Logistics is one of the most important sectors globally. It represents up to 7.9% of the Spanish GDP. This figure even rises to 10% when logistics activities carried out by industrial, commercial and service companies are taken into account.
The logistics sector is in a phase of constant change, in which new technologies, digitalization and new consumer demands play an important role, so the sector is evolving around them.
Digitization is the biggest challenge facing the sector. It is driven by a consumer who increasingly demands better and faster services, with transparency and at competitive prices. Data analytics, robotization and process automation, the use of autonomous vehicles and drones, or 3D printing are some of the main technologies that could impact the sector in the coming years.
Castilla-La Mancha, thanks to its geographical location and its great capacity for growth in the logistics sector, represents a force to be reckoned with in many ways.
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The region has an excellent infrastructure network: it is the region with the most kilometers of high-capacity roads (2,790 km) and high-speed rail (800 km). All provincial capitals have direct motorway and high-speed train connections to Madrid, as well as to other economic centers in the country.
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Four of the six motorways that radiate from Madrid to the main ports of the Iberian Peninsula cross Castilla-La Mancha.
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Its territory is located on three of the major rail freight corridors.
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The region stands out for its intermodal transport infrastructures: the Dry Port of Azuqueca de Henares, connected to the main Spanish ports and with an annual traffic of more than 30,000 containers, and the Transport City of Guadalajara, one of the largest intermodal platforms in Spain, with 2.2 million m2. In addition, there are various projects in the region to build new intermodal platforms, including the Iberum Central Platform, located in Illescas, as well as new Dry Ports in Albacete and Alcázar de San Juan.
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Critical mass of established companies, with most of the multinational companies in the sector present in the territory, such as Amazon, GXO, Luís Simões, DHL or DSV, among others.
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Castilla-La Mancha has a large amount of industrial land available, and at more competitive prices than in adjacent areas.
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The logistics sector has a great weight within the business fabric of Castilla-La Mancha, with nearly 300 companies employing more than 43,000 people, especially in the Henares and La Sagra corridors, being the fourth autonomous community in terms of storage surface area.
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Existence of regional incentives for investment, which include aids for training and employment, investment, financing and R+D.
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Active promotion of the sector, through the increasing dissemination of the logistics capacities of the territory, as well as the organization of and attendance at national and international events. Among them, it is worth highlighting the first edition of the “Logistic Spain Fair“, which will take place in Guadalajara from 5 to 7 April 2022. This is an International Logistics and Transport Fair that will be attended by the main economic agents of the logistics and transport sector.
New Amazon logistics centre in Illescas. Source: novologistica.com
Logistic Sector CLM