 euros per m2, which makes it the only large city with lower prices than before the pandemic, according to Brainsre.

This is not the case for the rental market, which is at an all-time high, after several months of consecutive rises. It is currently at 20.1 euros per m2 per month.

The difference between the price of new housing and that of used housing

The price of new housing in Barcelona has increased by 4.7% in the last year, currently standing at 6,452 euros per m2. In contrast, the price of used housing has remained relatively stable.

New Equinix data centre to be located at L’Hospitalet de Llobregat

Posted on 8 de March de 2023 by studiogenesis

Barcelona is positioned as a strategic hub for the connection of terrestrial and submarine telecommunications cables. The recently inaugurated Barcelona Cable Landing Station, located in Sant Adrià de Besòs, has accelerated the implementation of new data centres in the metropolitan area, which are vital for the digital transformation of companies and the economy.

Nasdaq-listed US company Equinix has announced the construction of a second data centre in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, where it has already had a similar facility since 2017. The new project, called International Business Exchange BA2, will require an investment of 52 million euros and is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2024.

The new data centre already has its first customer, the British multinational Colt Technology Services, which is also the first company to connect to the Barcelona Cable Landing Station.

Equinix has stated that this new facility in Barcelona will serve as a strategic connection point for data communications between Europe. Africa and the Middle East. The new facility will quickly become an essential submarine cable mooring location and will connect important cables such as 2Africa, Aqua Comms’ Europe-Middle East-India, Sipartech’s Medloop and Medusa, linking Barcelona to various Mediterranean, European and African markets.

Equinix vice-president Jim Poole highlighted the importance of submarine cables in enabling the digital world and foresees great progress in the next two years after the slowdown caused by the pandemic. Equinix noted that Barcelona continues to attract major international organisations in the technology area, mentioning companies such as Airbnb, Amazon, Google, HP, Microsoft and Ubisoft, which have invested in the city.

Microsoft is planning to hire 100 new employees at its artificial intelligence centre in Barcelona

Posted on 8 de March de 2023 by studiogenesis

The company has already hired around 80 people for the AI centre in recent months and plans to expand its team further. The news comes as Microsoft confirms the global layoff of 10,000 employees, representing around 5% of its total workforce.

On the other hand, Granados said the job cuts will not affect data centre projects in Spain, but some areas will be reprioritised towards more strategic projects.

Microsoft opened its AI centre in Barcelona in September 2021 and it is the first of its kind in Spain, the fourth in Europe and the eighth in the world.

Investment in healthcare startups increases significantly in Catalonia

Posted on 8 de March de 2023 by studiogenesis

According to Biocat’s annual report, the Catalan healthcare startup ecosystem raised a total of 445 million euros in 2022, almost double the amount raised the previous year. The healthcare sector already represents 8.7% of Catalan GDP and is made up of 1,350 companies and a hundred research institutions, with an aggregate workforce of 247,600 workers. The CEO of Biocat, Robert Fabregat, highlights that “the ecosystem has continued to grow in most of the identifiers, despite the unstable international situation”, and describes 2022 as “historic”.

The €122 million round from Impress, which specialises in digital treatments for invisible braces, was the highest in the history of the healthcare sector and has driven investment growth. However, the sector would still have outperformed last year’s investment even without the Impress deal, attracting €323 million.

The biotech sector also broke records with €185m, while investment in digital health companies declined for the first time in five years, falling 40% compared to 2021, with only €39m.

Venture capital continues to be the main source of funding, providing 343 million euros, 77% of the total. The Biocat report on the Catalan healthcare sector shows that in 2022 competitive grants were the second most important source of funding for Catalan healthcare startups, with 53 million euros (12% of the total). This figure is the highest ever and almost doubles the figures achieved in previous years. The main contributions came from the European Innovation Council (EIC Accelerator) and the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI).

The health sector in Catalonia shows great business and research dynamism, with more than 1,200 active clinical trials in Catalan hospitals and a participation in 75% of the clinical trials carried out in the rest of Spain. Half of these trials focus on oncology, followed by cardiovascular diseases, ophthalmology, central nervous system, mental health and minority diseases. It should be noted that Catalonia ranks fifth in Europe in terms of scientific publications per million inhabitants.

The real estate market in Catalonia recorded its best year since 2007 with more than 102,000 home sales in 2022

Posted on 8 de March de 2023 by studiogenesis

During November 2022, the sale and purchase of homes in Catalonia increased by 19% compared to the same month of the previous year. This percentage is above the national average for Spain, which was 10.8%. In total, 8,822 home sales and purchases were carried out in Catalonia during this period, according to the INE.

In Spain as a whole, the number of sales and purchases rose to 55,132, which is the best figure recorded since 2007. This increase represents 21 months of rises in Spain and a growth of 17%.

According to the Statistics on Transfers of Property Rights of the National Institute of Statistics, Catalonia closed the year 2022 with a total of 102,108 home sales and purchases, which represents an increase of 14.5% compared to the previous year. It is worth noting that this is the first time in the last fifteen years that the threshold of 100,000 transactions has been exceeded. The year-on-year increase in Catalonia was in line with the national average, which was 14.7%.

Port of Barcelona traffic hits record high leaving pandemic behind

Posted on 8 de March de 2023 by studiogenesis

After the pandemic, the Port of Barcelona has resumed its activity, surpassing the highest figure in the historical series so far, the 67.8 million tonnes in 2018.

The Port of Barcelona has registered a record at the operational level in 2022 and has managed to exceed its pre-pandemic turnover with 181 million euros. Although this income has been affected by a €25 million recovery plan to cope with the crisis, the year’s profits have improved on those of 2019, reaching €63 million. The Port’s president, Lluís Salvadó, highlighted these results as good, given the complicated international context in which they have been perceived.

The port’s total traffic has recorded a homogeneous growth in all segments, except for container traffic, which has remained similar to the previous year. Excluding containers, the most dynamic traffics have been potash and hydrocarbons, with an increase of 53% and 34.5%, respectively, driven by the investments made in previous years and the energy crisis.

On the other hand, car traffic has improved significantly with an increase of 18.4%. It should be noted that exports have been affected by the lack of semiconductors and the closure of the Nissan plant. Imports grew by 63% and overall traffic by 145.7%.

José Alberto Carbonell, general manager of the Port of Barcelona, comments, “in recent years, the Port of Barcelona has become a distribution hub”, in order to understand the increase in traffic, with cars coming from Asia and being distributed throughout Europe from the Catalan capital. Electric cars account for 20% of imports, which are increasing and have made China the main origin, relegating Japan.

At present, the segment that continues to suffer the effects of covid are cruises, with 2.3 million passengers registered in 2022, still far from the 3.1 million of 2019, but above the 521,000 of 2021. Moderate growth is expected, between 2% and 3%, although improvements are expected on issues such as the recovery of routes with Barcelona as a home port and deseasonalisation.

Investment plan

The Barcelona Port Authority plans to invest some 300 million euros during 2023, according to Salvadó, “a qualitative leap” compared to previous years, with 32 million invested in 2021. Updating port infrastructures will be the most important item, with 200 million euros earmarked for new berths at the Moll de l’Energia and the enlargement of the Moll Adossat.

In addition, 35 million euros will be invested in the electrification of the port and 28 million euros in new railway accesses. 31 million euros will also be earmarked for the renovation of the Port Vell, with the aim of preparing it for the America’s Cup.

The sale of plot 3 of Xàmenes in Martorell and Sant Esteve Sesrovires has been completed

Posted on 27 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

The Institut Català del Sòl, INCASÒL, has finalized the commercialization of an industrial and logistic land of 36.791 m² in the sector Xàmenes, located in Martorell and Sant Esteve Sesrovires. The land was of public ownership and property of INCASÒL and the town councils of Martorell and Sant Esteve Sesrovires. In addition, the project includes three more privately owned plots and the development works of the sector are in progress, with an expected completion date of the second quarter of 2024.

Plot 3 is an industrial and logistics land located in the Xàmenes sector, in the southeast of the sector, with a green area to the north and plot 2 to the east. The sector is close to the SEAT factory in Martorell, and has access to the AP-7, A-2, high-speed line, and B-224 road. Its location is strategic in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, as it is less than 45 minutes from important communication infrastructures, such as the airport and the port of Barcelona, and from the main passenger and freight train routes. It is also well connected to the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya.

The development of Xàmenes is within the framework of the Urban Master Plan (PDU) for the economic activity of Baix Llobregat North, which includes three sectors: the Zona Oest, Can Cases and Xàmenes, with the aim of generating new opportunities for economic and territorial development in the area. Given that these are new development sectors, the PDU gives great importance to sustainability and landscape integration, incorporating landscape integration measures and architectural quality in the construction conditions.

Colt Technology, Barcelona Cable Landing Station’s first terrestrial customer

Posted on 27 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

The Barcelona Cable Landing Station is a submarine fibre optic cable landing station located in Sant Adrià de Besòs, which is taking its first steps after its commissioning. The first cable powered by Meta has been announced and an agreement has been signed with the operator DE-CIX. In addition, the British multinational Colt Technology Services, which specialises in terrestrial fibre optic routes and network services, has become the station’s first terrestrial customer.

Colt Technology Services will be based in Sant Adrià to connect its cable landing station, the Barcelona Cable Landing Station, to Europe’s leading digital hubs such as Paris, London and Frankfurt. The company will have access to more than 1,000 data centres and 31,000 buildings in 220 cities in some thirty countries in Europe, Asia and North America. In addition, it will also provide an express overland route to other cable landing stations such as Lisbon, Bilbao and Marseille.

Colt Technology already had a presence on the Iberian Peninsula, where it has deployed a fibre optic network, nodes and data centre connections in cities such as Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao and Lisbon. In Barcelona, the company has 13 data centre connection points and will now add one more. The London-based company has also previously worked with the owner of the submarine cable station, Catalan company AFR-IX Telecom, which provides Internet access in more than 50 African countries.

The Barcelona Cable Landing Station has the capacity to accommodate up to eight submarine fibre optic cables from Africa, the Mediterranean and Asia, as well as terrestrial customers such as Colt. The third cable to arrive is expected to be the Medusa cable, built by AFR-IX and Nokia Group’s Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN), the longest cable in the Mediterranean at 8,700 kilometres. The station is expected to reach full capacity in 2027.

Catalonia closes 2022 with the lowest unemployment since 2007

Posted on 27 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

The difference between this year and the previous year is very notable, in December 2022 there were 22,820 fewer people registered as unemployed, compared to the same month in 2021, that is -6.18%.

The highest figures since records began in 2004 were reached, with 3,615,780.

Compared to December 2021, there was a fall in unemployment of 11.74% in Tarragona, -11.25% in Lleida, -9.88% in Girona and, finally, -4.31% in Barcelona.

The number of unemployed people in Spain as a whole remains below 3 million, decreasing by 1.52% compared to the figures of November 2022. Over the past year, unemployment in Catalonia fell by -8.64%, below the Spanish average.

More than one third -38% of all new contracts have been indefinite since the labour reform of the Gobierno Español came into force.

