The president of the Port Authority of Valencia, Joan Calabuig, and the president of the Spanish Association of Ceramic Tile Manufacturers , Vicente Nomdedeu, have held a working meeting.

Both institutions will continue to cooperate to achieve common objectives to increase the competitiveness and foreign sales of the tile industry.

The president of the PAV has conveyed Valenciaport’s support “for all the demands of a key sector for Spain, which is going through a complicated time”.

Vicente Nomdedeu stressed that the Port of Valencia is a strategic ally for “growth, investment and the fulfilment of economic and social objectives”.

Valenciaport and ASCER are going to continue working hand in hand to improve infrastructures and services to increase the competitiveness of a key industrial sector for the Valencian and Spanish economy. This was made clear by the president of the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV), Joan Calabuig, and the president of the Spanish Association of Ceramic Tile Manufacturers (ASCER), Vicente Nomdedeu, in a meeting that has served to outline the lines of work between the two entities and reaffirm the support of Valenciaport to the demands of the ceramic sector.

Both leaders agreed that the working meeting was very positive and constructive. Along these lines, Joan Calabuig pointed out that “the tile industry is the Port of Valencia’s main customer. As allies, we are going to be at their side for the development of their economic activity and to facilitate their access to international markets. It is a fundamental sector for Spanish exports and, therefore, for the balance of payments of our country. The Port of Valencia will necessarily be committed to supporting the ceramics industry”.

For his part, Vicente Nomdedeu, stressed the need for these meetings because “the symbiosis that the economic sectors experience with Valenciaport must be fed back. We are the first client of the Port of Valencia, which is the most important vehicle for our exports to reach our clients on time and on budget. We are very satisfied to be able to count on this port which is an essential sales tool for our sector, in fact, the work between ASCER and the operatives of the Valencian enclosure is daily and constant”.

The president of ASCER stressed that Valenciaport “is an ally to grow, invest and meet economic and social objectives. For this reason, we are going to support the Port of Valencia in all that is necessary for it to continue to make progress for the benefit of society and the economy of the Valencian Community”.

In this sense, Joan Calabuig remarked that the Association “has insisted on the need for the investments planned for the port to be boosted so that the sector can continue to develop its activity. These actions are essential to increase the current levels of exports, which are fundamental for the maintenance and creation of employment”.

The meeting also discussed the difficult situation that the sector is currently experiencing due to factors such as the increase in the price of industrial gas. Thus, the head of the PAV expressed support “for the industry’s demands so that the aid from the Spanish government can reach a sector that is currently on the brink” as urgently as possible. It should be remembered that Valenciaport is one of the institutions that has joined the manifesto in support of the economy of Castellón.

Finally, Joan Calabuig concluded that “the PAV and ASCER will continue to work together to move forward and give all the support to this key sector for Spain, which is going through a complicated time. For this reason, we will continue to hold these meetings, which are fundamental for the Valencian economy as a whole”.

Preferential partner

Also present at the working meeting were Alberto Echavarría, secretary general of ASCER; Mireia Llinares, head of International Trade and Promotion at ASCER; Francesc Sánchez, director general of the PAV; Néstor Martínez, deputy director of Valenciaport; and Manuel García, head of Business Intelligence at the PAV.

Valenciaport is a preferential partner of the tile and natural stone industry, with services that boost its export activity so that its products can reach any country in the world. A sector that is perfectly aware of Valenciaport’s leadership and its connectivity to reach all potential markets. In fact, the Port of Valencia is the main gateway for the Spanish ceramics sector to export by sea. Approximately 75% of total exports are exported by sea, and the Valencian port accounts for 85.7% of sales abroad by ship.

Valenciaport is the leading port in Spain and the Mediterranean in foreign trade for this type of products and this is mainly due to the extensive network of connections that allow the goods to arrive directly to the five continents.