The sector of the car leads the Spanish industry

The industry of the car in Spain is a strategic pillar, no only by his contribution to the economy and to the employment but because it is one of the main propellants of investment and development in terms of innovation, hygiene and protection of the environingingment. Besides, the car is one of the most notable sectors for being the facilitador of the mobility and tractor of the rest of industries.

However, no always finishes to understand the importance of the sector and his condition of crowbar for the industrialisation of the group of the country.

According to official data, as well as of the main associations of the sector, the world of the engine contributes of significant way to the development of the country. Some of the most notable data are:

• 10% of contribution to the Spanish GDP.
• 9% of the labour supply, so much direct employment like indirect.
• 12% of the Spanish investment in R&D, being the second sector after the chemist.
• 5.000 M€ of investment in the last years.

From the point of seen industrial, the Spanish factories keep between the best in indexes of productivity. It fits to stand out that 10 of the plants situated in Spain position between the most productive of Europe, being the second producer of vehicles in the European Union and the eleventh in the world-wide field with a volume of 1,98 million vehicles in 2012, of which exported 87,4%, although the forecasts for this 2013 are higher and would be near of the 2,3 million vehicles manufactured.

The industry of the car is engaged with the creation of employment. In this sense, fits to remember that the big majority of the marks implanted in Spain have announced recently new projects, agreements or enlargements in his lines of production. Spain is one of the few countries of the world that has practically all the multinationals of the sector installed because it is very competitive in the manufacture, with a clear advantage in front of our competitors, as they show these last decisions of investment of the big multinationals, as well as in the industry of components, industry very powerful, competitive and flexible, what provides a high value added to these multinationals. Incidentally the sector has an industrial tradition that reflects in the fact to having manufactured more than 61 million vehicles in the last 25 years.

This volume has caused that Spain have one of the industries of components of the most developed sector of the world. In fact, some Spanish companies are leaders to world-wide level so much in sales as in innovation and quality. The sector of components includes some 1.000 companies, whose turnover in 2012 surpassed the 27.000 million euros, of which more than 60% corresponds to external markets.

Although the industry of the car is one of the pillars of the innovation in Spain, is necessary to step more in R&D. In fact, 12% of the total investment in this matter corresponds to the sector, what supposes an investment of 1.600 million euros and the second place in the ranking of the Spanish industry.

Nevertheless, will be difficult that the sector occupy a position stood out to international level or that the Spanish plants follow achieving notable projects if it does not give a jump in innovation. Everything aims to that the current model can keep the load of work foreseen for the next years, but fits to ask if it is sustainable to half and long term. In this sense, the manufacturing of the professionals, the labour conditions, the development of the industry of components or the capacity to develop and implant industrial processes advanced play a fundamental paper to keep in the first positions in this field.

On the other hand, to the hour to analyse the paper and the potential of the innovation in the car industry it is necessary to consider the differences between manufacturers of trucks and of components. Regarding the first, Spain is considered like a country of prime importance in the field of the assembling, especially thanks to his fortress in matter of productive processes. Regarding the seconds, fits to signal that yes they exist big companies of first level that have here his centres of investigation and development. This know-how of the Spanish plants is one of his main bazas when they compete by new projects inside his own groups multinationals. In spite of this recognition in manufacture, if we speak of product the true is that Spain is not a power in terms of R&D.

Is precise to be conscious that, in general, the centres of investigation of any type of company are used to to be rooted there where finds the centre of decision or the majority of the property. It treats of a common fact, but that it would be possible to change whenever the emplazamientos ‘peripheral' are the sufficiently attractor trucks.

Although Spain gathers favourable conditions, the ‘investigation', no so much the ‘development', keeps on being a pending subject that is precise to improve and whose attraction would have to be a priority for the rooted marks in Spain.