The Port Olímpic moves towards a sustainable economy and nautical activities

Posted on 27 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

Barcelona City Council’s Governing Committee has begun processing the Special Urban Development and Uses Plan for the Port Olímpic. The aim is to turn this infrastructure into a space without barriers and with better connections, to create an area that promotes the blue economy and gastronomy, and to democratise access to marine activities.

The scope of the plan covers a total area of 180,925 square metres, of which 103,561 correspond to the land where the port infrastructure will be built, including the Mestral, Marina, Gregal, Xaloc and Dic de Recer, while the rest, 77,363 square metres, correspond to the sheltered sheet of water. The total ceiling foreseen for the scope of the plan is 32,700 square metres.

According to the City Council, the plan confirms the commitment to the nautical sector, the sustainable economy and catering as the central axes of the new Port Olímpic’s activity.

In relation to the blue economy, nautical training, dissemination and recreational activities are promoted, with the aim of helping the people of Barcelona to gain a better relationship with the sea. The presence of entrepreneurs and nautical service companies will also be encouraged.

The plan places emphasis on improving accessibility to the Port of Barcelona, with the construction of new accesses from the Vila Olímpica and the beach, as well as the creation of public spaces specifically designed for walking and sporting activities. The City Council has reported that the works for the construction of the new access from the coastal ring road are progressing at a ‘good pace’, as well as the adaptation of the premises of the Moll of Mestral and the urbanisation of the Dic de recer. In addition, the refurbishment of the Sailing Centre is being put out to tender.

The plan also stresses the importance of promoting the use of green spaces, renewable energy and waste collection, among other initiatives to combat climate change and increase commitment to sustainability.

Spain records 15% increase in the number of deep tech startups, with 291 in Catalonia

Posted on 27 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

The technology startups currently employing the most people are in the biotechnology and artificial intelligence sectors. According to the study, deep tech companies employ more than 1,700 people.

Over the last five years there has been a boom in the creation of technology start-ups in Catalonia. The Minister of Enterprise and Employment, Roger Torrent, encourages to continue building this ecosystem of universities and top-level research centres in order to have more professionals in the advanced technology sector.

These startups provide pioneering technological and knowledge solutions in the fields of science, technology and engineering. They are completely new solutions, with the aim of creating new markets, such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology.

In 2022, a record was set in Catalonia, with some 159 million euros invested in this sector, making Barcelona the first hub in southern Europe based on the financing of deep tech startups.

The government also announced that a special fund with a budget of 2.5 million euros will be set up to subsidise deep-tech companies and those with a lifespan of less than three years. This grant, which will be in place from this year, will provide beneficiaries with up to 250,000 euros interest-free for the first four years. The creators of these start-ups will only have to repay 80% of the total credit received. This will contribute to the growth of Catalonia’s high-tech industry.

If these investments are realised, President Pere Aragonès expects more than 1,800 new job opportunities.

Barcelona enters the top 10 of the best cities in the world

Posted on 27 de January de 202327 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

According to this publication, Barcelona is the sixth best city in the world to live and work in. It is also one of the world’s top urban destinations. The city has climbed three positions in the ranking published by Resonance Consultancy, which, according to Bloomberg, is “a more comprehensive study”. The ranking not only takes into account tourist attractiveness, but also the city’s liveability, entertainment, cultural offerings, i.e. different economic, social and urban indicators.

Barcelona is one of the cities most valued by the experts of Resonance Consultancy, for several reasons, such as the climate, the architecture, the colourful neighbourhoods, which they define as artistic, sophisticated and bohemian. These attributes make the city occupy the sixth position in the ranking.

In the report created by “World Best Cities“, special mention is made of Barcelona’s commitment to a greener city and the initiatives that have been carried out to improve the tourist experience.

Improvements in the Catalan capital

After a difficult situation for the city, the pandemic, tourism is slowly making a comeback. Visitors will encounter major changes in the city. One of them is the difficulty of accessing the city by car, as traffic has been restricted in certain areas and cycle lanes have been increased. The ranking mentions the transformation of Passeig de Sant Joan into a green corridor with cycle lanes, wide pavements, vegetation and outdoor benches. It also comments on the change that will be generated in La Rambla, with the aim of making it more accessible, without car traffic.

Areas in which Barcelona stands out

The ranking is made on the basis of six areas in which it classifies one hundred cities in the world with more than one million inhabitants. The way it does this is by combining statistics and the opinions of citizens, both locals and tourists.

The Catalan capital stands out in the areas of place (6th position) and product (5th position). Place refers to the quality of life enjoyed in a city. This ranges from the climate, safety, culture and attractions of the neighbourhoods, to the buildings, museums, transport and services of the city. Product refers to all the activities and services offered by the city. This includes university rankings, airport connectivity, convention centres, professional sports teams and other tourist attractions.

On the other hand, Barcelona is ranked number 7 in the area of programming, which includes the cultural and gastronomic agenda, among others; 12th in the area of promotion, which includes the number of stories, references and recommendations shared online about

a city; 53rd in people, which includes the immigration rate, diversity and educational level; and 154th in prosperity, which is determined by economic indicators that measure the labour supply and the employment rate, among others.

The 10 best cities in the world according to the “World’s best Cities” ranking:

London
Paris
New York
Tokyo
Dubai
Barcelona
Rome
Madrid
Singapore
Amsterdam

Generalitat to approve the project to modernise Barcelona’s railway infrastructure

Posted on 27 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

The urban master plan (PDU) for the creation of the southern rail-port node in the port of Barcelona has been initially approved by the Generalitat de Catalunya. The Territorial Commission has given the go-ahead to the document, which must go through a phase of allegations with the various entities affected by the urban redevelopment of the area and with the public. It is expected to receive final approval in the first quarter of 2023. The Generalitat is promoting the modernisation of the rail accesses to the port of Barcelona with the awarding of the preliminary phase of their construction.

The project affects 68 hectares of land in the southern area of the site

The rail-port node will incorporate up to six different terminals, which will extend in the southern part of the port area. The document lays the foundations for what is to be the Port of Barcelona’s Intermodal Logistics Terminal.

According to the Port Authority of Barcelona, the totality of infrastructures will be “a very powerful railway node”, which will provide a service to the port, but also to its surroundings: the Zona Franca, the Prantenc Industrial Estate and the industries located in the Baix Llobregat and the southern area of Barcelona. In addition, this node will facilitate a sustainable and efficient flow of maritime-terrestrial traffic, as well as land-maritime traffic.

There are spaces that will fall into disuse, such as the Morrot terminal, so the urban plan considers how to make the most of these spaces. The plan also envisages the creation of 20.8 hectares of green public spaces and the Corredor Verde Parc Agrari del Llobregat – Parc de Montjuïc, is a network of itineraries connecting the different logistics and port areas to the natural spaces.

As for Morrot, the future Intermodal Logistics Terminal is expected to absorb all its operations and free up its current terminal for a use yet to be defined. This investment is part of a comprehensive plan to improve connectivity with the surrounding area by building cycle lanes, improving pedestrian accessibility, extending the public transport network and developing green and recreational areas. The funds will also be used for the installation of security systems to improve the safety of workers and visitors to the port.

The Generalitat de Catalunya celebrates Cisco’s investment by opening its first semiconductor design centre in Barcelona

Posted on 4 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

This is a strategic investment that will have a significant impact on boosting R&D activity in Catalonia. For the Government, this is an important investment linked to semiconductors, with the aim of boosting local industry and attracting new foreign investment projects to the sector.

Government of Catalonia is delighted that the US multinational Cisco is opening a semiconductor design centre in Barcelona, making it the first city in the European Union to have such an infrastructure.

This type of investment is highly competitive internationally and contributes to guaranteeing Catalonia’s technological independence, as well as that of Europe.

The relationship between Catalonia and Cisco has been growing closer in recent months. The Catalan president, Pere Aragonès, met during the last Mobile World Congress with the CEO of the multinational, Chuck Robbins, as well as with the company’s vice-president, Mark Patterson, and the general manager of Cisco in Spain, Andreu Vilamitjana.

The new semiconductor design centre in Barcelona has created 150 new skilled jobs. The company has also expanded its Barcelona design centre by 1,200 m2 and plans to build a new 3,000 m2 building in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat with a test laboratory.

Renfe invests 5 million euros in new access controls at Rodalies stations

Posted on 4 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

The project tendered by Renfe for the supply, replacement, installation and maintenance of access control machinery at Rodalies de Catalunya stations involves an investment of €5,122,342.32 including IVA.

The obsolete access control equipment is being replaced to install it in stations that do not have access control and wherever it is necessary.

The new installations will be adapted for people with reduced mobility, will be bi-directional, and will have contactless card reader devices, 1D/2D barcodes and T-Mobilitat barcodes, both at the entrance and exit.

This project responds to one of the points of Renfe’s Strategic Plan. This document includes the promotion of digital transformation and the provision of security and comfort for the customer.

It is an action financed by NextGenerationEU funds.

INCASÒL has been chosen as a partner in the Greening Cities partnership, framed in the Urban Agenda of the European Union

Posted on 4 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

The choice of INCASÒL’s participation was made by experts contracted by the European Commission, highlighting “the work, experience and ideas of INCASÒL” as an important partner for this project.

The project will be coordinated by the Nuovo Circondario and the Romanian Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administrations, and will involve some twenty European organisations.

The initiative will focus on green and blue infrastructures in an urban context, taking into account aspects such as sustainable transport, water management or urban agriculture.

Being a partner in this project aims to develop action plans to improve existing regulations in order to meet the challenges of cities and urban areas. Furthermore, to improve and support innovative and more accessible financing funds for urban areas. On the other hand, to share and develop knowledge.

Five urban innovation projects win the third edition of the “La ciudad proactiva” call for proposals

Posted on 4 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

BIT Habitat, in charge of promoting urban innovation to respond to social, economic, technological and environmental challenges, launches the third edition of “La ciudad proactiva. Innovación con impacto”.

The winning projects will receive half a million euros, which will be used to finance up to 80% of each project.

The five winning projects present solutions to address the challenges of energy transition, climate emergency, urban transformation, housing and social cohesion.

The winning projects are:

Logirepak: presented by Fundación Catalana para la Prevención de Residuos y Consumo Responsable [Recero] y Design by Intuition [Paka] Urban logistics network for the reuse of packaging for fresh food in city markets. Subsidised with 120,000 €.
TEPAC: presented by the following organisations: Batec Pol Cooperatiu per la Transició Energètica, Azimut 360 y La Fabric@. Seeking to unblock the use of communal rooftops to facilitate the construction of energy communities. Subsidised with 120,000 €.
RAVALoritza: presented by Transfolab Bcn and Raons públiques, participatory design and co-creation of furniture for the space of the Casal dels Infants del Raval youth group, with an educational strategy. Subsidised with around €40,000.
RESPIRA: project presented by the group formed by Noumena Design Research Education, el Instituto de Arquitectura Avanzada de Cataluña, la Asociación de Vecinos y Vecinas del Poblenou and Plataforma de Entidades de las Roquetes. Subsidised with nearly €100,000.
DaTaLoG: initiative presented by Universidad Pompeu Fabra and Ideas for Change.Data trust that will allow, in a participatory manner, the use of water, electricity and gas consumption data to make better decisions on access, savings and the impact of energy consumption. Subsidised with approximately €115,000.

