Mat Holding achieves record turnover in its 90-year history with 406 million

A year of records for Mat Holding. The industrial group chaired by Pau Relat closed 2024 with 406 million euros in turnover, 17% more than the previous year, and with an EBITDA of 56 million, 40% more than in 2023. The historical highs do not end here: 2024 was also a record year for investment, with 45 million euros.

The growth in sales and EBITDA, moreover, is sustained over time, with an average increase of more than 9% and 18% year-on-year, respectively, in the last five years ---in 2019, it invoiced close to 270 million—. "We certify a good evolution of the group from the point of view of the medium and long-term strategy," stressed Relat, who emphasized that all the group's companies have grown this last year.

The group's seven companies are distributed in businesses linked to agriculture and the water cycle, which represent 60% and 40% of Mat Holding's business, respectively. Now, the group has set out to strengthen its position in responding to the global challenges of the agricultural sector, for which it has grouped its four agricultural companies under a new brand: Cerestia, which integrates IQV, Regaber, TerraNostra, and Vegga.

"The objective is to offer a comprehensive response" to these challenges through the transformation of the agricultural sector, with solutions to gain efficiency, especially given the forecast that the world population will continue to increase: "We will have to be able to produce more food and do so with fewer resources, and the group's activity is precisely in this direction."

To this end, Cerestia is committed to working with companies as partners to advance towards agricultural modernization, although without considering bringing in any other partner either to the new brand or to the family-owned group, which remains determined to lead the sector globally.

With this dual objective of advancing towards agricultural transformation and water use, in 2024 it executed its greatest investment effort to date, with operations such as the purchase of a Bayer factory in Quart de Poblet, the acquisition of two companies, and the opening of a new factory in India. For 2025, the forecast is to allocate some 20 million to investment, "but if an opportunity arises with a greater investment effort and it obeys strategic reasons, we will take advantage of it," Relat advanced.

Mat Holding's strategic plan to reach 500 million in turnover by 2026 "is more valid than ever"

Due to the international context, the group is looking towards its plants in the United States and Israel. In the first case, tariff uncertainty "worries but does not occupy" Mat Holding, as it is allowing time for the situation to stabilize, in a context where it has two US-based companies, and "having operations in the country itself gives you a competitive advantage." As for the factories in Israel, they are working "with a situation of great operational complexity" due to the war. Asked if the group is considering selling these factories located in Israel, Relat flatly ruled it out: "We are not considering selling anything; the group is not in a selling position, it is in a buying position."

Similarly, the also president of Fira de Barcelona has dismissed the possibility of converting Mat Holding into a listed company: "Decisions in life must have a reason. And going public, for what? We are not considering it because we see no reason why the stock market could serve the strategic purpose we have."

And this strategic purpose involves continuing to grow, something the group expects to continue doing at double-digit rates this year: "Our strategic plan to reach 500 million in turnover by 2026 remains more valid than ever," highlighted Relat, who has been with the company for 30 years. These almost 31 years represent a third of the 90 years the company is celebrating, which continues to face the future by prioritizing innovation, with the aim of leading the sector.