AITEX, the Textile Technology Institute, is preparing to relocate its headquarters to Alcoy. The move is planned for May, as confirmed this Wednesday by Vicente Blanes, the institute’s managing director. The new facility spans more than 8,000 square meters on a site exceeding 12,400 square meters and is in the final stage of construction. Some laboratories and dependent spaces are expected to become operational within three weeks, enabling the transition to begin on May 26, following the established schedule.
Blanes noted that certain units will be transferred week by week and will start operations immediately in the new premises. The objective is to have 80 percent of the institute relocated by year’s end. The new building is situated on the Alcoy exit heading toward Banyeres, marking a substantial qualitative leap from the current arrangements. The historic center building, once home to Papeleras Reunidas, is already under rental to the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), which plans campus expansion there.
During the visit to the nearly completed facility, Blanes spoke of the evident excitement among all involved. The move means leaving a historic site that many staff have grown fond of, yet it promises a stronger presence by bringing companies closer to the new complex rather than dispersing them across the older site.
The statements were made at the outset of the tour of the new building, attended by regional authorities, including Vice President Aitana Mas and Minister of Sustainable Economy, Business and Productive Sectors Rafael Climent. The minister also leads Equality and Inclusive Policies. They described the new property as a tangible sign of the Consell’s industrial reorganization strategy and highlighted its relevance to the textile sector, especially in the context of the pandemic and the sector’s recovery.
Mas underlined that support for the textile industry yields a positive impact on rural population trends in the region and urged companies to persist with innovation and ecological transformation. Climent, for his part, noted that the broader plan for AITEX encompasses the cosmetics sector as well, describing the organization as a driver beyond the traditional economy. He emphasized the government’s commitment to innovation through initiatives launched since 2015, which have helped revive technological institutes and strengthen industrial capabilities across the region.