The shock triggered by the coronavirus crisis soon gave way to a second fear: the country’s economic model had left industry on the back burner. There were no mask factories filling demand or firms capable of producing the medical supplies patients needed. After the first waves subsided, a practical consequence emerged: shipping bottlenecks. In particular, carmakers like Ford at Almussafes had to halt parts of their production because semiconductors were scarce.
The proposed remedy is to reindustrialize Spain. The goal is clear enough: a robust industrial sector underpins GDP and well paid manufacturing jobs remain highly attractive. Yet the path is far from easy. The required investments are substantial, and the pace of the energy transition will demand a rapid transformation of the factories as we know them. The Valencian Community is taking the lead on several related initiatives, such as the large electric car battery factory planned for Sagunto, and Ford’s plan to push beyond combustion engines in its next phase, staying in the autonomous region for future operations.
Meanwhile, traditional sectors like Castellón’s ceramics or Alicante’s footwear have recently faced unforeseen pressures, including spikes in energy costs, temporary shortages of raw materials, and shifts of production to other countries.
Industrial policy features prominently in regional election programs, though the approaches vary widely and rarely align. The PSPV argues that durable growth hinges on replacing fossil fuels with renewables, proposing emphasis on green hydrogen, energy communities, and targeted aid to help firms adapt to future needs without losing production capacity.
On the other side, Vox seeks energy sovereignty for the Community by extending the life of the Cofrentes nuclear plant, a facility slated to cease operations by 2030.
The People’s Party frames change as a popular mandate to empower technology-driven firms and accelerate the shift in the production model.
Compliance with the latest technology
Other strands of reindustrialization focus on establishing dedicated industrial zones equipped with cutting edge technology and on upgrading existing industrial land to attract a broader range of companies. Compromís and Ciudadanos advocate for new estates that are ready for smart manufacturing and for modernizing current sites to maximize capacity and efficiency.
Compromís also stresses linking vocational training with industry needs, particularly for SMEs that require more technical profiles. Unides Podem highlights the importance of job creation and proposes a plan to fund companies that participate in public projects.
These themes intersect with local elections in Alicante, where voters will weigh how the region can balance a return to stronger manufacturing with the challenges of energy costs, supply chains, and a faster adoption of advanced technologies. The outcome will shape how the community positions its economy for the next decade, including the role of green energy, industry clusters, and the modernization of workforce training. [Citation: Alicante regional election analysis 2023]