Andoitz Korta, Deputy Minister for Industrial Promotion of the Basque Government, presided this morning over the opening ceremony of +INDUSTRY 2025, which is being held from today until Thursday at Bilbao Exhibition Centre, with the participation of 873 companies from 18 countries. “Over the next three days, +INDUSTRY will turn the Basque Country into a showcase for advanced manufacturing, which will be possible thanks to the support of the SPRI Group. The best of Basque industry will be on display at the BEC, giving us the opportunity to show the world our excellence in manufacturing in future-oriented sectors such as aeronautics, energy, rail and machine tools,” said Mr Korta.

‘We are convinced that industry is the source of well-being in the Basque Country, generating progress, wealth and quality employment. That is why, in the face of the reindustrialisation of Europe, the Basque Government is committed to more industry, better industry and fewer emissions,’ stressed the Deputy Minister for Industrial Promotion.

The opening ceremony was also attended by Mikel Antizar, First Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Social Action at Barakaldo Town Council; Joseba Mariezcurrena, Director General for Entrepreneurship, Talent and Business Competitiveness at Bizkaia Provincial Council; Saray Zarate, Deputy for Economic Development and Innovation at Alava Provincial Council; Ander Larrinaga, Director of Economic Development and Innovation at the Provincial Council of Alava; Carlos García Buendía, Deputy Government Representative; José Pérez, Chairman of AFM; Xabier Ortueta, General Manager of AFM Cluster; Alfonso Ganzabal, Chairman of STECH; Fernando Gastaldo, Chairman of AFMEC; Natividad Cuadra, Director of ICEX, Maite Martínez Granado, Director of Labour Activation at Lanbide; Mari Carmen Gorostiza, Head of the Industry, Energy and ICT Business Unit at Bilbao Exhibition Centre; and Xabier Basañez, General Manager of Bilbao Exhibition Centre.

Under the slogan “The whole industry, here”, with outstanding international participation -Germany, China, France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, USA, Taiwan and India, among others- and a solid representation from the Basque industry, the event takes halls 1 and 3 of BEC. The format, classified by sector, will allow attendees to visit all the essential processes of industrial manufacturing in a dynamic and highly specialised environment.

The thousands of professionals already registered, from sectors including automotive, aeronautics, defence, rail, energy, steel, capital goods and petrochemicals, as well as food, logistics and intralogistics, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and packaging, will encounter an enriching ecosystem, designed to respond to the global challenges of the sector and connect with innovative solutions that strengthen their competitiveness. This is a highly qualified visitor profile, with a strong focus on investment in R&D&I and continuous improvement and decision-making capacity in purchasing processes. The origin of the visitors covers the entire Spanish territory, as well as a wide international presence linked to the global industrial environment.

In parallel to its comprehensive exhibition area, +INDUSTRY will offer an ambitious programme of conferences designed to enable professionals to explore the major challenges and trends that are redefining the industrial landscape more closely. The programme will feature a total of 40 speakers from countries such as Spain, Germany, Belgium, France, Sweden and the Netherlands, bringing an international and multidisciplinary vision to the event.