Industrial Development and Zones in Spain
Industrial Development Axes in Spain
Industrial development axes are primarily located along major roads.
- Nationally, the main axes are the Ebro Valley and the Mediterranean (Gerona-Cartagena). These areas have a network of highways connecting them to major national and southern European routes, attracting both national and multinational industries.
- At the regional and county level, several routes have developed, such as the network around Madrid, which extends into the neighboring provinces of Castilla-La Mancha, and the inner shaft interspersed throughout the main road (Tordesillas highway, Valladolid-Palencia).
Industrial Development in Well-Served Rural Areas
Well-served rural areas have also attracted industrial plants.
- Generally, these industries are small, thinly capitalized, and require unskilled, cheap, and flexible labor. The most frequent cases include small workshops producing traditional products (candy, clothing, furniture), relocated urban enterprises, or companies promoted by local entrepreneurs to exploit environmental resources.
- However, sometimes there are also innovative companies, thanks to business cooperation and the support of local government.
Areas and Industrial Hubs in Decline
These areas are characterized by industrial decline and are located on the Cantabrian coast and in specific locations (Ferrol, Cadiz Bay, Puertollano, and Ponferrada).
The causes of decline include specialization in mature sectors, dominance by large factories and highly dependent SMEs (many of which have undergone tough conversions), and difficulties in re-industrialization. These difficulties stem from an unskilled labor market, significant labor unrest, severe environmental degradation due to highly polluting industries, abandoned lots and buildings, and disorganized, low-quality urban growth.
The consequences of this situation have been deindustrialization, demographic decline due to emigration, and loss of competitiveness compared to other industrial areas. However, some areas have shown examples of industrial revitalization, such as the Basque Country since 1995, reflecting the varying impact of the crisis and the measures taken to address it.
Areas of Low and Induced Industrialization
These areas are characterized by the presence of some large, isolated industrial complexes alongside a predominance of small, traditional, and dispersed industries.
- Areas of induced industrialization are found in Aragon, Castilla y Leon, and Andalusia.
Here, industrial enclaves were created due to industrial promotion policies in the 1960s. These enclaves concentrated investment, production, and employment but were unable to spread the industry to surrounding areas, leading to regional imbalances. Examples include Zaragoza in Aragon, Valladolid and Burgos in Castilla y Leon, and the Seville-Cádiz-Huelva triangle in Andalusia. These areas also have some industries in provincial capitals that take advantage of the urban consumer market, and traditional industries, scattered and small, that utilize environmental resources (textiles, wine, beverages, furniture).
- Areas of low industrialization include Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands, due to their less competitive locations. They feature a few major industries, but small and medium-sized enterprises in traditional sectors with low competitiveness predominate.
Castilla-La Mancha is beginning to emerge as an exception in this group due to the dissemination of industry from Madrid into the provinces best connected to the capital.