SEAT & CUPRA inaugurate Circular Economy Hub in Barcelona, boosting sustainable automotive innovation

SEAT & CUPRA has officially inaugurated its new Circular Economy Hub in the Zona Franca in Barcelona, reinforcing Catalonia’s position as a leading hub for sustainable industry and urban mobility innovation.

Located in Barcelona, the 5,000 m² facility is designed to recover and reuse vehicle parts and components, reducing raw material consumption and minimizing environmental impact across the automotive value chain.

A major step toward circular manufacturing

The Circular Economy Hub, operational since December 2025, focuses on dismantling pre-series vehicles from SEAT and CUPRA. After undergoing draining and decontamination processes, reusable components are carefully extracted, stored, and prepared for reintroduction into the market.

This approach not only extends the lifecycle of automotive parts but also supports the transition toward more resource-efficient manufacturing systems—one of the key pillars of Europe’s industrial sustainability strategy.

“This Circular Economy Hub demonstrates SEAT & CUPRA’s commitment to transforming the sector from Barcelona with a long-term vision”

André Kleb, Chief Production Officer for Iberia

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Public-private collaboration driving decarbonization

The project has been supported by Spain’s Circular Economy PERTE program, part of the national recovery plan funded by the European Union’s NextGenerationEU initiative. This highlights the importance of public-private partnerships in accelerating decarbonization and reducing dependency on raw materials in the automotive sector.

The inauguration ceremony brought together key institutional representatives, including officials from Spain’s Ministry for Ecological Transition, the Ministry of Industry, and the Government of Catalonia, alongside André Kleb, Chief Production Officer for Iberia at the Volkswagen Group’s Core Brand Group.
Kleb emphasized that the hub “demonstrates how innovation, industry and sustainability can go hand in hand,” while underlining the company’s long-term commitment to transforming the sector from Barcelona.

“This Circular Economy Hub demonstrates SEAT & CUPRA’s commitment to transforming the sector from Barcelona with a long-term vision”, Kleb said. “All of this is made possible thanks to the dedication of our teams and our collaboration with partners and institutions, to whom we are grateful for their support as we work to build a more sustainable future.”

Strengthening Barcelona as a global innovation hub

The new facility is part of a broader agreement signed in 2024 between SEAT & CUPRA and Barcelona City Council to promote circular economy initiatives and foster industrial innovation.

By combining advanced manufacturing processes with sustainability-driven practices, the Circular Economy Hub further consolidates Barcelona as a strategic location for companies investing in green mobility and next-generation industry.

As global industries accelerate their transition toward circular models, Catalonia continues to position itself at the forefront, offering a competitive ecosystem for international companies committed to innovation, sustainability, and industrial transformation.

Source: SEAT & CUPRA