In addition to financial support, BIT Habitat will provide the projects with expert mentoring and facilitate access to technology in order to develop prototypes. It will also provide technical accompaniment and communication and dissemination support.

Currently, 22 innovative projects are underway thanks to this aid initiative launched in 2022.

The expansion of Parc de l’Alba and the Synchrotron is now a reality

Posted on 4 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

He made the visit accompanied by the Catalan Minister for Research and Universities, Joaquim Nadal, and with them was the director of the ALBA Synchrotron, Caterina Biscari. Also present during the visit were Joan Gómez, Director General of Research, Carlos Cordón, the mayor of Cerdanyola del Vallès, Javier Lafuente, the rector of the UAB, Pere Solà, the director of Parc de l’Alba and Joan Borràs, the territorial delegate of Barcelona.

Aragonès highlighted the ALBA II project as “one of Catalonia’s great scientific assets and an exceptional research tool”.

TRANSFER OF LAND FOR THE ALBA II PROJECT

At the end of the visit, the President, accompanied by the Councillor and the director of ALBA, confirmed the transfer of the adjacent land to ALBA. This land will double the current surface area of the ALBA Synchrotron.

It is an opportunity for the future development of a scientific and innovation pole in collaboration with other institutions.

The ALBA II project foresees the construction of three new extra-long beamlines to be located on the new land allocated to the project. The project will carry out the modernisation of existing scientific instruments, the development of the infrastructure to store and analyse data and the creation of a state-of-the-art instrument that will be available, from 2030 onwards, to the public and private scientific community with the aim of solving societal challenges and advancing knowledge of the world around us.

Approval of the Biopol-Granvia del Hospitalet Urban Development Master Plan

Posted on 4 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

This is the new version of the instrument, previously called PDU Gran Via-Llobregat, after the reformulation during the last two years after the courts declared it null and void in 2020.

This Pla Director Urbanístic is the way to establish the urban planning guidelines to develop the innovation and health “biocluster”. A group of companies linked to biomedicine in which the Bellvitge Hospital, the UB Health Sciences campus, the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the Duran i Reynals Hospital, headquarters of the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) will be present.

This project is led jointly by the Generalitat and the city council, which have stated that, “The mission of the new PDU is the transformation and development of the land to promote the implementation of a new pole of economic activity linked to research, biomedical research and health sciences”.

This project affects 8% of the territory of l’Hospitalet de Llobregat and involves an investment of some 229 million euros. The initial validation of this process is the most relevant procedure. The corresponding provisional and definitive approvals will follow later.

This project aims to strengthen and consolidate biomedical research and innovation through an ecosystem that attracts companies in the health sector. The initiative is expected to create around 50,000 jobs and a turnover of more than 7 billion euros.

Barcelona to invest 10 million euros in funds from fund managers based in the metropolitan area

Posted on 4 de January de 2023 by studiogenesis

The City Council’s aim is to consolidate the city as the digital capital of southern Spain. According to Deputy Mayor Jaume Collboni, ten million euros will be invested in six private venture capital funds through a new public-private fund, Barcelona Accelera.

The six selected funds must commit to invest at least three times the amount committed by the city council, which in no case can be their initial investment, as their contribution will represent a maximum of 10%.

The aim of the council is to recover the capital invested within a decade and to promote start-ups in the city.

The projects will be chosen through a competition, in which certain requirements must be met. Some of these requirements are to be based in the Catalan capital or in a town in the metropolitan area and to form part of one of the strategic sectors that form part of the ‘Barcelona Green Deal’ schedule. In addition, the city council will take into account for part of the investment, companies led by women.

The initiative will be led by the municipal economic development agency Barcelona Activa.

Aena boosts the growth of El Prat airport planned for 2024

Posted on 7 de December de 2022 by studiogenesis

To begin with, a hotel will be put out to tender in Terminal 2 from 2024, although construction will not be completed until 2026. There are also plans for 36 hectares of logistics space in front of T2 and, in time, the development of a hotel in T1, as well as offices. So far, Aena has not been able to carry out any of the project due to a lack of political consensus.

Despite opposition to airport expansion, Aena plans to develop 151 hectares at Barcelona airport. On the other hand, at Madrid-Barajas Airport, Aena awarded P3, a subsidiary of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, the development of 32 hectares for logistics uses for around 170 million euros. The next step will be to add offices and hotels to the airport city by the end of next year.

During the first half of 2025 it is planned to launch the logistics hub at the Costa del Sol-Malaga Airport and during the first six months of 2026, its hotel hub. The master plans for Valencia and Seville are expected to be finalised in 2023.

More than 9,000 multinationals set up in Catalonia

Posted on 7 de December de 2022 by studiogenesis

The long list has just been joined by technology companies such as Cisco and its first European chip design centre in Ca L’Alier, the investments of Lenovo and Intel in the BSC, or that of the American MPS in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat. There have also been incorporations in the automotive sector, with the South Korean ILJIN, and in the health sector, with AstraZeneca’s new technology centre for rare diseases, the digital centre of the Swiss company Ypsomed and Veeva, which specialises in software development for the pharmaceutical industry.

In numbers, they have surpassed those before the pandemic, when there were 8,908 (2019). As a result, Acció is working with a portfolio of 613 foreign investment projects, which is 56% more than in 2020.

Typology of companies

The more than 9,000 multinationals established in Catalonia account for 18.5% of employment in Spain. It is worth noting that the majority are located in the Barcelonès region (60.8%), Vallès Occidental (11.2%) and Baix Llobregat (10.6%).

Micro-companies are predominant with a percentage of 42.6%, ahead of small companies (29.1%), medium-sized companies (19.8%) and large companies, which account for the lowest percentage (8.5%). On the other hand, companies more than 20 years old since their creation stand out (33%).

In terms of sectors, infrastructure and construction are by far the main players, with almost 2,000 companies, representing 13.1% of the total. They are followed by ICT and Industry 4.0 companies with 897, or 9.8%, and machinery and capital goods with 658, or 7.2%.

On the other hand, the origin of these companies is varied, but by far the largest proportion comes from Europe (74%). Behind them are those from North America (15%) and Asia (8%). Finally, the countries that account for 57.7% of the total are France, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy.

The port of Barcelona wins the European Sea Ports Organisation’s annual award

Posted on 7 de December de 2022 by studiogenesis

The European association of ports (European Sea Ports Organisation) has awarded Barcelona. The city of Barcelona is ahead of five other European ports with the award, and is also ahead of Ceuta, the other Spanish candidate nominated for this recognition.

With the award, ESPO recognises the Port of Barcelona for its work in connectivity with the city for the maritime transport of passengers. In addition to rewarding the environmental and social sustainability of the project, which was a requirement to qualify for the award.

One of the members of the jury, Dimitrios Theologitis, emphasised that “the Catalan site has one of the largest port investment projects in Europe today”, congratulating it on its action, following the plan defined during the 1992 Olympic Games.

On the other hand, the President of the Port of Barcelona, Damià Calvet, celebrated the recognition of ESPO. A few hours after the winner of the award was announced, the highest authority of the Port of Barcelona related the award to the execution of the current strategic plan. Moreover, he commented, “if we did not have this strategic plan, it would be open to criticism, but we have it and it is being well executed”.

Calvet admitted that, “it makes us particularly excited because it recognises the effort to think, reach a consensus and connect the port with the city, while maintaining port activity”.

Barcelona improves its attraction of talent in Europe after the new law on ‘Startups’

Posted on 7 de December de 2022 by studiogenesis

There are several factors that determine a professional’s decision when deciding where to develop his or her career or invest. Not only the quality of life or pleasant weather.

Barcelona has positioned itself in recent years as a winning city in the league of attracting international talent, even so, its potential has not been maximised as a result of some shortcomings. Some of these include excessive bureaucracy, a lack of English-language education and a number of other shortcomings that prevent the city from exploiting its full potential.

The Barcelona Global association’s main objective is to eliminate or reduce these obstacles. The organisation is convinced that Barcelona has the potential to become one of the world’s leading cities for talent and the economy.

The new Startups Law, which the association has been working on for more than five years, has specific objectives. Starting with effectively improving taxation, reducing bureaucracy and boosting the entrepreneurial ecosystem and attracting talent.

Although the regulation is an improvement for the whole of Spain, it will mainly benefit the Catalan capital, according to Maite Barrera, president of the association involved. The city will be able to better capitalise on the changes introduced, given that it is currently considered the third favourite city in Europe to create a startup.

Some of the successful tech companies born in Barcelona are Glovo, Wallbox, Travelperk, Factorial, eDreams and Privalia, all of which have added value to the Catalan capital. In addition, the new law will attract digital hubs of large companies such as Nestlé, Pepsico, HP and Amazon, among others.

Barcelona is pioneer in setting up an interchangeable battery station for cars and motorbikes

Posted on 7 de December de 20227 de December de 2022 by studiogenesis

Cepsa and Acciona-Silence have joined forces to promote this electric battery exchange point for cars and motorbikes. Barcelona is the pioneer city in setting up this station. The main objective of the project is to facilitate the rapid recharging of batteries.

Carlos Sotelo, CEO of Silence and Mobility Acciona explains, “the user arrives and has an already charged battery at his disposal”. The executive adds, “we are talking about a system that is more economical and cleaner than petrol”.

The exchange station will be located on Carrer Comte d’Urgell. In the coming months, the two companies plan to build ten similar facilities in Barcelona and the country’s capital.

Main advantages of the service

The main advantage of this new service is its immediacy, as the process is very similar in time to refuelling. In addition, this service encourages the use of electric vehicles, offering a 40% saving on the purchase cost. In this case, the batteries are not included, they are rented.

This service will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers will pay a monthly fee to take advantage of the service and, according to media reports, a fee that is significantly lower than that paid for fuel.

This test responds to the need to anticipate future scenarios such as the increasing demand for green hydrogen in road vehicle transport. The ultimate goal is for the population to have access to renewable energy sources, in the shortest possible time, in order to guarantee long journeys without problems.

In 2022 the tourism sector in Catalonia will provide 7.8% more employment than in 2021

Posted on 7 de December de 2022 by studiogenesis

During October, tourist employment in Catalonia fell by 4.3% compared with September. In figures, 12,496 workers were no longer employed in October compared with the previous month. This event coincides with the end of the summer season and is not perceived as negative, as compared with the previous year, recruitment has increased by 7.8%.

In Spain as a whole, the tourism sector employed 2.5 million people in October, 69,834 fewer than in September. Even so, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism emphasised that this is the best historical record for the tenth month of the year. In the whole of Spain the growth was 6.4%.

Compared to last year, the number of employed workers increased by 10.2%, a figure that is worth noting. On the other hand, self-employed workers decreased by 1%. In figures, there were 225,703 employees and 55,240 self-employed.

Inflation in Catalonia falls in the last quarter of the year

Posted on 7 de December de 2022 by studiogenesis

The improvement has been noticeable during the last months of the year, as in September we were 1.7 percentage points below the previous month’s 10.2%. It is worth noting that July recorded an all-time high of 10.3%.

This change in prices has been mainly influenced by the decrease in the prices of electricity, gas, clothing and footwear. On the other hand, food and non-alcoholic beverages increased.

