Industry in Asturias. There are some 68.000 companies operating in the productive and service sectors in Asturias.
The entrepreneurial vocation of the people of Asturias has been transmitted to the genetics of their companies, which gives them advantages in export skills and external relations. This quality is recognized internationally and each day it is more and more common to find Asturian products throughout the European marketplace, given its quality of products, ease in business relations and the enforcement of contracts.
The most representative sectors of Industry in Asturias are the following:
AGRI-FOOD INDUSTRY:
– Dairy products, with a production of more than 620.000 tons of dairy products each year.
– Meat, passing through all stages of the production process, with more than 68.500 tons per year. Both in pre-cooked products, as well as in cured, cooked and cold meat.
– Canneries, is an expanding sector with great increase in business that focuses on the “gourmet” quality product.
– Other products. Like cider, the traditional drink of Asturias, and therefore a very powerful industry which has obtained the Protected Designation of Origin. Also, mineral water and the manufacture of foodstuffs for livestock are important growing industries.
METAL INDUSTRY IN ASTURIAS
– Steel industry, it is one of the most important industrial activities since the nineteenth century. It produces mainly steel, tinplate and heavy plates.
– Metallurgy, with the manufacture of aluminum, zinc and copper, as well as alloys and derivatives. Asturias produces 20% of the zinc at European level and 6,4% at global level.
– Equipment, implementation of «turnkey» projects for mining industry, construction, defence, environment, etc. We can also find important companies in engineering, assembly, maintenance, etc.
– Naval Industry. Large yards for vessels of up to 40 thousand tons, as well as yachts, fishing boats, frigates, etc.
– Automotive Industry. The manufacturing of mopeds, coachworks, windscreens, shock absorbers, gearboxes, etc.
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY IN ASTURIAS:
– Industrial carbon chemicals, fertilizers, pharmaceutical products, synthetic fibres, etc.
MINING INDUSTRY IN ASTURIAS:
– Mining is in the DNA of Asturias, and besides coal, other raw materials are extracted such as kaolin, marble, slate, limestone, dolomite or quartzite.
OTHER SECTORS:
– Glass, cement, plastics, textiles, electronic equipment, household appliances, toys and jewelry.
– Renewable Energies: Asturias is one of the most important manufacturers of solar panels and wind mills of Europe. It is also involved in very ambitious projects of Offshore Wind Energy and Cogeneration.
SERVICES:
– The Information and Communications Technology sector (ICT) represents the 10% of turnover in the Asturian services sector.
An important number of companies in the sector have joined the Asturian Knowledge Innovating Business Group in order to improve their competiveness. In addition, there is an ICT cluster (clustertic.net) of around 82 companies.
Besides that, Asturias welcomes the W3C (World Wide Web) Consortium, (w3c.es), the most important international organization in the field of standardization of the internet.
– A wide range of other services like: civil, agricultural, electrical, industrial and computer engineering; consulting, quality and environmental management, business consulting, human resources, security, graphic design, advertising and outsourcing of different services.
Internationally well known companies in Asturias
Some of the leading companies in Asturias at international level are:
CAPSA Corporación Alimentaria Peñasanta (mainly owned by CLAS Central Lechera Asturiana and by CLE Compagnie Laitière Européenne), ILAS Industrias Lácteas Asturias – Reny Picot -, Danone, Nestlé, ArcelorMittal, Alcoa, AZSA Asturiana de Zinc, Duro Felguera, ThyssenKrupp, General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas, Suzuki Motor España, Saint-Gobain Cristalería, Tenneco Automotive, PMG Asturias Powder Metal, Industrial Química del Nalón, Bayer, ENCE Empresa Nacional de Celulosa, DuPont, Fluor, HUNOSA Hulleras del Norte, Grupo Masaveu, Tudela Veguín, Linpac Packaging Spain, CSC Computer Sciences Corporation, Capgemini, T-Systems, Software AG, Indra, Satec, Grupo Sonae, Hc Energía (EDP Electricidade de Portugal), STB, Air Liquide España, Hanson Hispania, Phoenix Contact (Elecktrophoenix), Obo Bettermann, STR, Agip España (ENI Group) , Sociedad Española Carburos Metálicos (Air Products & Chemicals), Agar de Asturias (Becton Dickinson), Praxair Ibérica, Calderys Ibérica Refractarios (Imerys), Vesuvius Ibérica Refractarios (Cookson Group), Atos Origin, Alsa Grupo (National Express Group), Delfín Tubes, Vitro Cristalglass, Windar Renovables, IMASA, Eolo Sport Industrias, MBA Incorporado, Patric Sports, Julián Rus Cañibano, Slashwear, etc…
If you want more information contact Where is Asturias at info@whereisasturias.com
Images supplied by Tomás Fano, Arcelor Mittal, Escuela Politécnica de Ingenieros de Gijón, Parque Tecnológico de Llanera