This afternoon saw the formal incorporation of ChemMed Tarragona, the industrial, logistics, academic and chemical science cluster. The ceremony took place at the city’s Palau de Congressos conference centre and was attended by the president of the Government of Catalonia, Artur Mas; the general secretary for State infrastructure, Manuel Niño; and the city’s mayor, Josep Fèlix Ballesteros.
The act of incorporation was also witnessed by representatives of the 30 bodies and institutions that make up ChemMed Tarragona, which transmitted their message by means of a video. ‘Today we begin a process that I think is unprecedented, in which all of us involved in the chemical industry commit to raising the value of our assets and offering them internationally to position Tarragona on the global map,’ said the chairman of the Chemical Business Association of Tarragona (AEQT), Jesús Loma-Ossorio, who also referred to the need for chemistry to adapt, for science and industry to contribute solutions for overcoming the significant challenges facing our planet.
‘With the cluster we aim to advance and to convert our strengths into opportunities. We have analysed the potential that exists in the area of Tarragona and we have compared it with the challenges that European industry will have to respond to in the future. It is important to specialise in a chemical industry with a high added value, great diversification and a high degree of innovation, both in its processes and in its products,’ he stated. ‘In Tarragona we have all of the necessary components to take on future challenges in the sector. An industry at the service of the economic progress of our region.’
The president of the Port of Tarragona, Josep Andreu, highlighted the significance of the event for the port and publicly thanked Minister of Development Ana Pastor, who was not able to attend for personal reasons, for ‘the support she has always given the Port of Tarragona, our investments, our projects, and it is especially important to point out her full and total support of the Tercer Fil project, a strategic and fundamental project for the future of our port.’ ‘Our goal is to promote the chemical industry, as well as research and development, with the support of the transport network,’ the General Secretary of State Infrastructure, Manuel Niño, emphasised.
Niño also pointed out that the chemical sector has made a surprising comeback, achieving pre-economic crisis figures, and mentioned the Ministry of Development’s commitment to the Mediterranean Corridor to increase competitiveness which, in turn, will lead to the development of logistics and better access to Mediterranean ports. ‘The Ministry of Development, through Adif Alt Velocidad, has approved today, Friday, investments for the development of the Mediterranean Corridor.’
The president of the Government of Catalonia, Artur Mas, who, like the other speakers, gave his speech in Catalan, Spanish and English, the three official languages of ChemMed Tarragona, spoke about the commitment to the future that the industry represents for Catalonia and mentioned the industry’s ability to share the stage with other economic sectors, especially in the area of Tarragona. ‘We are dedicated to making Catalonia a business-friendly country,’ Mas emphasised, ‘to reducing bureaucracy, to simplifying processes. We are committed to making Catalonia a good place for investment.’
About ChemMed Tarragona
ChemMed Tarragona is a project promoted by the Chemical Business Association of Tarragona (AEQT) and the Port of Tarragona for the purpose of internationally projecting the attractiveness and competitiveness of the region for industry, teaching, research, logistics and chemistry.
ChemMed Tarragona enjoys the support of:
– Institutions: The Government of Spain, the Government of Catalonia, the provincial government and the city and town councils of Alcover, Constantí, El Morell, Flix, La Canonja, La Pobla de Mafumet, Perafort, Reus, Salou, Tarragona, Tortosa, Valls and Vila-seca
– Service companies (AEST)
– Education, talent, research and innovation centres: Universitat Rovira i Virgili, ICIQ, CTQ, and the secondary schools of Comte de Rius, Pere Martell and Vidal i Barraquer
– The business sector through the chambers of commerce of Tarragona, Reus, Valls and Tortosa
– Trade unions, Comissions Obreres and the UGT
The Chemical Mediterranean Cluster has been presented during the period of a new edition of Logichem speech, one of the most important meetings at international level which is celebrated in the chemical and logistic sector.
