Talavera de la Reina, December 15th 2023 – The Regional Center for Digital Innovation (CRID), located in Talavera de la Reina, was the venue chosen for the fourth Investment Attraction Council of Castilla-La Mancha, a consultative body created in 2021 and which brings together representatives of public and private organizations in the region, with the aim of sharing strategies and best practices that allow the attraction of a greater number of investments to the region.
The Regional Minister of Economy, Business and Employment, Patricia Franco, opened the conference by highlighting the good figures that the region is achieving in terms of attracting investment. There are already 31 international investment, reinvestment, mergers and acquisitions projects announced at the start of this legislature, of the 244 launched since 2015. In addition, 2022 closed as the best year in the entire historical series, with 567 million euros of investment received, while the first half of 2023 represents growth of 53% over the same period of the previous year. The Regional Minister also made special reference to the project to be developed by Meta in Talavera de la Reina, which will generate 250 direct jobs and represent an investment of 750 million euros.
For his part, the General Director of Companies, Javier Rosell, reviewed the functions, competencies and objectives of the Investment Attraction Council, highlighting that Castilla-La Mancha was the first Spanish region to create this consultative body that strengthens public-private collaboration and allows the region’s business ecosystem to improve. He also highlighted the importance that the Priority Projects Law is having for the region; in just three years, there are already 30 projects declared as priority projects, which can benefit from a 50% reduction in all the administrative deadlines of the regional administration. Finally, he presented the IPEX-Invest in CLM action plan for 2024, with a strong international presence in trade fairs that will allow to continue positioning Castilla-La Mancha as a reference destination for the arrival of new investments.
Next it was the turn of José Julián Gregorio, Mayor of Talavera de la Reina and President of the Federation of Municipalities and Provinces of Castilla-La Mancha (FEMPCLM), who expressed his gratitude that his city was chosen to host this IV Council and who highlighted the great impact that Meta’s new data center will have on the entire region.
Marian Scheifler, managing partner of the consulting firm SIFDI, analyzed the global trends of FDI in recent years as well as the main data at regional level, highlighting that Castilla-La Mancha is the Spanish region most affected by the ‘headquarters effect’. The tangible fixed assets associated with FDI in the region amount to 6,698 million euros, making it the third Spanish autonomous community with the best ratio between this variable and GDP. Some of the best global practices of different investment attraction agencies were also analyzed.
Finally, Antonio de Molina, technical director of Plastipak, shared with the attendees a presentation about the history of the company as well as all the investments made to date in its Torrijos plant, which reach 55 million euros between 2016 and 2023. In addition, he highlighted the declaration as a priority project of its new rPET plant as well as the obtaining of regional economic incentives.
A golden brooch for this fourth Council, which once again demonstrates the firm commitment of the Government of Castilla-La Mancha in terms of attracting investment, as well as the great harmony existing between all the entities represented in this consultative body.
