Catalan companies dedicated to batteries invoice 1,044 million

The battery sector grows in Catalonia. A total of 267 companies across the sector's value chain generate 1,044 million euros in turnover, a 53% increase compared to 2022. These companies, which have grown by 26% in two years, employ 4,476 people, which in turn represents a 49% increase.

Of these companies, two out of three are SMEs, while 17% are startups, according to a study by the Generalitat's business competitiveness agency, Acció. Furthermore, 53% of them generate a turnover exceeding 10 million euros, a fact that indicates the sector's strength.

Most of the companies operating in Catalonia are dedicated to the application and integration of batteries so that they can perform their function, an activity to which 35% of companies are dedicated. In addition, 21% focus on the manufacturing of batteries and their systems, while 16% offer engineering and consulting services, and 15% work on the manufacturing and management of chargers for electric vehicles.

And the sector is not only growing in Catalonia, but it is also looking outwards. In this regard, 56% of companies export their products and services, while 29% of those operating in Catalonia are subsidiaries of foreign-owned companies.

But Catalonia acts as a pole of attraction not only for international companies but also for foreign investment. So much so that it has attracted 971 million euros in the last five years, a figure that places Catalonia as the leading hub for attracting foreign investment projects in the battery sector in Southern Europe, and fifth in Europe overall.

The sector, moreover, faces the future with several strengths, such as the weight of the automotive industry and the manufacturing of electric vehicle lines, with players like Seat and Cupra, and the recently recovered Ebro, which has just started production at the former Nissan factory in the Zona Franca.

In addition, the report highlights Catalonia's attractiveness for attracting investment projects, as well as the growing number of R&D projects being carried out to boost the battery segment, linked to universities and research centers and to initiatives such as Seat's future electric battery assembly plant, which will join its battery development center.

The study was presented in Barcelona during the Battery Innovation Days congress. The event, organized with the support of Acció, brought together 450 European experts from the sector, in addition to 800 people who participated online. The meeting focused on a sector that generated a worldwide business volume of 137,000 million dollars last year, with an annual growth perspective of 13%, and in which Catalonia wants to play a prominent role.