A cluster with policies to support the sector. This is what the Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Trade and Tourism will promote in order to meet the needs of cosmetic companies that demand special measures in terms of sustainability, digitalization and regulatory coverage. This was announced on the occasion of the creation of the sectoral table of this sector, an event held this Thursday in Alcoy, chaired by councilor Nuria Montes, where the foundations were laid for designing a strategy that meets the needs of the sector. companies.
The cosmetics industry in the Valencian Community consists of approximately 200 companies, representing 14% of the national total.. The importance of its activity, with its significant presence in the province of Alicante, is reflected in the approximately 600 million euros it exports each year, which places it third in Spain’s rankings. However, despite all this, the sector was not subjected to special treatment by the Autonomous Administration, and this is a situation that is planned to be corrected from now on.
And the first step in this direction became reality this Thursday at the event held at the new headquarters of the Aitex technological institute, with the creation of the Cosmetics Round Table, which has long been requested by companies. both the companies in this sector and the textile industry. The meeting was attended by a wide range of representatives from the business community and council member Nuria Montes.Underlining that these sectoral tables will play a decisive role in the re-industrialization strategy developed by the regional government, Dr.
The strategy in question also envisages the creation of sectoral clusters that will meet their needs. And in this area Montes thinks: “The cosmetics industry is mature enough to be part of this strategy. So, based on the data presented, it is entirely justified to structure a cluster in the Valencian Community as a core of specialization and value generation.”
The councilor also underlines that the reindustrialization strategy will not be a static, gimmicky document without follow-up, but points out: “We design a completely dynamic and adaptable roadmapIt is a permanent sectoral participation channel that allows public policies to be constantly evaluated and adapted to changing needs quickly and simply.
Sergio Carrasco, regional secretary for Industry, Trade and Consumption, emphasizes: The strategy will address elements such as environmental sustainability, circularity and industrial symbiosis.; importance of industrial land; communication and logistics nodes; attracting investments and talent; and automation, digital transformation, and the use of disruptive technologies.
Carrasco adds that at a general level this is the case, but cosmetics in particular “face many specific challenges, from regulatory issues to environmental and health issues.” In his words, “It is an industry that is subject to different regulations and standards and also varies significantly from country to country.. Therefore, complying with standards and regulatory requirements in different markets can be complex and expensive. That is why, as the Generalitat, we want to accompany and assist companies in their internationalization processes.”
The industry welcomed the interest of the regional government. This is stated by Consuelo Vaquer, the sole director of the company Nirvel, who underlines: “We are talking about a strategic sector and what we want is to ensure the visibility of this sector.. He emphasizes that “the administration supports us especially on issues such as sustainability, regulation, digitalization and also water use.”
Strong weight in the province of Alicante
The cosmetics industry has a significant presence in the province of Alicante, especially in the Alcoy region, where a dozen companies with wide national and international recognition operate, including Germaine de Capuccini and Nirvel. While the annual turnover of the companies in this region exceeds 100 million euros, they employ more than 500 workers.