The Xunta de Galicia has approved a new invitation for the creation of new advanced manufacturing centres. The aim of this programme is to make open shared-use innovation spaces available to companies, equipped with the necessary technological equipment to be used by the entire value chain of specialised sectors. The aim is to generate industrial synergies to boost the competitiveness of strategic sectors and the business network.

This line of support promoted by the Xunta facilitates the development of initiatives that result in an improvement of Galicia's regional and business competitiveness. In the first phase, 5 million euros will be allocated to projects for large companies, reserving twice as much (10 million euros) for a second period of applications aimed exclusively at small companies.

The deadline for applications for the first phase is 10 October.

This first phase of the invitation for applications has been launched following consultation with Galician companies and other economic actors who may be potentially interested in accessing a line of aid of this kind, focused on the start-up of shared factories, logistics and advanced manufacturing centres and specialised industrial spaces.

These large companies have a line of support available to them that caters for investments in tangible and intangible fixed assets, from the acquisition of buildings, works and reforms, to machinery and equipment, as well as other physical fixed assets including furniture as well as intangible assets directly related to the production process. The overall investment ceiling for the creation of the infrastructure is EUR 20 million. The programme provides for advance payments of up to 80%.

Six centres in operation

The first edition of this programme led to the creation of six advanced manufacturing centres in various industrial sectors, such as ICT, biotechnology, tourism and agri-food.

More specifically, the Xunta contributed 4.82 million euros to develop an advanced services centre in A Coruña's Cidade das TIC (ICT City), which will have four laboratories for testing and accommodation for companies in the sector.

The Sionlla advanced manufacturing centre (Santiago de Compostela) received a grant of more than 4 million euros to provide the biotechnology sector with laboratories for R&D&I activities, shared equipment and shared-use facilities. The infrastructure is part of the Sionlla Biotechnology Centre, which will make Galicia a reference point in this sector. The new facilities, which are expected to open in 2023, will be available to companies in the sector, which will be able to access innovative services adapted to their needs, such as laboratories for R&D&I activities, shared equipment and shared-use facilities.

The third project is the Galician Centre for Thermal Steel Treatment, with 2 million euros in support. Located in Narón, it was created with the aim of facilitating more steel-based works, such as ships.

In the field of tourism and innovation, the Galicia TurisTIC Advanced Services Centre in Vilagarcía de Arousa was boosted with 370,000 euros. The centre was created to promote the creation of technology-based products, services and companies in the value chain of the Galician tourism industry. The idea is to combine innovation, entrepreneurship and training based on digitisation.

Finally, the Xunta supported Inleit's pilot plant in Curtis with 2.4 million euros for the synthesis of high-quality dairy proteins and by-products, and 2.5 million euros were granted to the Association of Dairy Cooperatives (Acolat), in Caldas de Reis, to promote a centre for advanced manufacturing of high added-value dairy products.