As for the food sector, fresh vegetables and pulses have increased (+24.6%), as well as oils and fats have increased in price (+22.6%). On the other hand, the most significant increase was in sugar 36.5%.

Other categories that experienced an increase were transport (+8.3%), restaurants and hotels (+7%).

It is worth noting that the only category where prices fell was communications (-2%).

Pimec issues a warning after celebrating October’s decline

The association of small and medium-sized enterprises, Pimec, welcomed this improvement in prices in October, but warned that inflation could be reflected in other areas.

The organisation said in a statement that actions were being taken to curb the rise in electricity prices and were having an effect. But on the other hand, it remarked that this was not possible with fuel prices or the food sector.

The employers’ organisation claims that prices remain very high in all sectors, even in those that are gradually decreasing.

Successful Saló Nàutic closes with 50.000 visitors and more than 700 vessels

Posted on 7 de November de 20227 de November de 2022 by studiogenesis

This year’s event had a clear focus on sustainability, featuring electric and hybrid boats.

The 60th edition of the Saló Nàutic Internacional de Barcelona closed on 16th October with more than 50,000 visitors, 279 exhibitors, more than 700 boats and 80 novelties, according to the Fira de Barcelona.

It was held at the Moll de la Madera, the Moll de España and the Marina Port Vell in Barcelona and lasted five days. The event has increased its offer by 22% and has increased its space by 40%, according to the Fira de Barcelona.

The event aimed to promote sustainability in the sector, showcasing new electric and hybrid boats. The show was attended by 400 international buyers, who were able to see 28 catamarans and 14 boats, which are candidates for the Mejor Barco Europeo del Año.

The fair has been the setting for the presentation to visitors of the America’s Cup, which will be held in 2024 off the coast of Barcelona. For this reason, the New Zealand organising team has been present and the visit of the members of the Swiss team Alinghi, a group that is already training in the Catalan capital, has been reported.

INNOVATION

Fifteen start-ups from seven different countries have presented their projects for a digitised and less aggressive marine environment. A small-scale boat has been presented, with an aesthetic similar to that of a car, which functions as a taxi but at sea. This is the project of the company Seabubble and the difference it presented compared to similar projects from other years is that the boat is completely electric. The aim of this proposal is to save time and energy, according to statements made by Joan Company, one of the promoters of this project.

Another innovation presented during the show was a remotely operated life-saver, with the purpose of reaching the victim as quickly as possible. It is a project created by a Valencian company called Proteus. The lifeguard has a built-in microphone and loudspeaker, so that the rescuer and the victim can be in contact.

The event organisers have declared that “it has been one of the best events in recent years thanks to the large number of visitors registered, the quality of the offer and the business contacts generated”, which helps to reinforce the event as a leader and benchmark in the sector in Spain.

Barcelona is home to 3 of the best universities in the world according to the THE Ranking

Posted on 7 de November de 2022 by studiogenesis

A prestigious ranking of the best universities, headed by Oxford, Harvard and Cambridge, has ranked the Universitat de Barcelona, the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra as the best Spanish educational centres.

Barcelona has three of the two hundred best universities in the world, according to The World University Ranking, published by The Times Higher Education, the most renowned magazine in university education. The ranking involved the analysis of 2,325 academic centres from a total of 104 countries. Despite the fact that only 1,799 universities competed, which are those that met the requirements for classification.

The 182nd place in the ranking of the best universities in the world is occupied by the Universitat de Barcelona, followed by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, which occupies the consecutive position, 183rd. And with very little difference is the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in the 186th position of the ranking.

The Top 200 ranking is led by ten American and British universities, but it is worth noting that the only Spanish universities on the list are from Barcelona.

INDICATORS THAT ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN THE RANKING PROCESS

The Times Higher Education ranking is based on thirteen indicators that measure five specific areas: teaching, research, academic appointments, internationalisation and knowledge transfer, and it should be noted that not all universities score equally well on these indicators. The three Barcelona universities have a similar score, with the Universitat de Barcelona obtaining a total score of 55.7 points, the Autónoma de Barcelona a total of 55.6 and Pompeu Fabra a total of 55.4.

The rector of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Oriol Amat, attended the celebration ceremony in which the data of the study was released, held in New York. He said, “We once again remain among the top 200 universities in the world and among the leaders in Spain. Constant improvement is one of the main pillars of UPF’s work, and the rankings help us to know what we are doing well and what we can improve”.

In the case of the UPF, it stands out for its business and law branches, its research and its international impact. The UAB is one of the best universities to study humanities and the quality of its teaching stands out in Europe. And the UB stands out as one of the most prestigious universities in the world in terms of research impact, especially in the field of medicine.

By the end of this year the Barcelona Cable Landing Station will be ready to receive the first submarine cables.

Posted on 7 de November de 2022 by studiogenesis

The first digital port in Catalonia is located in Sant Adrià de Besòs. It will be a strategic area for fibre optic connections in southern Europe.

Barcelona Cable Landing Station is the first landing station to be built in Catalonia with an international dimension. This infrastructure will soon become a benchmark digital port in the Mediterranean. The first two cables are expected to arrive at the end of the year, although the infrastructure is ready to receive up to eight submarine fibre optic cables.

The infrastructure has involved an investment of seven million euros. All the capital has been provided by AFR-IX telecom, which is a Catalan telecommunications company that has promoted the project and will soon move its headquarters to the building.

“Considering that 98% of internet traffic is carried by submarine cable, Barcelona Cable Landing Station will be a key part of gaining connectivity with the world,” said Norman Abi, CEO of the company.

Over the next ten years, all eight international submarine cables are expected to land, making the infrastructure an essential hub for the digital economy of the entire country, creating an alternative to the port of Marseille, which is currently suffering from saturation due to the high number of cables landing there.

WHAT IS A SUBMARINE CABLE?

Submarine cables perform the same function as an aircraft at an airport, but in this case they carry information. The data on these fibre optic cables is sent from the landing station to different data centres.

In this case, it is the first open port in Catalonia and the second in Spain, i. e-access for unrestricted cable access. It is an innovation, since usually each company that owns a cable has to build its own landing station for the cable connection.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The location of the digital port is in Sant Adrià de Besòs. It is a two-storey building with a total area of 2,657 m2 in which eight rooms have been fitted out for laying the submarine cables, each with a capacity for 16 telecommunications racks. The facilities meet all safety standards, as well as energy efficiency, since the structure has 194 solar panels.

New incubator dedicated to the logistics business in the Zona Franca de Barcelona

Posted on 7 de November de 202210 de November de 2022 by studiogenesis

The Zona Franca Consortium of Barcelona has won a public call for grants from the Incyde Foundation of the Spanish Chambers of Commerce to set up a high-tech logistics 4.0 Incubator, which will be located in the DFactory Barcelona.

After resorting to a public call for aid from the Incyde Foundation of the Spanish Chambers of Commerce, it has allowed them to cover 50% of the two million euros of investment planned for this initiative. This project will be active towards the beginning of 2023, according to sources from the Zona Franca.

The project will cover different objectives oriented towards emerging technologies within the logistics sector. The incubator aims to improve business competitiveness, the value of new technological applications and increase economic activity in the Zona Franca de Barcelona by increasing its attractiveness. In order to optimise the different processes, it involves robotics and automated warehouses. And to optimise the processes, the big date will be used to collect all the data generated.

The incubator will enable Catalonia to prosper with competitive advantages. It will make up 29% of Spain’s logistics surface area. It has some 39,000 companies in the sector, which is why it is a key territory for boosting the sector. The main improvements will be in the efficiency and versatility of production processes, as well as the internationalisation of initiatives and the development of innovation and specialised talent.

On the other hand, the opportunities of this project are to increase the economic impact and develop greater digital competences, both in skills and knowledge to consolidate the logistics centre.

Incyde has launched 23 high-tech incubators throughout Spain. Pepe Navarro, State delegate in the Zona Franca Consortium of Barcelona, stressed the importance of this because, “it is a key moment in the development of the logistics sector”. He added that the objective is to strengthen and reinforce the role of the Zona Franca.

Catalonia recovers 88% of the international tourism compared to the previous 2019

Posted on 7 de November de 202210 de November de 2022 by studiogenesis

According to a study conducted by the Agència Catalana de Turisme, Catalonia has recovered 88% of international tourism this year, compared to 2019. There has also been an increase in business tourism, with 81% compared to 2019.

On the other hand, the most visited tourists were from the United States, 33.5% more than three years ago. This was followed by the Dutch with an increase of 24.11% and Switzerland and the Nordic countries with almost a quarter. Although the figures for France and Ireland were only 5% more than in 2019.

Although the figures are positive compared to 2019, expenditure and overnight stays are still lower than in the year before the pandemic. According to research, these facts are conditioned by the closure of powerful international markets such as Japan, Russia and China.

“We have to look at where we are and put the tools in place to adapt to the medium and long-term transformations,” said the Minister for Enterprise, Roger Torrent, looking ahead to 2023, and affirming that it will be a key year for defining what tourism is expected in the territory.

The District, a new opportunity to open our activities to the world

Posted on 7 de November de 202210 de November de 2022 by studiogenesis

From October the 19th to October 21st Barcelona has held a new real estate fair that aims to be a new voice within the real estate industry. During those days, Barcelona, its Metropolitan Area, and Catalonia, through the name Barcelona Catalonia, have been sharing their projects amongst the international public that attended the fair. Barcelona Catalonia has also held different debates and conferences both at the Main Auditorium and at the Innovation Arena.

The Barcelona Catalonia Conference, which took place on Friday the 21st at the main auditorium revolved around the idea of talent and innovation and how those are key factors for a stable business environment, and how Barcelona and Catalonia manage them. der the title of “Barcelona Catalonia: Talent & Innovation Hub”, the session was moderated by the associated director of the bTEC foundation Diagonal-Besòs Campus at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, and the speakers were Jordi Arrufí, director of Talent & Knowledge at the Mobile World Capital Barcelona, John Derweduwe, managing Partner for Spain and Portugal at Heylen Warehouses, and Eusebi Carles, partner at capital markets offices at Cushman & Wakefield.

All the panel agreed on the fact that Barcelona and Catalonia are perfect places to locate a company and to develop its innovation projects. Arrufí argues that Barcelona is appealing to tech companies as it has rejoined “academia, the start-ups, investors and R&D centers”, creating a space where all those companies and institutions can help each other, creating a great networking environment. There’s another aspect added to it, that has been pointed out by Derweduwe, that is that Catalunya is not only the “powerhouse of Spain” but also offers “cheaper land” as well as “qualified workforce”.

Looking at the future, the three of them agreed that some changes need to be done in order to appeal to more companies and their workers. For Carles, it is essential to make the “office more attractive”, incorporating more “collaborative spaces”. Ironically the lack of them during the pandemic is what made companies realize their great value of them.

THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR PROJECTS WITH THE INTERNACIONAL PUBLIC

On top of the Barcelona Catalonia Conference, the different Barcelona Catalonia partners had a space at the Innovation Arena to present their main projects on the real estate sector, and how it is interesting for the international public to invest in Barcelona, its metropolitan area, and Catalunya.

