The engineering scope in Catalonia

An ecosystem of 672 engineering companies is leading the way in Industry 4.0, ICT, and energy innovations, generating €5,404M in turnover and creating 45,000 jobs.

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Catalonia, where state-of-the-art engineering thrives.

Catalonia, which has always had a strong industrial base, today is home to a widespread critical mass of experienced and specialized engineering companies covering 14 different specializations thanks to its industrial diversification. Within this diversification, Industry 4.0 is the most offered specialty, followed by ICT and Energy.

A total of 672 companies have created a workforce of some 45,000 people and generated 3.1% of the Catalan GDP, thanks to a combined turnover of €5,404M.

Most firms work in process and product engineering, 45% and 24%, respectively. And while 96% of Catalan engineering companies are SMEs, it is 8% that are behind virtually three-quarters of the total turnover and workforce.

“We chose Barcelona due to the region’s infrastructures, its important industrial base, and the ability to retain talent”

Marc Gómez, CEO ABB Spain

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670 engineering companies
€5,404M turnover
45,006 employees

Talent and knowledge, always on hand

The sector has easy access to specialized and competitively priced talent thanks to 50 university degrees being available in the Catalan university system and over 60 dual vocational training qualifications.

In fact, 16% of all Catalan graduates leave university with an engineering degree, the majority in the following specializations: Industry 4.0 engineering, ICT engineering, chemical engineering, and aeronautical engineering.

Furthermore, the excellence of the local university offer is recognized by its presence among the top 10 International universities.
The sector is also backed up by a wide support system comprising 14 training centers and universities and 32 tech and research centers. What’s more, it is the only region in Spain with three specialized automotive centers.

There are also 21 professional associations and 13 industrial clusters, which all work to add dynamism and future to the engineering sector in Catalonia.

Trade fairs keeping the industry ahead

Ensuring that the industry can build a cohesive network of connected professionals, showcase both locally and internationally the work being done, and stay ahead of the technological advances in engineering, the sector is energized by having three specialized trade fairs – the Forum Industria 4.0, Advanced Factories and BCN Industry. Moreover, several other related fairs also give added value to the sector.