The Catalan Minister for Agriculture Josep Maria Pelegrí visited Berlin this week to greet the 23 Catalan companies that were exhibiting at the Fruit Logistica fair in Berlin. Catalonia has a significant fruit production industry and it exports fruit all over Europe.
The Japanese company has finally chosen to manufacture the new van in a factory in the Catalan capital. The decision comes after workers agreed to a change in their labour conditions including a freeze on salaries until 2014.
The company will open a centre for industrial automation engineering in Reus. The centre is scheduled to open in 2011 and will employ around 30 qualified professionals.
González will contribute to consolidating Gas Natural Fenosa’s international presence, mainly in South America. With this move, the Catalan energy company will gain a figure of international prestige with a large list of contacts. González was Prime Minister of Spain from 1982 to 1996. He leads the Expert Group on the future of Europe and his name was shortlisted to become the first President of the EU.
‘Extraordinary Film Studios’ may open its doors as early as 2011 and employ some 80 people. The company already has three films scheduled for the new studios.
The German chemical company will concentrate its production in Madrid and Guadalajara. BASF will also restructure its sales, marketing and administrations departments, also located close to Barcelona, in l’Hospitalet de Llobregat.
The international trade fair on old vehicles is one of the most important in Europe. According to Fermín Sulé, the President of 'Auto Retro, the trade fair 'widely' exceeded the expected number of vehicle sales.
The Japanese company rejects the candidacy of its Catalonia factory for manufacturing the new car because it is not 'competitive'. The deputy CEO of Nissan in Spain blames the unions for not accepting new labour conditions which would have accommodated Nissan's interests.
The Spanish car company expects sales to fall by 50% this year. Seat will create 750 jobs in the country for the fabrication of the Audi Q3
The famous biscuit company, Birba, expects to have a turnover of 6 million euros in 2010. Birba will have sold more than 1,200,000 kilos of biscuits.
Gas Natural Fenosa made 4,000 million euros more than in 2009, with a profit of 1,117 million euros.
Seat will invest 300 million euros in investigation, development and innovation this year, 6 to 7% of its profit. Seat’s ambitious project ‘Forma 0’ aims to create lighter, safer cars.
Günther Oettinger, European Commissioner for Energy, told CNA that within the next 40 years, a single market with Northern Africa will exist, he “is sure” about it. In addition, Oettinger stated that the main obstacle for a truly effective European energy single market is the lack of key infrastructures. In this sense, he stressed the need to build electric lines through the Pyrenees and the Alps, linking Central and Southern Europe with Northern Africa.
The motorbike, made by Rieju, will cost around 4,500 euros. The company hopes to sell 2,500 electric motorbikes in 2011.
700 workers from the Martorell factory next to Barcelona will temporarily lose their jobs. They will return to work in June of 2011. The company still has to negotiate the conditions with unions.