The mayor of Esplugues de Llobregat, Pilar Díaz, presented the main developing sectors of the city, a growing city next to Barcelona and the main communication facilities. Those sectors, Porta Barcelona, el Gall and ARE Montesa, are perfect both for economic activity and residential land, with a special focus on the hospitality sector.

The mayor of Cerdanyola del Vallès, Carlos Cordón, and Joaquim Maria Vidal, from INCASÒL’s sales department, presented the Parc de l’Alba, a growing sector at Cerdanyola del Vallès with both residential and economical land. It is a great sector for innovation and technological infrastructures, as it is located next to research hubs such as the Alba synchrotron and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. It is also next to AP-7, the main road connecting south Spain with Europe, and no further than 20 minutes from the main communication facilities.

Finally, Albert Dalmau, manager of Economy, Resources, and Economic Promotion at the Barcelona City Council presented Barcelona’s Green Deal, an ambitious plan to transform the city towards a more sustainable and appealing place, starting with seven strategic areas. The idea is to pacify those areas, rehabilitating old buildings and creating more green spaces integrated with the city and its architecture.

SYNERGIES

During the celebration, more than 380 international experts met and shared the major unknowns, challenges and trends facing the industry today and provided useful responses to address these unknowns.

On the other hand, they had more than 250 exhibition signatures presenting their real estate projects. Thus, international investors were able to know at first hand the real estate assets that will mark the future of investments. Several networking activities took place to boost the real estate business. There was a unique program of Premium meetings to encourage synergies.

Catalonia announces the largest mobilization of logistics land in history.

Posted on 4 de May de 20224 de May de 2022 by studiogenesis

The Generalitat has launched the largest mobilisation of logistics land in history. It will expand the logistics park in Vilarodona (Tarragona) by adding 3,400 gross hectares. At the same time, a similar park will also be set up in Lleida, in the Torreblanca area.

This was confirmed by the Vice-President and Minister for Digital Policies and Territory, Jordi Puigneró, at the event “Transforming to grow. Catalonia’s logistical impetus”, in which he also highlighted that logistics accounts for 14.4% of the Catalan GDP, with more than 27,500 active companies in the sector and generating 130,000 direct jobs.

During the event, it was recalled that in the 90s, the Generalitat was already aware of the importance of the logistics sector, so it created the public company Cimalsa, which manages a wide network of logistics parks and plans the implementation of several intermodal stations to facilitate the transport of goods by rail.

In addition to the creation of logistics parks, through the approval of Urban Development Master Plans (PDU), Puigneró also explained that for the Generalitat, consolidating the Ports of Barcelona and Tarragona is a priority policy. In this context, he commented that the logistics land at the Tarragona docks will be increased by 20%.

Office space in Barcelona rises by 6.5% in the first quarter of 2022.

Posted on 4 de May de 20225 de May de 2022 by studiogenesis

According to data published by the real estate consultancy Cushman & Wakefield, office take-up in Barcelona during the first quarter of 2022 increased by 6.5% compared to the same period last year, reaching a total of 92,000 square metres.

A total of 82 deals were signed, 18% more than during Q1 2021 and 24% more than the quarterly average for the whole of last year.

The 22@ district and the city centre were the main areas, with between 50% and 60% of demand going to these areas of the city, where prime rents remain at 27.25 euros per month per square metre. In terms of energy quality, the trend of previous years has continued, with 85% of demand prioritising buildings of type A and B+.

According to Javier Bernades, director of offices in Spain at Cushman & Wakefield, the increase in take-up “demonstrates the commitment of companies, across the board, to develop their working models around the office” and adds that “there is a progressive trend towards a return to the physical office after a period of uncertainty marked by the pandemic”.

Million-dollar investment in a new artificial intelligence hub in Sant Cugat

Posted on 4 de May de 2022 by studiogenesis

Following the acquisition of the start-up Shotl by the Emirati group Swvl, the multinational will locate its new hub for artificial intelligence applied to urban mobility services in Sant Cugat. The company plans to invest around five million euros to train a team of 50 technology professionals by the end of this year.

Shotl is now a Swvl company! We have the common goal of building a more sustainable and accessible world. You want to know more? Follow us on Swvl!#swvlringsthebell #nasdaq #nasdaqlisted pic.twitter.com/O7EUUwlj8f

— Shotl (@rideshotl) April 11, 2022

In August, Swvl acquired the start-up Shotl, which specialises in an on-demand bus service for companies and public administrations. The start-up’s founders comment: “They made us an offer we couldn’t refuse. Orders were down because of the pandemic crisis”, without disclosing the purchase price.

The multinational went public on the Nasdaq stock exchange and raised around 500 million to finance its growth.

With the transaction (formalised in November), Shotl will see its brand disappear, but its technology and team will be more alive than ever. With the opening of an artificial intelligence hub in Sant Cugat, the group will take advantage of local talent and attract foreign professionals.

AGC Pharma will invest €90 million to expand its factory in Malgrat de Mar

Posted on 4 de May de 20225 de May de 2022 by studiogenesis

The Japanese company AGC Pharma Chemicals will invest 90 million euros in the expansion of its factory in Malgrat de Mar (Barcelona). This project has the support of ACCIÓ, the agency for competitiveness of the Regional Ministry of Enterprise and Employment.

This enlargement will increase the factory’s production capacity by 30%, with a new 7,500 square metre centre and the creation of 100 jobs. In addition, these new facilities will have reactors of between 1.5 and 7.5 cubic metres to produce a greater volume of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Roger Torrent, Minister of Business and Employment, visited the AGC facilities and said that “key investments are being decided in this sector and projects like those of AGC help us to explain to the world that Catalonia has assets that make us very competitive, such as a very powerful research and health system and a strong business environment”.

For his part, Akihiro Kadokura, CEO of the company, explained that its new plant will be “more modern and technological”. The multinational is part of the Japanese group AGC Group, which was established in Catalonia in 2019 and currently has 330 workers.

Schneider Electric bets on Barcelona for its digital hub

Posted on 4 de May de 20225 de May de 2022 by studiogenesis

The French company Schneider Electric, which specialises in technological solutions for the energy sector, is to open a technology centre in the 22@ district, where the firm already has its headquarters in Spain.

Josu Ugarte, president of Schneider in the Iberia region, recognises the potential of the city of Barcelona to attract digital talent, as well as the large ecosystem of star-ups and benchmark IT companies.

The opening of this new space will mean the hiring of more than 200 people during 2022, bringing the total number of employees to around 500. Its main objective will be to lead the company’s digital transformations, driving data analysis, work in the cloud and e-commerce.

Wallbox opens its third electric car charger factory in Barcelona.

Posted on 4 de May de 20225 de May de 2022 by studiogenesis

Image source: Wallbox

Wallbox, the Spanish manufacturer of charging solutions for electric cars, has inaugurated this April its third charger factory in the world, which will be located in Barcelona. This will be the first of two that it will start up this year, along with the one in Arlington, Texas, which it plans to open in September.

The company has invested nine million euros in this new plant in Barcelona’s Zona Franca, which currently employs 203 people and produces at a rate of 1,200 chargers per day, although it plans to reach one million units per year and employ 520 people when operating at full capacity by 2025.

The inauguration event of the new plant was attended by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto; the President of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonés; the Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau; and the CEO of Iberdrola, Sánchez Galán, the company that helped develop this unicorn by being its first investor.

“Wallbox is one of our unicorns, one of our start-ups with the greatest international projection. A success that is due to its decisive commitment to talent and national capabilities. Spain is an attractive country for investment, we want many more Wallboxes”, declared Reyes Maroto, the Minister of Industry, during the event.

During the event, Enric Asunción, CEO and co-founder of Wallbox, reviewed the company’s trajectory, highlighting that “We are no longer a start-up, we have grown up”. The company was born in 2015, and in just seven years, it has grown from a single charger in 2015 to more than one million according to estimates for this year.

Incasòl plans to develop 8,000 hectares of industrial land in four years.

Posted on 4 de May de 20225 de May de 2022 by studiogenesis

The Institut Català del Sòl, INCASÒL, will develop a strategic plan to generate 8,000 hectares of land for industrial and logistical uses, planned to take place between 2022 and 2025.

Faced with the great demand for areas of more than 10,000 square metres, Incasòl plans to expand its current 443,000 square metres of land. By 2025, the 8,000 hectares it seeks to include in the plan will be developed through different plans.

Among them, the urban master plans that it is promoting in Torreblanca-Quatre Pilans, in Lleida, with 1,280 hectares, will stand out. Other outstanding estates are Catalunya-Sud (already for sale), Tortosa and two more in the Logis Empordà area.

It also intends to include high-demand areas currently under study, comprising 600 hectares in the Gavà and Valls areas. It does not neglect other municipalities with less demand, but with a need for territorial rebalancing, such as Cardona, Olvan and Organyà.

Furthermore, it is important to note that the contracting of industrial and logistics land in Barcelona stood at 885,000 square metres in 2021, 129% more than the previous year. Given the scarcity of this type of land, it is good news that the intention to continue adding metres in the coming years is good news.

Barcelona accounts for 70% of technology company recruitment in Spain

Posted on 7 de April de 20227 de April de 2022 by studiogenesis

According to a statement from CBRE at the Trends 2022 event, in 2021, 70% of the hiring of technology companies in Spain took place in Barcelona. Xavier Güell, director of the consultancy firm in Barcelona, explained that the technology sector has become “the main sector in terms of recruitment” in the city.

The Catalan capital’s presence in the technology sector not only stands out at the national level, but also leads the European ranking of cities with the greatest exposure to the technology sector, with 48%, ahead of Amsterdam (37%), Dublin (31%), Bucharest (29%) and London (29%).

In recent years, Barcelona has experienced one of the highest growth rates in the technology sector, given that in 2017, it was the seventh European city in this same ranking and in 2021 it has reached the first position.

The consultancy firm highlights 22@ as one of the main reasons for the city’s consolidation as a pole of attraction for the technology sector. According to the report, it notes that the Torre Glòries area “is becoming an extension of the traditional City Business District (CBD), with 80% of its buildings having Grade A quality”.

Another key factor is rental growth. Although Barcelona is one of the cities where rent has increased the most in the last six years, the city is still very competitive in terms of office rent. CBRE expects the city to show significant increases in the coming years.

Another key element, as highlighted by the report, is the strong and sustained progression in recruitment since 2013. In 2015 and 2019, the city reached a record high of 400,000 m². Despite the sharp drop in 2020, in 2021, contracting in Barcelona grew by 90%.

Parc de l’Alba becomes the largest Data Centre in Catalonia

Posted on 7 de April de 20227 de April de 2022 by studiogenesis

Following the award of a plot of land to the firms Panattoni, which will locate a data processing, storage and distribution centre (DPC), and Impar Capital, which will develop a student residence. Parc de l’Alba, in Cerdanyola del Vallès, has become the largest data centre hub in Catalonia.

With an investment of 36.6 million euros, the two firms have acquired nearly 80,000 square metres of land, located in the Parc de la Ciència. As the Vice President for Digital Policies, Jordi Puigneró, announced during the MIPIM fair in Cannes (France), “Today we are showing the power of one of the areas on which Catalonia is focusing on the coming years. We want to be a digital nation, and today we have signed the contract for the largest Data Processing Centre in Catalonia, making Parc de l’Alba the most important Data Centre hub in the country”.

