The Zona Franca industrial park wants to open itself up to Barcelona residents with concerts

BarcelonaFew people visit the Zona Franca unless they're working there. A few exceptions are those who come to look at a car at the Seat dealership next to its factory or to shop at Makro. The Barcelona Free Zone Consortium (CZFB), responsible for managing this entire industrial park, wants to change that. First, because it's starting to attract a different kind of company, not just those that need assembly lines, but also those that want to develop new technological solutions from a desk. This is where DFactory comes in, the building that the CZFB has developed to test the industry of the future. Opened at the end of 2021, it quickly ran out of space and is already undergoing expansion. In addition to gaining square meters to house more companies, the DFactory expansion will, precisely, attract more businesses. "An industrial park is everything outside the city, causing problems with smoke, pollution, noise... Today's industry is completely different. That's why the Zona Franca is becoming a more urban district, more integrated into city life," argues Pere Navarro, the State's Special Delegate to the CZFB (Barcelona Free Trade Zone Consortium). One of the new buildings to be constructed has been designed to host community events, such as concerts, sporting activities, conferences, and presentations. "We are talking with the Barcelona City Council and various organizations to make them aware that there is a space here that can be utilized," explains Navarro. The building will have a large LED screen. A similar device has been installed at one of the entrances to the Gran Via fairgrounds and is open to the public for watching football matches. One of the advantages the CZFB highlights for attracting events is the location of the DFactory. "It has a lot of potential. The advantage is that there are no neighbors here. And, in addition, we have the subway right next door, which comes every two minutes at most. This is very interesting because it allows people to come without necessarily needing their private vehicle," Navarro points out. He also notes that the building, with 1,100 square meters, has a similar surface area to... hall of the National Theatre of Catalonia (TNC), not forgetting the avenue in front. As an example of the activities it can host, Navarro cites some of those organized for the Mercè festival.

Beyond simply being closer to the city, DFactory will gain more space for companies to set up shop, following the dynamism seen in the building that opened a few years ago. With over 40 companies and nearly 100% occupancy, the space currently occupies approximately 17,000 square meters and will now expand to 60,000 square meters. The expansion will involve the construction of four additional buildings, two of which will be dedicated to expanding the portfolio of companies already located in this business park.

"All the companies here now are industrial. There will be manufacturing, but we'll also have laboratories," Navarro points out. In fact, the expansion project aims to foster closer ties with healthcare companies, and efforts are underway to collaborate with Hospital del Mar, Hospital Clínic, and Vall d'Hebron Hospital. "Barcelona is a world capital of health, and we also want to participate in this field. Why? It's related to the new economy, and many economic opportunities are opening up," he says.

Covered expenses

This week, the foundation stone was laid for the expansion project. Construction is expected to continue throughout this year, and new tenants should be able to move in by early 2027. The 25,000 square meters of space available for lease is expected to accommodate around 1,500 people. DFactory still has a limited impact on the CZFB's financial results. It accounts for approximately 10% of revenue, compared to the total revenue generated by leasing the industrial park's land—4.7 million square meters—and other buildings the consortium owns in the city, such as Torre Tarragona, Nexus II at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), and Media-TIC in the 22@ district. But DFactory is already sustainable. Since last year, it has begun to cover its expenses with the income it receives from renting its offices. This balance should also help recoup the investment in its construction, which had a budget of 30 million euros. An additional 50 million euros will be added to this figure for the expansion project.