In Alicante, economic shifts are taking shape as the province moves beyond its traditional micro SMEs, those with fewer than ten workers. The latest trends show a growing presence of larger firms and a firmer footing for the local economy, with larger companies driving innovation and improving working conditions.
New data from Social Security records, compiled by the Valencian Institute of Statistics, indicate that by the end of the third quarter there were 168 firms employing more than 250 people in the region. This is up by 14 from the previous year and marks the highest figure in the series since 2012, which recorded 102 firms surpassing the threshold.
When analyzing the labor market in the same period, those large firms accounted for the bulk of job creation in Alicante. A total of 10,880 of 23,553 new jobs over the last twelve months came from these sizable companies, underscoring their central role in regional growth.
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Today, there are 143,347 residents in Alicante who work in large organizations, including public sector roles in health and education, though other civil service positions are not included. The concentration of employment in large firms now accounts for 26.4% of all jobs in the region, a figure that is slightly higher than last year and several points above a decade ago.
Aerial view of Atalayas polygon. Information
Experts highlight this trend as a sign of robust economic health for Alicante. A growing number of competitive companies are expanding, improving their market positions and opportunities for workers. Ignacio Jimenez Raneda, professor emeritus of Fundamentals of Economic Analysis and former rector of the University of Alicante, notes that labor reforms may have contributed to this growth by regularizing previously insecure workers.
Pandemic
In recent research from Ineca, Francisco Llopis emphasizes that SMEs felt the impact of the pandemic more than larger firms. Larger companies proved more resilient and better able to capitalize on the recovery. Market forces are pushing firms to gain strength through innovation, increased competitiveness, and advantages in internationalization, which in turn boost business growth.
Joaquin Perez, president of CEV in Alicante, points out that traditional sectors invested in new opportunities. He also believes that firms are increasingly willing to collaborate and create synergies, a trend that supports stronger growth prospects.
Only Las Palmas and Melilla have fallen more than Alicante in Spain’s GDP per capita rankings since 2000
Despite improvements, Perez notes that the average size of Alicante firms remains below the national average, calling for greater administrative support, particularly in reducing bureaucratic hurdles to facilitate expansion.
Statistics from the Valencian Institute of Statistics show that 168 large companies are based in Alicante, with about half located in the neighboring Valencian Community. The region closed the last quarter with 298 firms surpassing 250 employees. Large companies employed 32.5% of salaried workers, a notable rise from the previous year. The average firm size in Valencia reaches 11.1 workers, while Alicante averages 8.8.
Nearly a thousand more companies than a year earlier
In total, Alicante closed the last quarter with 61,272 companies registered with Social Security, meaning at least one employed person per company. This reflects an increase of 975 firms from the previous year and signals progress in the province’s productive structure. The hospitality sector shows the largest uptick with 258 more companies since September 2022. Construction adds 137 companies employing more workers, and construction and gardening services together account for more than 72 firms. Among all firms, micro SMEs (1 to 9 employees) number 52,195; SMEs (10 to 49) total 7,812; medium-sized firms (50 to 249) equal 1,091; and large firms total 168.
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