Panattoni and Impar Capital have jointly presented themselves to the tender called by INCASOL, but each will develop its own project independently, and foresee an investment of more than 150 million euros.

In the case of Panattoni, it has acquired a plot of 68,058.56 m² in which it plans to invest a total of 100 million euros in the construction of the largest data processing centre in Catalonia. This centre will attract major opportunities for industrial and logistics projects from all over Europe.

Impar Capital has acquired a plot of 11,514.74 m² in which it plans to invest 5.93 million euros in the construction of a student residence with 375 beds.

Barcelona Catalonia consolidates its leadership in attracting investment at MIPIM 2022

Posted on 7 de April de 20227 de April de 2022 by studiogenesis

Barcelona Catalonia represents the alliance between the Generalitat de Catalunya, through INCASÒL, the Barcelona City Council and the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, united with the aim of promoting inclusive, sustainable and cohesive development models.

Under the slogan Barcelona Catalonia. Open for Business! This is the 15th year that we are attending MIPIM, the world’s leading real estate fair, in Cannes (France), in search of potential foreign investors who want to bring their projects to the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona.

Among the projects presented, we highlight our Barcelona Green Deal strategy, in which we collect the priority lines of economic promotion aligned with the 2030 agenda, towards a more competitive, sustainable and equitable city, adapted to challenges such as the ecological and digital transition.

On the other hand, the Parc de l’Alba project, after the latest award of one of its plots for 36.6 million euros, will become the largest Data Center in Catalonia.

Finally, we highlight the “Illa A Business Park, Viladecans” project, the new 26,357 m² Business Center in Viladecans, which combines office complexes with common green spaces, maintaining the continuity of the landscape through architecture.

Our big conference of this edition of MIPIM was “New regeneration for business! Metropolitan opportunities for global companies” in which we discussed how urban regeneration factors, with a mix of uses, the application of sustainability and digitalization, are the best platform for the regeneration of the economy.

It is also worth highlighting the presentation “Catalonia, a land of business Opportunities” and laMercedes project, the first eco-district in Barcelona, finalist in the MIPIM Awards.

In this video, we summarise everything that this great fair has meant and the effect of our presence to promote the metropolitan area of Barcelona:

250 square metres of exhibition space
Six presentations at the stand
900 visits to the Barcelona Catalonia stand
230 attendees at our promotional events
Two conferences within the official programme of MIPIM
The Barcelona Catalonia brand has reached 8,000 visitors to MIPIM

The Port of Barcelona will invest 110 million in electrifying its docks

Posted on 7 de April de 20227 de April de 2022 by studiogenesis

By 2030, the Barcelona Port Authority will invest 110 million euros in the electrification plan for the Adossat quay, the Costa quay, the Prat quay and the Sant Bertran dock.

This action will enable a 38% reduction in nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide emissions during the stay of ships in the port, which currently represent 0.7% of all emissions generated in Catalonia.

When ships dock in port, despite switching off the engines they use to move around the sea, they need to activate others to supply power to the stationary vessel. With the electrification of the docks, the Port of Barcelona will avoid this burning of fuel and thus reduce the environmental impact of the infrastructure.

Another fundamental element in the electrification plan for the Port of Barcelona docks is the construction of a new electricity substation on the Ronda Litoral ring road by the electricity grid, with a capacity of 220 kV.

The startups that have received Acció’s support have created 500 jobs

Posted on 7 de April de 20227 de April de 2022 by studiogenesis

The Startup Capital support programme of Acció (Agency for the Competitiveness of Enterprise) has helped to generate up to 500 new jobs. The 86 start-ups that have accessed this support have raised more than 33.5 million euros in private investment and 39.5 million euros from public bodies in the last 4 years.

The Startup Capital line is a direct aid for emerging technology startups, which need funding to carry out the initial phases of the business, develop their product or service and validate the business model to reach the market. Acció grants up to 75,000 euros per startup, covering the risk of their first months of life.

The main areas in which the 86 companies that have benefited so far are health (32.1%), digitalisation (30.4%), environment (15.2%), manufacturing (11.6%), food (6.3%) and mobility (4.5%).

Barcelona sets an all-time record for investment of 108 million in real estate assets

Posted on 7 de April de 20227 de April de 2022 by studiogenesis

Barcelona City Council has allocated more resources to acquiring assets in 2021 than ever before. With a total of 108.5 million euros, 4.5 million euros more than the initial budget, the city council has become one of the main investment agents in the city in terms of operations, with 78 sales: 55 commercial premises, 13 estates and 13 single buildings with a total of 369 homes.

With all these operations, the city council has pursued a triple aim: the recovery, for the public sphere, of real estate assets of special interest and cultural, historical or social relevance; economic reactivation; and the increase in the public housing stock.

The Austrian group BWT will locate in San Cugat a logistics hub for Southern Europe

Posted on 7 de April de 20227 de April de 2022 by studiogenesis

With an investment of 50 million, the company BWT Ibérica, belonging to the Austrian group BWT specialised in water optimisation solutions, will expand its facilities in Sant Cugat del Vallès to create its new distribution centre in Southern Europe.

The Institut Català del Sòl (INCASÒL), from whom the company has purchased the land, has emphasised that the logistics location close to the port of Barcelona responds to the company’s future business development and expansion strategy.

This new logistics hub, covering almost 40,000 square metres, will create 150 jobs. And it will leave the Can San Joan sector practically sold out, with only one plot remaining for sale.

Barcelona Catalonia will attend MIPIM 2022

Posted on 8 de March de 20228 de March de 2022 by studiogenesis

Under the slogan Barcelona Catalonia. Open for Business! the Generalitat of Catalunya, through the Catalan Land Institute, INCASÒL, Barcelona City Council and the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, will participate in the MIPIM 2022 fair, the world’s leading real estate fair, where it will offer investors the main projects under development in Barcelona and Catalonia.

The event will be held from 15 to 18 March in Cannes (France), and will host the most important stakeholders in the international real estate sector. More than 3,800 companies from 100 different countries will be exhibiting in a space of more than 22,000 m², with 480 conferences and lectures attended by a mainly investor audience (24%), along with CEOs and senior C-level professionals (15%).

Barcelona Catalonia will promote the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona and Catalonia as a place in which to progress, innovate, produce and face new challenges for the future. An area in which to grow, create jobs and opportunities and attract talent. To achieve this objective, the Catalan delegation will have a 250 m2 stand and the participation of 30 public and private partners.

The aim of Barcelona Catalonia. Open for Business! is to offer investors a presentation of the main projects being developed in Barcelona and Catalonia in 9 areas, among which the following stand out:

Barcelona Centre
22@ Barcelona
Barcelona Sagrera, new urban center.
Cerdanyola del Vallès – Parc de l’Alba/Barcelona Synchrotron Park
L’Hospitalet de Llobregat – Finestrelles Nord
Gavà – Pla de Ponent

9 areas with great potential for investment in logistics spaces, office and residential buildings, innovation and research centres or land for economic, commercial and hotel activities, among others.

Barcelona Catalonia’s agenda for MIPIM 2022 includes various events, including the conferences “New regeneration for business!” and “Invest in Barcelona. The Green Deal Factor”, and the presentations “Barcelona, the Green Deal”, “Parc de l’Alba, a whole new district of opportunities”, “Catalonia, a land of business Opportunities” and “Illa A Business Park, Viladecans”. In addition, there will be a daily networking session through the “Catalan Vermut time”.

Are you interested in investing in Barcelona Catalonia? If you are attending MIPIM 2022, 15-18 March, contact us to meet us there.

Utopicus will open a new 1,300 m2 flexible office space in Barcelona.

Posted on 3 de March de 202210 de March de 2022 by studiogenesis

The coworking company Utopicus will open a new flexible office space for the Colonial group this coming month, in a recently refurbished building on Diagonal. According to the firm, “the design aims to foster stronger, more efficient and lasting connections, both with people and with projects and the environment”.

The offices will have space for 117 workstations, meeting rooms, event spaces, video call booths, a canteen and parking spaces, as well as a 400 m2 terrace for exclusive use.

UTOPICUS OFFICE | UTOPICUS

Technology is one of the strong points of the space, the equipment and systems are adapted to the needs of companies and new work formats. On the other hand, sustainability is one of the fundamental pillars in the renovation of the building.

“Utopicus Diagonal was created to respond to the new ways of working and the new ways of interacting in the office. The perfect option for companies to use as a meeting point to promote the connection between their professionals in a situation like the current one, where most of them are relocated”, says Albert Alcober, CEO of Utopicus.

Àtic Group opens a new coworking space in 22@.

Posted on 3 de March de 20223 de March de 2022 by studiogenesis

The company Àtic Group is expanding its offer in the coworking space market in Barcelona. It now has around 8,000 square metres of coworking space under its management, distributed between Barcelona and Mataró.

ÀTIC GROUP OFFICE | ÀTIC GROUP

Earlier this year it opened a space in Barcelona’s Eixample district, and in the first week of March it plans to open a new 1,600 square metre space in the 22@ technology district.

Àtic’s users are very diverse, with most of its clients being freelance IT professionals or lawyers. However, it has also rented its space to start-ups and multinational companies, which have located their headquarters in one of its centres in the Barcelona metropolitan area.

The Port of Barcelona closes 2021 with a profit of 38 million euros.

Posted on 3 de March de 202210 de March de 2022 by studiogenesis

The Port of Barcelona closed 2021 with a total profit of 38 million euros, an increase of up to 117% over 2019 just a 13.6% below 2019. However, traffic has remained practically at pre-pandemic levels, just 1.5% below.

During 2021 the Port managed to surpass an all-time record in the number of container traffic with a total of 3.53 million, which represents 19.3% more than in 2020. “This is one of the indicators that show that we are recovering at an accelerated pace,” said the Port’s president, Damià Calvet.

RESULTS PORT DE BARCELONA | LA VANGUARDIA

The increase in container traffic goes hand in hand with the Port’s growing trade relations with Asia, which accounts for almost half of the Port’s exports and 15% of its imports.

Google will open its first office in Barcelona this March.

Posted on 3 de March de 202210 de March de 2022 by studiogenesis

The technology giant Google is opening its first office in Barcelona in the coming weeks of March, where 40 employees will work “focused on supporting customers and partners in the region and helping them in their digital development”, according to the source Crónica Global. Specifically, the employees will be based in the Google Cloud division, which specializes in cloud services.

PLAÇA UNIVERSITAT | METROPOLI ABIERTA

The offices will be located in the centre of Barcelona, in Plaça Universitat, in a coworking office space. With this step towards Barcelona, Google wants to “strengthen ties with the economic and social agents of the city’s digital ecosystem”.

The attraction of the Barcelona metropolitan area for big tech companies is indisputable. Other big tech companies such as Microsoft announced the opening of its research hub last year, Apple acquired the Catalan start-up Vilynx and Amazon has the largest logistics centre in Spain in El Prat.

fDi Intellegence awards Barcelona and Catalonia for its strategy to attract investment.

Posted on 3 de March de 20224 de March de 2022 by studiogenesis

The latest European Cities and Regions of the Future 2022/23 report, published by the Financial Times group’s fDi Magazine, has ranked Barcelona as the best European city for its investor promotion strategy, ahead of Milan and Berlin.

