Reindustrialization efforts at the aging factories have reached a pivotal moment as the D-Hubled project, led by Joan Orus, races against the clock to secure the remaining guarantees necessary to bring electric van production to the Barcelona Free Trade Zone. The plan hinges on European funds totaling 107.8 million euros, and recent reports indicate about 70% of the required bank support has been lined up. With a Monday night deadline looming at 11:59 PM, the team must finalize the remaining 30% or the project risks a scaled-back version. This critical window underscores the high-stakes nature of the reindustrialization push in the region [Citation: European funds] .
From the outset, D-Hub aimed to accelerate its integration into the automotive sector, pushing its options to the limit. Orús’ roadmap hit a snag when the Ministry of Industry rejected a 40 million euro guarantee offered by the Generalitat of Catalonia via the Institut Català de Finances (ICF). The executive veto emerged to prevent potential illegality arising from double public assistance, since the ICF had no established track record as a banking institution [Citation: Catalan government finance policy] .
Following that decision, D-Hub, with visible backing from the Ministry and the Generalitat, shifted its emphasis toward private banks. The principal guarantor status shifted to Andorra, with commitments exceeding 20 million euros. CaixaBank contributed around 5 million euros, Santander matched another 5 million, and Sabadell added approximately 1.5 million, while other banks provided smaller shares. The remaining portion, roughly 55 million euros, came from private individuals, but total direct subsidies did not yet reach the 70 million euros required for the full package of assistance from loss-prediction and performance guarantees [Citation: private finance structure] .
Should European funds fall short, D-Hub could be forced to scale back the investment plan and delay the opening of new facilities. Orús’ team intends to assemble the Zeroid electric pickup trucks within the Free Zone and to oversee the entire production chain. Part of the strategy involves upgrading a paint facility that currently fails to meet the EU’s minimum environmental sustainability standards. A reduced public subsidy could compel remodeling costs to be drawn from other sources, such as real estate assets allied to D-Hub in the Zona Franca, potentially affecting project timelines and local economic impact [Citation: EU sustainability criteria] .
Across all these dynamics, the creation and maintenance of jobs stand as a central objective. D-Hub initially projected the generation of nearly 1,000 jobs within three years, but the final outcome will depend on Orús’ ability to balance commitments with other automotive sector participants. The ecosystem includes a network of partners and stakeholders such as Applus+ Laboratories, Biofreshtech, Cellnex Telecom, Hub Tech Factory, ePowerlabs, Limpieza Nervión, Lunagua, Millor Battery, Nogebus, Nutai, Power Electronics, Relats, S2 Grupo, Tradebe, Wallbox, and Zeleros. Their collaboration will shape the pace and scope of the project and its regional employment footprint [Citation: automotive ecosystem partners] .