Resounding Success of Fempa's First Automotive Congress

The Federation of Metal Entrepreneurs of the Province of Alicante (Fempa) and its Provincial Association of Workshops, Atapaya, with the support of the Alicante Provincial Council, held the first Automotive Congress of the Province of Alicante this Thursday. The event brought together key industry players at a crucial time of technological, regulatory, and organisational transformation.

The event gathered repair workshops, dealerships, parts suppliers, national and provincial associations, and professionals from the entire automotive sector. According to the organisers, this participation has established the congress as "an essential meeting to discuss the major challenges and opportunities facing this important sector." The congress also had the sponsorship of prominent entities such as Aenor, Beyser, Blinker, Cajamar, CSM, Farell, and Infopro Digital.

The day was inaugurated by the Provincial Deputy for Economic Development and European Projects, Carlos Pastor, representing the Alicante Provincial Council, along with the Director General of Energy and Mines, Manuel Argüelles, and the Councillor for Urban Mobility of the Alicante City Council, Carlos de Juan. They highlighted the importance of "boosting the sector's competitiveness and providing a common space for reflection and proposals."

The first presentation was delivered by Diego Soria, a content creator specialising in electric mobility, who provided a clear vision of the present and future of electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and the trends that will shape the coming years. He was joined by Marcos Varela, owner of Spain's largest workshop specialising in electric vehicles, who shared his experience in adapting a conventional workshop to the new era of mobility.

The second segment, consisting of a panel discussion on the relationship between workshops and insurers, featured Atapaya's president, Alejandro Rico, Pablo Molina (provincial delegate of APCAS; Association of Insurance Experts), Francisco Sánchez (manager of Madrid Insurance Brokerage), Luis Ursúa (Executive Vice President of CETRAA), and José Joaquín Gómez (representative of Atapaya's bodywork workshops). Critical issues such as companies' respect for workshop hourly rates, the freedom to choose a workshop, the imposition of replacement parts, and the importance of second appraisals were addressed.

The day continued with a Round Table on Workshop Issues, where the challenges most affecting the sector's daily operations were discussed: professional intrusion, illegal workshops, lack of qualified labour, young talent drain, ITV saturation, and the need for digitalisation to improve visibility and customer experience. This panel included Alejandro Rico, president of Atapaya, as well as its vice presidents, Antonia Sola and Vicente Zaragoza; the President of Fempa's Parts Association, Jesús Campos, and Fempa's technical industrial area manager, Antonio Bernabeu.

The Congress concluded with a presentation by Lara García and Luis Miguel García, creators of the 'A pie del Taller' project, who demonstrated how social media can be a key tool for building trust, attracting new clients, and standing out in an increasingly competitive sector.

Finally, Rosa María Aragonés, territorial director of the Ministry of Innovation, and Fempa's president, José Julián Farell, closed the event before the networking cocktail held at the Industrial Lab space, which served as a meeting and collaboration point, as well as a place to share experiences among all attendees.

This first Automotive Congress of the Province of Alicante thus establishes itself as "a reference forum for the present and future of the sector, marking a milestone in defending the interests of workshops and advocating for innovation and professionalisation."