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Top 10 european cities of the future | fDi Magazine

The document highlights, among other aspects, Barcelona City Council’s Barcelona Green Deal plan, “An economic plan in line with the UN’s 2030 agenda based on sustainability, equity and competitiveness, the city is moving towards achieving a circular economy. This includes attracting sustainable food and transport companies, accelerating the city’s energy transition and boosting the blue economy, which promotes the sustainability of ocean resources,” cites fDi Magazine.

The magazine also mentions the Barcelona International Welcome Desk initiative, a pioneering service in Spain that facilitates the arrival and establishment of investors, researchers and international talent.

The jury, made up of several experts in promotion, recognized the promotional strategy of the Barcelona metropolitan area, which has attracted international hubs such as Pepsico and Microsoft, the establishment of technology companies that have opened doors to the European market from Barcelona, such as Singapore Transformative Digital Customer Experience (TDCX), and the opening of logistics bases, such as Decathlon.

Top 10 European regions of the future | fDi Magazine

The publication also values the presence in Catalonia of higher education institutions that act “as magnets for high value-added investment” and the fact that “international technology giants, SMEs and highly specialized start-ups are attracting the best talent from around the world to the region”.

Finally, the report mentions Acció‘s foreign investment attraction strategy, focused on attracting new business projects to Catalonia in the field of Industry 4.0 and manufacturing.

The fDi Awards will be presented on 15 March at 11:30 am, during MIPIM 2022 in Cannes, France. A ceremony in which Barcelona will be recognized and awarded as a benchmark in attracting and attracting investment.

Mobile World Congress 2022 expects up to 60,000 congress attendees.

Posted on 1 de March de 20221 de March de 2022 by studiogenesis

The Mobile World Congress opens its doors and GSMA, the organizer of the MWC, expects between 40,000 and 60,000 attendees at this edition from February 28 to March 3, more than double that of the previous edition. It also expects the fair to generate an impact of €240 million in the Barcelona metropolitan area.

The congress occupies seven of the eight pavilions of the Fira de Gran Via exhibition center in Barcelona, and has welcomed more than 1,500 exhibitors and attendees from 120 countries.

Mobile broke its own record by gathering 109,000 people in 2019, however, the pandemic prevented it from being held in 2020, and in 2021 it had to delay its schedule to the end of June, where it gathered 20,000 in-person attendees.

In 2019, the MWC generated 473 million euros and 14,000 temporary jobs, and expects to generate 240 million and up to 7,000 jobs in this edition. Since the arrival of this fair in Barcelona, it has left about 5,300 million euros in the Catalan capital.

MWC 2019 | LIBRE MERCADO

The top ten exhibiting companies at this edition are Samsung, Huawei, Ericsson, Deutsche Telekom, Google, Nokia, Oppo, Qualcomm, SK Telecom and ZTE, as well as technology giants such as Xiaomi, Meta, China Telecom and AT&T, among others. However, this year’s MWC will not be attended by Lenovo or Sony.

The Barcelona City Council has launched the promotional campaign Barcelona with you, with the aim of attracting talent, investment and strengthening the Barcelona Brand to coincide with the Mobile World Congress 2022.

22@ prepares its strategic plan for celebrating its 20th anniversary

Posted on 26 de January de 2022 by studiogenesis

We expect to see soon the new strategic plan of the 22@NetworkBCN association, which took advantage of its 20th anniversary to announce its plans for the future at a commemoration event. The new plan is expected to be published shortly.

According to Enric Urreta, president of the association, he specified that the presentation of the debate for this new strategic plan will coincide with the start of the 22@Nord project as a catalyst, with which they expect the involvement and support of Barcelona City Council, the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Spanish government.

For his part, Roger Torrent, Minister of Enterprise of the Generalitat, attended the commemorative act of the association and affirmed “that 22@ is an essential tool for the country to attract talent and investment”.

During its 20 years of history, 22@ has welcomed more than 150,000 workers and there are now more than 10,000 companies that produce based on innovation and knowledge in new technologies.

Nissan’s Barcelona plant has a new owner: QEV Technologies will reactivate production with electric cars

Posted on 26 de January de 2022 by studiogenesis

QEV Technologies will lead the reindustrialisation project of Nissan’s Zona Franca factory in Barcelona, with its plan to generate an electromobility hub.

The Catalonia-based engineering group QEV plans to convert the facility into an electric vehicle hub and promises to produce 100,000 electric vehicles per year within three years.

“Under the plan proposed by the electromobility hub, it would occupy Nissan’s two existing production lines to produce various vehicle models,” the Japanese carmaker said in a statement. However, “specific space and asset requirements will be discussed with them to see if the final configuration of the project can accommodate other complementary projects,” it said.

On the other hand, according to Nissan, “negotiations with the candidate companies QEV Technologies and Silence for the reindustrialisation of the Sant Andreu de la Barca and Montcada i Reixac sites are at a very advanced stage, pending finalisation of the last details of the global reindustrialisation agreement for all Nissan plants in Barcelona”.

Barcelona quintupled foreign investment in 2020, attracting 100 million euros

Posted on 26 de January de 2022 by studiogenesis

The Catalan capital attracted 100 million euros in foreign investment in the city, five times the figure for 2020. A figure that has generated around 885 jobs, doubling the previous year’s figure.

Jaume Collboni, the city’s first deputy mayor, stresses that Barcelona is in the process of recovering from the pandemic, and that the indicators are constantly improving, a phenomenon perceived by foreign companies, which have confidence in the city.
In reference to the companies that have invested in Barcelona in the last year, we find that 54% of them belong to the technology and communications sector, followed by creative and cultural production.

Some of the investments that the City Council wanted to highlight are, on the one hand, the PepsiCo project, which aims to lead the corporate digital transformation, from its recently arrived Global Digital Hub in Barcelona, which will create 400 jobs over the next two years. Read more about the launch of its new digital hub in Barcelona here.

By 2022, the City Council is already working on the development of 62 projects, 65% of which are outside the European Union, predominantly in the information and communication technologies sector.

El Prat Airport (Barcelona) will be the first to test facial recognition in Europe

Posted on 23 de December de 2021 by studiogenesis

The aim of this project is for passengers to be able to make the entire journey to the aircraft through the facial recognition system without the need to show identification documentation, integrating all the processes from ticket and baggage check-in to boarding the aircraft.

This pilot test has been carried out jointly by Aena and Vueling, together with a group of technology companies including Easir, IDEMIA, Indra, Meterna-jps and Mobbeel. Voluntary tests are already being carried out on flights on the Barcelona-Malaga route.

This new system is based on identification technology through the “recognition of the physical and non-transferable characteristics of each person”, according to Aena. Several devices have already been installed in the check-in area, security access and boarding gate, which validate passengers’ biometric data and facial features.

B2Brouter, from Sabadell, among the top ten in Europe in electronic invoicing

Posted on 23 de December de 202123 de December de 2021 by studiogenesis

The well-known magazine CIO Application Europe has recognised B2Brouter as one of the ten best European companies in European invoicing. The article has highlighted B2Brouter’s management to act as a leading provider of e-invoicing solutions.

The B2Brouter platform already offers its services to more than 120,000 users worldwide, from multinational companies such as Panrico, Bon Àrea, Condis, Endesa or Hospital Sant Pau, to small freelancers.

The platform offers a simple and affordable solution for sending and receiving electronic documents quickly and securely. In the last four years, the internationalisation of the company has been one of the main reasons for its exponential growth.

The company’s manager, Oriol Bausà, celebrates the distinction, noting that “I am grateful for this European recognition from a magazine that is a benchmark in Europe as a media specialising in technology”. In addition to the distinction from CIO Application Europe, he has also received the Entrepreneur of the Year 2021 award from the Xarxa Onion.

10 million euros will be earmarked for economic promotion in the Barcelona Zona Franca

Posted on 23 de December de 2021 by studiogenesis

Before the end of the year, the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB) plans to allocate 10.66 million euros to economic promotion in its 2022 budget. With this project, operating income is expected to increase by 1.3%, with a net amount of activity of 55 million euros.

With regard to the 2021 financial year, the council has celebrated the results of the events it has organised, including the Barcelona New Economy Week (BNEW), which had 13,000 virtual attendees and positioned itself as “the benchmark event of the new economy at national and international level” according to the council’s bodies.

For its forecasts for 2022, the entity’s main milestone will be at the beginning of the year with the DFactory Barcelona, the main Industry 4.0 node in Southern Europe, with which Barcelona aims to attract talent, technology and investment.

Moreover, the CZFB stresses that in 2022 the entity will maintain its commitment to the sustainable economy, the revitalisation of Industry 4.0, innovation and the attraction of talent.

Barcelona is positioned as the seventh most competitive city in Europe

Posted on 23 de December de 2021 by studiogenesis

Barcelona is once again in the top 20 most competitive cities in the world, ranking 18th in the world and seventh in Europe. This is certified by the Global Power City Index (GPCI) 2021, drawn up by the Japanese foundation The Memorial Foundation.

This report compares 48 cities around the world on the basis of 70 indicators, arranged in six categories: economy, research and development, cultural interaction, liveability, environment and accessibility.

In the area of liveability, Barcelona climbs to third place in the world, in a category that analyses aspects related to the working environment, cost of living, safety, well-being and living facilities.

The first deputy mayor and head of the economic area of Barcelona City Council, Jaume Collboni, said: “We celebrate the return of Barcelona to the top 20 of this international ranking, which shows that we continue to be a leading city in the economic and business world worldwide”.

The port of Barcelona recovers its pre-pandemic figures with the closure of 2021

Posted on 23 de December de 202123 de December de 2021 by studiogenesis

With the closure of 2021, optimistic figures are coming in from the Port Authority of Barcelona, reflecting a recovery of the sector after the pandemic. As far as container traffic is concerned, we bid farewell to the year with a great recovery, with a 20% increase in containers compared to 2020, and a 6% increase compared to 2019.

As for the value of traffic in tonnes, it has increased by 12% compared to the previous period. However, it remains very close to the pre-pandemic figures, closing the year with 2% fewer tonnes than in 2019.

According to Damià Calvet, president of the port authority, these figures “are a demonstration of our resilience as a port”, Calvet adds, “we serve the country in a structural and robust way, we must be flexible and adapt to the circumstances”.

On the other hand, President Calvet plans to implement the IV Strategic Plan 2021-2025 in 2022 and the deployment of the Innovation Plan, vital for the transition towards a benchmark smart port.

Find out more about his strategic plan in the following video:

Bitcoin multinational Bitpanda is investing 10 million in a new hub in Barcelona

Posted on 23 de December de 2021 by studiogenesis

Bitpanda, an Austrian fintech specialising in Bitcoin trading, joins the group of multinationals such as PepsiCo and Microsoft, which will open a technology headquarters in Barcelona to specialise in product and customer experience.

The company plans to invest 10 million euros in the opening of the centre. Most of the investment will go towards hiring technological talent, especially engineers, designers and product developers, with the aim of completing a team of 100 workers by 2022.

