My participation in the National Industry Congress organized by the Ministry of Industry and Tourism has allowed me to corroborate what we have already established in the paper The Great Challenge of the internationalized industrywhich served to make a prospective diagnosis of our industry in the coming years, and which was attended by a broad representation of the community of amec companies and the organizations of the ecosystem that accompany them. If there is one thing he made clear to us, it is that this is a turning point for the European and Spanish industry.

At the Congress, it became clear that industry is a pillar of strategic autonomy and an essential tool for defending a European model of progress. In a context of growing geopolitical uncertainty, with an increasingly commercially aggressive China and an increasingly closed United States, the ability to make, manufacture things and master critical technologies has become a matter of economic sovereignty.

Those who manufacture end up designing, innovating and dominating the value chain. To give up industry is to give up a fundamental part of the capacity to decide on our own future. In addition, industry continues to be the backbone of the territory and a key factor in population fixation. But for this we also need modern industrial infrastructures. Many industrial parks require urgent investment in digital connectivity, mobility of people and materials, and services that make these environments attractive to both companies and talent.

Europe must deepen its single market, simplify regulations and strengthen common investment in areas such as security and strategic technologies. The idea of an “entrepreneurial state”, capable of boosting industrial capacities in our continent and trade agreements with reliable areas, gains weight in this new scenario.

In this context, the dual industry sector seems to be emerging as an opportunity, with developments applicable to both defense and civilian uses. Technologies for the defense sector, such as advanced materials, electronic systems, cybersecurity, communications, artificial intelligence or precision manufacturing, can later find applications in sectors such as energy, mobility, health or infrastructures. Likewise, civilian industrial capabilities can boost an indigenous European security industry. We will have to pay close attention to how the commitment to this sector can help to strengthen and even maintain a European and Spanish industry that has been severely damaged by Chinese competition and US geopolitical disruption.

The need to be competitive in an increasingly demanding global market was much discussed during the Congress. The factors for the competitiveness of the industrial company that amec carries in its mission(anticipation, adaptability, collaboration, sustainability and glocalization) appeared constantly in the various presentations.

Being attentive to change, markets, technology and being agile in adapting to trends through innovation is essential to defend our industry, which must rely on R&D, technology and quality. Digitalization is here a key enabler in product design, to develop more efficient, flexible and customer-adapted solutions; in production, to gain efficiency in an environment where labor is increasingly scarce; and in operation and maintenance, through data that enable predictive maintenance, continuous improvement and new service models.

Sustainability can also be a differentiating factor, but it must be approached from the standpoint of profitability. In this sense, the energy transition of industry, supported by renewables, electrification and digitalization, will only be viable if it guarantees clean but also competitive energy.

Another recurring message has been the need to collaborate more and better. Sharing needs, technological challenges and visions of the future between companies can generate scale, accelerate developments and reduce risks. Alliances within the industry are essential to launch products quickly and efficiently in a global market.

Local ecosystems, clusters and partnerships are essential for this. Competitiveness is not only built on a business-to-business basis, but also through solid local industrial ecosystems. Proximity between manufacturers, technology suppliers, knowledge centers, startups and specialized services favors innovation, technology transfer and talent development.

In this context, business associations such as amec are strategic. It is a space for sharing challenges among the best internationalized industrial companies, generating collaboration and transferring the voice of industry to the administrations in a structured way.

In this environment, the need for new forms of public-private collaboration and institutions capable of acting with agility is also evident. The mobilization of investment in strategic technologies, support for SMEs and the self-employed, tax incentives for R&D&I, energy competitiveness and the intelligent attraction of foreign investment are key elements.

It was also emphasized at the Congress that internationalization is still mandatory, but accompanied by proximity to the customer, with a glocal strategy. The combination of digitalization and internationalization makes it possible to offer predictive maintenance, traceability, quality assurance and advanced service anywhere in the world. Asian competitors stand out for their global presence and technological capabilities. Our advantage may lie in combining technology with a differential service close to the customer, building long-term relationships of trust.

Without the right talent, none of the above will be possible. For this reason, it was emphasized that it is key to strengthen collaboration with universities and professional training centers to bring supply and demand closer together. The industry must be able to attract the new generations, who are looking for purpose, challenge and participation, as opposed to the demand for security of previous generations. This also requires changing the image of the industry and evolving leadership models. With a workforce where in a few years 30% will be Generation Z, authoritarian leadership is giving way to more participative models, based on convincing, involving and giving meaning to projects.

Finally, a few last conclusions on the Congress itself. In its eighth edition, it is to value the participation of 2,000 people, according to the organizers. Also noteworthy was the strong institutional commitment with the participation of H.M. the King, the President of the Government, the Minister of Trade and Tourism, as well as various regional and local officials. Although some concrete measures were announced, such as the second call of line 1 of the PERTE for industrial decarbonization (330 M€) or the upcoming launch of a large call for open innovation, led by the School of Industrial Organization (EOI) and the CDTI, in my opinion there was a lack of more specific information on what industrial policy measures will be carried out beyond the imminent completion of the Next Generation. Likewise, I left with the feeling that there are many of us working for industry in disaggregated and disconnected initiatives, and that the measures announced by the authorities will not have a real impact if they are not coordinated on a truly European scale.