Does not occur the same in the field of the components, where several companies of prime importance to world-wide level are of capital mostly Spanish and have here his main centres of investigation. In spite of being presents all over the world and of his clear international vocation, these companies base in Spain his more advanced centres, what supposes an active safe to strengthen the industry in his group. Anyway, and given the competition in a so dynamic market and globalizado, fits to ask if this situation is sustainable. Like country, Spain is ‘an excellent workshop of setting' without practically centres of R&D of the manufacturers of trucks, but with a sector of components very dynamic in this matter. It is necessary reflexionar about if this situation is sufficient for apuntalar the future of the industry in his group, if it can go further and if possible add efforts so that all the country improve in the field of the innovation.

With the arrival to Spain of the big manufacturers in the seventy, and especially with the landing of new marks in the eighty, began to develop an industry of the car that today is one of the most notable of the world in terms of production, quality and productivity. The implantation of big plants propició the apparition of the sector of components that, today day, is one of the more pujantes, thanks to the solidity of big companies of Spanish capital and to the ones of foreign capital but with a long industrial tradition in Spain. Like consequence of this industrial tradition and of the synergies generated between manufacturers of vehicles and of components, Spain occupies the first place in manufacture of commercial vehicles in Europe and the second in total production of vehicles. Besides, Spain is the eleventh in the ranking of producers to world-wide level and manufactures for different marks of all the world, as well as all type of vehicles (tourisms, commercial, todoterrenos, vans, trucks or buses). The result is that, in the last 25 years, have produced 61 million units.

Regarding the economic fabric Spanish, the leadership of the car in the field of the innovation is indisputable, especially in areas like the hygiene, the power or the industrial processes, between other variables. The fabric of centres of innovation that the companies have developed complements with a network of institutions and equipment of investigation of first level. The data speak by himself same: more than 1.000 companies manufacturers of equipment and components; more than 20 technology centres with specific projects for the sector and more than 10 groups of notable university investigation (Source: Anfac).

Is notable to stand out the paper that the car sector plays in the Spanish R&D. In fact, 12% of the total investment in this field corresponds to the sector, what supposes a total investment of 1.600 million annual euros and the second place in the ranking Spanish.

To the light of these data, is evident that to internal level the sector in his group is one of the most important in terms of R&D; but this superiority is not the same if we compare the data with other countries of the surroundings or with those with which is precise to compete to keep in the first places in production. In this sense, from PWC bets by an urgent reflection on the lacks, the improvements and the model of R&D to the that it is necessary to aim in the next years.

Reinforce the position of the industry of the car happens irremediablemente by an effort decided in matter of R&D, so much by part of the manufacturers as of the Public Administrations. How materialise this bet and attain that the sector was recognised and can guarantee his condition of leadership is not easy to identify. Anyway, we think that there are some crowbars that is precise to activate of way scheduled:

• Increase and reinforcement of the public incentives to the R&D, already was in shape of helps and subventions or with specific plans like which already are developing several institutions with responsibility in this field, like the CDTI, IDAE, etc. In a moment like the current, is necessary to have public support and favourable surroundings with the end to advance but also to avoid shrinkings.
• Specific tax incentives and more advantageous for activities related with R&D. It fits to signal that the current system is mejorable since it is based in small subventions, soft credits and the most stood out support is the deduction of the tax of societies.
• Reinforce of the collaboration and the conjoint work of the manufacturers of trucks and components. So much from the point of view of the unit of action to the hour to head to the Public Administrations as regarding the participation in projects, advancing together to generate synergies and complement the efforts.
• Involucración Active of the Spanish directors of the big companies to request a more stood out paper of the Spanish plants in matter of R&D.

The Spanish car industry can not be only ‘a big workshop' but it has to consolidate like a centre of excellence that contribute value so much by his capacity to generate R&D as by his productivity in setting

Attract centres of investigation and development of high level, as well as boost the innovation in all the fields of the chain of value, will allow to reinforce the positioning of Spain like ideal place to manufacture. Of equal form, would reinforce the one of the plants of manufacture inside his companies, that is where rids the battle of the competitiveness and, therefore, of the set up of new projects.