According to the company’s product director, Enzersdorfer-Konrad, it has chosen Barcelona for its powerful technology ecosystem of start-ups, talent and universities, as well as a great quality of life in the city, which will be a key component in attracting professionals from all over the world.

Since its birth in 2014, Bitpanda is valued at more than 4,000 million dollars and has more than 600 workers around the world, which has managed to be considered a unicorn company.

Barcelona is positioned as the main destination for real estate investment in 2021, surpassing the national capital.

Posted on 23 de December de 202123 de December de 2021 by studiogenesis

The consultancy firm Cushman & Wakefield has published its forecast figures for the real estate sector, according to its data, investment in the sector stands at 10,500 million euros in Spain.

Barcelona has been placed at the top of national investment, with a total of 2,974 million euros this year, surpassing Madrid, which closed the year with a total investment of 2,063 million euros.

According to the consultancy’s data, the investment market in Barcelona owes its success to the office segment, mainly in the 22@ district, which has generated an investment of €1,995 million, representing an increase of 164.2% compared to 2020 and 13.4% compared to 2019. The highest figure in the city since 2007.

In terms of investor profile, foreign buyers continue to dominate investment, accounting for more than 70% of the volume of transactions, although domestic investors have become more important than last year.

Goodman delivers its first logistics warehouse in Spain to DSV

Posted on 24 de November de 2021 by studiogenesis

This is the first multilevel logistics project in Spain, which will be located in Molins de Rei and will culminate with another similar centre in Castellbisbal.

The real estate company Goodman has inaugurated its new logistics centre in Molins de Rei (Barcelona), a 32,000 m2 multi-storey building, the first in Spain, which will become the most technologically advanced facility of the multinational DSV.

Goodman responds to the new logistics challenges and the Goodman Country Manager assures that “the future is to grow vertically”, as the uniqueness of the project comes from the environment itself, a land with a steep slope and surrounded by mountains. Growing vertically, with this type of development, means a saving of more than 30% of the land consumed.

This first multi-plant logistics warehouse will be fully automated with AutoStore technology and the company is already building a second multi-plant centre in Castellbisbal, scheduled to open in March 2022.

Barcelona airport recovers 39 intercontinental routes to 27 destinations

Posted on 24 de November de 202117 de December de 2021 by studiogenesis

Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport has recovered 52% of its pre-pandemic long-haul routes.

Barcelona airport has recovered 39 of the 74 intercontinental air routes it had before the pandemic. Africa is currently the continent with the most intercontinental flights from Barcelona, with a total of 23 routes. In the Middle East, five destinations have been restored, in Latin America two, in Asia one and in the United States up to seven destinations.

El Prat records encouraging figures after the pandemic, passengers have increased by 212% in September compared to 2020 figures, with mobility restrictions due to the pandemic.

The pre-pandemic figures have not yet been recovered, as passenger traffic at the airport was down 48.4% compared to September 2019.

Barcelona creates the first public-private housing operator that plans to create 4,500 social housing units

Posted on 24 de November de 2021 by studiogenesis

The City Council and the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, together with the companies Cervasa and Neinor, have created the public-private affordable housing operator HMB.

Habitatge Metròpolis Barcelona is the new project presented by Ada Colau, mayor of Barcelona and president of the AMB, a public-private operator that plans to build 4,500 affordable homes throughout the metropolis within eight years.

The total investment is 600 million euros, with the public sector participating 50% (25% AMB and 25% the City Council) and the private sector participating 50% through the company NICRent Residencial, created by the companies Cervasa and Neinor.

This large project will be developed in four phases, the first phase foresees to start building the first 640 homes in 3033-2023, with a rent of between 400 and 750 euros/month in Barcelona, Sant Boi, Montgat and Sant Adrià del Besòs.

Ada Colau boasted of “innovation in public policies to meet the needs of the population, with a public-private partnership to expand the rental stock and guarantee that it will be protected forever”.

Barcelona launches the Deep Tech Node initiative to become a benchmark for technology start-ups

Posted on 24 de November de 2021 by studiogenesis

Barcelona City Council and Barcelona Activa have teamed up with several Catalan universities to promote a programme of 840,000 euros to promote a programme for the creation of start-ups.

Jaume Collboni, the first deputy mayor of Barcelona, presented last November the Barcelona Deep Tech Node programme to promote the creation of scientific-technological start-ups, with the alliance of some of the main Catalan universities.

This alliance involves the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Universitat de Barcelona (UB) and Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC).

The aim of the Barcelona Deep Tech Node will be to accelerate access to the market and promote the creation of start-ups with a scientific and technological base. The programme will have a budget of 840,000 euros, of which 470,000 euros will come from the City Council, 300,000 from the universities and 70,000 from different promoters.

During the presentation of the project, Collboni stressed that “With this initiative we are continuing our commitment to an economy and start-ups that are more oriented towards knowledge and science, generating value-added economic activity, attracting talent and boosting the arrival of new investment in Barcelona”.

The four pillars on which this initiative will work are the main challenges facing deep tech startups: funding, market fit, talent attraction and international promotion.

PepsiCo announces the launch of its global digital hub in Barcelona

Posted on 24 de November de 202124 de November de 2021 by studiogenesis

This hub located in Cornellà de Llobregat will incorporate 400 people who will be in charge of the creation and development of the main digitalisation programmes.

PepsiCo announced last quarter the creation of a global hub in Cornellà de Llobregat, scheduled to be fully operational in 2024. The launch of this technology centre will generate around 400 jobs in the Catalan capital and a major boost for innovation.

Athina Kanioura, EVP, Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer PepsiCo Global, highlights that “The digital hub will enable Pepsico to drive its digitalisation agenda, capture new opportunities, introduce changes in the way it works and address common organizational challenges such as reducing operational costs, improving time to market, accelerating innovation, developing the customer experience and increasing organisational efficiency”.

The creation of this hub in the metropolitan area of Barcelona is a great attraction for international talent, as they have already started the recruitment process and have incorporated more than 45 people, from 15 different nationalities, with profiles such as Data Scientist, Machine Learning Engineers, Data Engineers, Service Designers and Product Managers.

The Economist ranks Barcelona as the 4th safest European city.

Posted on 1 de October de 202115 de December de 2021 by annapalasi

The Economist Intelligence Unit ha publicat ja la quarta edició del seu estudi Safe Cities Index 2021, en el qual classifica la seguretat de les 60 majors àrees urbanes mundials sota 76 indicadors dels camps de seguretat digital, sanitària, infraestructures, personal i, nova enguany, ambiental.

In this fourth edition, we find Barcelona with a score of 77.8/100, placing it as the 4th safest city in Europe and the 11th safest in the world. Regarding the distribution of the score, in this graph we can see Barcelona’s score in the different fields of security, achieving the 9th position in the world in health security.

Copenhagen has been ranked the safest city in the world, moving from eighth position in the previous edition to the top position this year, followed by Toronto and Singapore.

After the impact of Covid-19, the concept of safety needs a more holistic approach in healthcare, with the obvious speed of spread of the virus in urban areas, health has become a key factor that needs more planning and urban resilience. In addition, digital security is now an even higher priority, due to the rise of online work and commerce, urban areas will now compete to become the pioneers of smart cities.

ConrenTramway acquires lands in 22@ to build an office building of 9.000m2.

Posted on 1 de October de 202115 de December de 2021 by annapalasi

La firma d’inversions immobiliàries CorenTramway amb seu a Barcelona, fundada pels germans Jaime-Enrique i Paco Hugas, realitzarà una inversió de 45 milions d’euros en el districte barceloní del 22@.

L’objectiu d’aquesta inversió és promoure un immoble amb 9.000 metres quadrats, les obres del qual s’iniciaran en 2023, i comptarà amb pàrquing privat i 700 m² de zones verdes.

Aquest nou projecte de la gestora ConrenTramway ja en suma quatre a la zona del 22@.

Amazon will open a logistics center in Rubí, its eighth investment in Catalonia

Posted on 17 de July de 2020 by annapalasi

The e-commerce giant Amazon has announced the opening of a new logistics center in the Can Roses area of Rubí. The new facilities will occupy 25,540 square meters and add to the rest of those that Amazon already has in Catalonia: the logistics and distribution centers of Prat de Llobregat, Martorelles, Castellbisbal and Barberà del Vallès, the urban center of Barcelona, the service center SMEs and the artificial intelligence research space located at 22@ in Barcelona.
https://www.ara.cat/economia/Amazon-obrira-estacio-logistica-Rubi_0_2478952167.html

Foreign investment in Catalonia will increase 13% in 2019

Posted on 17 de July de 202017 de December de 2021 by annapalasi

Foreign investment captured by the Generalitat de Cataluña in 2019 reached 365.2 million euros, a figure that represents 13% more than in the previous year, and which has led to the creation of more than 5,700 jobs (+ 5.5%) and the maintenance of an additional 1,350 (+ 6.3%). 80% of the volume of foreign investment attracted has gone to the industry, mainly to the sectors of the pharmaceutical, automotive, chemical and plastics industries.
https://www.accio.gencat.cat/ca/accio/premsa-comunicacio/cercador-premsa-actualitat/article/2020-08-07-Inversio-estrangera-captada-generalitat-2019

Seat announces 5 billion investment in Martorell to manufacture electric cars in five years

Posted on 17 de July de 2020 by annapalasi

Seat recently announced an investment of € 5 billion through 2025, which will go mainly to boost the electric car business. The figure made public exceeds by 52% the 3,300 million that the car company invested in the period 2015-2020. The objective is to be able to start manufacturing electric cars in Catalonia in five years’ time, according to sources from the company itself.

https://www.ara.cat/economia/Seat-anuncia-inversio-Martorell-cotxes-electrics_0_2486151467.html

Barcelona will continue to host the Mobile World Congress until at least 2024

Posted on 17 de July de 2020 by annapalasi

The Mobile World Congress, which has been held in Barcelona since 2006 and gathers around 2,500 companies and more than 100,000 visitors from all over the world, will continue in Barcelona, at least, until 2024. This is the commitment signed between the Fundación Barcelona Mobile World Capital and the GSMA. The impact that the congress has on the city’s economy is estimated at around 500 million euros.
https://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/gracia/ca/noticia/ratificat-lacord-per-celebrar-el-mobile-world-congress-a-barcelona-fins-al-2024_969607

According to 2018 data, 8,642 foreign companies are settled in Catalonia, 22% more than in 2017

Posted on 23 de April de 2019 by Barcelona Catalonia

These companies turnover represents 31% of the total of companies working from Catalonia
Germany (1,129 companies), France (1,070) and the USA (1,010) are the countries with the highest presence

Continue reading “According to 2018 data, 8,642 foreign companies are settled in Catalonia, 22% more than in 2017”

In 2018 El Prat airport surpassed 50 million passengers for the first time

Posted on 21 de January de 201917 de December de 2021 by Barcelona Catalonia

According to official data made public by AENA, Aeroport de Barcelona-El Prat closed 2018 with 50,172,457 passengers, a 6.1% more than in 2017. Passengers of international flights have increased a 6.2%, up to a total of 36,668,175. With regard to goods freight, in 2018 172,940 tonnes were moved from Barcelona-El Prat, a 10.8% more than during the previous year. 14,758 tonnes were moved in December, a 12.1% more than in December 2017.

[01/22/2019]