The Regional Minister for the European Union and External Action of the Government of Catalonia, Jaume Duch, today visited the facilities of DFactory Barcelona, the Industry 4.0 hub promoted by the Barcelona Free Trade Zone Consortium (CZFB). During his tour, Duch met with Pere Navarro, the State's special delegate to the CZFB, to delve deeper into the entity's strategic commitment to industrial digital transformation through the innovative District 4.0.
The visit allowed the Minister to gain a first-hand look at the vibrant DFactory ecosystem, which currently hosts 37 leading companies in fields such as robotics, 3D printing, sensors, artificial intelligence, IoT, augmented and virtual reality, and blockchain. Duch had the opportunity to speak with leaders from some of these companies, gaining insight into their activities and the cutting-edge projects they develop in this collaborative environment.
In the subsequent meeting, Pere Navarro outlined to the Minister the CZFB's vision for consolidating District 4.0 as a global hub for talent and investment. This district seeks to revolutionize the industrial and logistics sector of the Free Trade Zone through highly innovative technological projects. The heart of this initiative, DFactory Barcelona, currently has a 90% occupancy rate, prompting the launch of an expansion project to expand the current 17.000 m² to 60.000 m² by the end of 2026.
During his visit, Jaume Duch highlighted the strategic importance of these projects: "The economic future of Catalonia and the European Union as a whole depends on competitiveness. Leading logistics and business hubs like the Barcelona Free Trade Zone are essential to strengthening it."The Minister reaffirmed the Government's commitment to "Strengthen its international projection, with the aim of demonstrating its level of excellence and opening up new opportunities and markets.".
For his part, Pere Navarro emphasized Barcelona's unique conditions for this leadership: "Barcelona has several key ingredients, such as its connection to the world, its generation and attraction of talent, and its technological, innovative, and entrepreneurial ecosystem, which together make it the ideal location to become the world capital of Industry 4.0 and attract international investment.". He added that “We have fertile ground to lead these types of initiatives and turn District 4.0 into the economic zone that leads Industry 4.0 internationally.”.
Navarro also recalled the international recognition of the CZFB, which was the first free trade zone in the world to receive the Security Transparency in Trade certificate awarded by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This milestone underscores the success of the business model focused on innovation, sustainability, and transparency in management.
The visit of the Dutch Minister highlights institutional collaboration, a fundamental role for DFactory Barcelona District, key drivers of the future of industrial and technological Catalonia.
Any questions about this news?
Talk to Coexia, the AI of the foreign trade
