Sernauto Calls for Public-Private Collaboration to Boost Spanish Automotive Industry

The XII SERNAUTO Meeting, held this Thursday at IFEMA Madrid under the theme "DNA Spain. Impulse, intelligence, and resilience," brought together prominent figures from the political, business, and technological sectors to discuss the future of the automotive supplier industry in Spain. The main goal was to analyze how the country can strengthen its position as a global industrial and technological hub.

The event was inaugurated by the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, who emphasized the strategic role of the Spanish automotive sector, highlighting its 17 vehicle production plants, 1,000 suppliers, presence in over 170 countries, and advanced technological centers.

Hereu stressed the need for European plans to translate into concrete measures that defend this industry, encouraging companies to take advantage of ministerial instruments such as the PERTEs and fleet renewal plans to turn challenges into opportunities.

Francisco J. Riberas, president of SERNAUTO, called for public-private collaboration to drive innovation and improve the competitiveness and financing of companies as soon as possible. "We are a clear part of Spain's DNA. We have proven to be resilient, but that is not enough; we must push towards the future by innovating in new products and processes," Riberas stated, highlighting the importance of acting together.

The inaugural conference featured insights from Antonio Brufau, president of Repsol, who described the current context as a "last match point" for Europe, but also as a "great opportunity for a radical shift" to regain lost leadership. Subsequently, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, president of the Popular Party, emphasized the culture of innovation in the Spanish industry and proposed a specific national plan, pragmatic and neutral decarbonization, and reindustrialization to maintain the sector's leadership.

Subsequently, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, president of the Popular Party (PP), highlighted the value of the culture of innovation in the Spanish automotive industry, which has enabled Spain to become the second-largest vehicle producer in Europe. To maintain this leadership position, Feijóo outlined his proposal: a specific national plan; transition towards pragmatic and neutral decarbonization; and reindustrialization.

Vicente Segura, Automotive Partner at Deloitte, offered his perspective on the strengths of the Spanish industry, emphasizing key factors such as sustainability, digitalization, new business models, and the global environment. He stressed the need for a clear strategy, greater technological specialization, and the search for keys that elevate Spain's differentiation against new competitors and more attractive environments.

The report prepared by Deloitte and SERNAUTO, presented by Segura, highlighted the reasons to invest in Spain: a robust and agile industrial ecosystem, strategic geographical position, global connectivity, multicultural capacity, and an environment that generates confidence to attract investments and qualified talent.

A crucial dialogue on European automotive took place between the president of SERNAUTO, Francisco J. Riberas, and the interim CEO of SEAT and CUPRA, Markus Haupt. Both agreed on the vital importance of collaboration between manufacturers, suppliers, and the rest of the ecosystem to align objectives. Riberas lamented that Europe has not "focused on preserving the automotive industry," urging concrete measures. Haupt, for his part, valued the Spanish industrial fabric, its talent, and its ability to anticipate when introducing new technologies.

The meeting also highlighted the internationalization of SMEs in the sector through "Elevator Pitch" presentations by companies such as Ajusa, Fersa, and Frenkit, which shared their successful experiences in global expansion. The event addressed the importance of talent in the era of artificial intelligence, with experts like Elena Riber (The Adecco Group), Concepción Galdón (IE Business School), and Verónica Rodríguez (Bosch) emphasizing that AI drives people to reach their full potential, and that the future of automotive is built with technology, but above all, with purpose, creativity, and humanity.

The closing was led by David Moneo, Director of Mobility Salons at IFEMA, who celebrated the record figures of the latest edition of Motortec, the reference fair for automotive aftermarket. Moneo highlighted the sector's unity and its ability to "open markets, consolidate alliances, and position our products." Finally, Marcos Abollado (Xponenciales) delivered a lecture on "transformational leadership" to successfully face changes, closing a day that, once again, reaffirmed the sector's commitment to sustainability, mitigating its emissions through the Green Motor project, supporting the Caminomorisco forest.