We have all the elements that any company or entrepreneur needs to develop an economic activity. We are a region with high rates of legal and citizen security, as well as political and social stability. We have industrial floors and ceilings and competitive port facilities, a good scientific-technological ecosystem and top education centers such as the University of Oviedo that support entrepreneurship. Although we are a peripheral region in Spain, we are also a gateway from America to Europe. Overall we are greatly improving our communications and next year we will have air links to 27 destinations, 15 national and 12 international. High Speed is also expected to arrive in Asturias in mid-2023. Another factor that makes us attractive for investment is that we already have more than a hundred multinational companies established in the region and these, together with large regional companies, provide a driving and stimulating effect on investment and employment. As Asturias is a good place to live and visit, it is definitely a good place to invest and work. In summary, Asturias is a gem waiting to be discovered. And I borrowed this phrase from Stefan Borgas, CEO of the multinational company RHI Magnesita, whose global service center for the entire world is located in Asturias. Some Asturian facilities that are a small business UN.
You have launched an Attract Strategy in the midst of a pandemic. What results are you getting?
The results are very positive. The Investment Attract Strategy was introduced in June 2020 as a public-private partnership tool to promote Asturias as an attractive region for investment, helping to stimulate the recovery of economic activity and mitigate the effects of the pandemic. Since its launch, 11 companies have announced their installations in the region, the last of which is the Chinese giant. ThreeeGorges (Three Gorges), announced last week that it will set up a technical office in Gijón. Not counting this latest project, the details of which we will present in Asturias in January, 10 MindFacilities Management companies have already approved their installation; Basic Intelligence Group; TEAM EQ; foreko; Be Eight; Indaer, TSOFT; cialtronic; QuirónSalud and NuevaRed Global. Among the ten, they add an initial investment of 198.6 million, with an estimated 698 jobs, most of them highly skilled in the ICT, engineering and healthcare sectors. We are very pleased with the outcome of the strategy, the excellent work carried out by the IDEPA Group and the active cooperation of the Chambers of Commerce, the Asturias Business Federation and the European Union. think tanks Our partners in the promotion committee are Compromiso Asturias XXI and Asturias Power. This has been a collaborative effort where each participating organization deployed its international network to help attract investment.
Not to mention Amazon. Why is that?
The Amazon project is unique because of the relevance of the company in question: the world leader in electronic commerce. Negotiations for its implementation were conducted with due diligence, prudence and common sense, and we have responded to all the needs of a €100 million investment project by the Government of Asturias that has created 2,000 jobs in the region. We’ve heard critical voices about this project, but it’s hard to understand because I have no doubt that if Amazon wanted to build a logistics warehouse in northwest Spain and were to do it in any other province, the result would be: to continue operating in our region, but here a euro we would not see any investment or any additional business. Relevant would be to ask why the company decided on Asturias. Presumably because they met with serious interlocutors, they responded quickly from the regional administration and we were able to offer land in a strategic area for a logistics facility with these characteristics. As a result, Amazon will not only create activity and jobs in Asturias, but its arrival will bolster the self-esteem of Asturians who have seen how one of the world’s largest companies has decided to settle in our place. region.
What are the most attractive sectors for investment in Asturias?
Asturias offers investment opportunities in many sectors. One of the biggest potentials we are strategically promoting from the regional government is the deployment of productive activities linked to the circular economy or the development of renewable energies in all its facets and across the industrial value chain. One of our focus areas is green hydrogen as a vector for energy development and a key factor in decarbonizing industry and reviving the economy. This bet is based on the advantages Asturias offers with water resources for production, transport and storage infrastructures, potential industrial consumers and a value chain that can accommodate such projects. The European Commission considers Asturias one of the three regions with the greatest potential for renewable H2 projects, and projects such as ReCoDe, which brings together 25 public-private initiatives with a total investment of 2,400 million, as well as the HyDeal Spain project are already under construction. Development led by ArcelorMittal, Enagás, Fertiberia and DH2 Energy, the world’s largest green hydrogen project.
WhatHow is Asturias economy facing 2023?
Asturias has not only shown exceptional resilience, but has also managed to recover from the severe socioeconomic impact of the great recession of 2008 and is in a position to face a new phase of strong growth. This phase will be based on three important pillars. Initially, investment commitments financed by European recovery, transformation and resilience funds; what additional European funds will be added from the just transition mechanism. Second, the productive investment cycle where many private companies are connecting our region towards a more digital, sustainable and decarbonized production model. The third is the continuous improvement of logistics and communication infrastructures or the increase of industrial lands.