Pedro Sánchez underlines the role of Airbus in the productive model of social, environmental and fiscal sustainability promoted by the Government

Albacete

Pedro Sánchez travelled to Albacete where he inaugurated the new Airbus Helicopters Industrial Logistics Hub, which reinforces the role of the aeronautical giant in the productive model of social, environmental and fiscal sustainability promoted by the Government; and strengthens the model of employment success that Spain embodies today.

The head of the Executive highlighted the record employment figures in our country: "Spain embodies a model of success in Europe. Just today we have seen unemployment continue to fall and we are approaching a figure that seemed impossible: almost 21.4 million people in employment, the highest figure in history. Never before have so many people been employed in our country.

These historic figures mean that Spain leads growth among the major economies and accounts for the creation of four out of every ten jobs in the European Union. In addition to these figures, there are other indicators that contribute to the good health of employment in our country: a temporary employment rate at a minimum, a female employment rate of over 10 million and a high growth of employment in sectors with high added value.

Along these lines, the president of the Government of Spain has stressed the importance of working towards a productive model based on sustainability at all levels, which provides confidence for foreign investment and, at the same time, contributes to strengthening the value of the public sector and the objective of social and territorial cohesion pursued by the Government of Spain.

Reindustrialisation, transformative potential and willingness to compromise

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, visits the Airbus Helicopters Industrial Logistics Hub | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

"The aerospace sector is a strategic industry for Castilla-La Mancha and Spain. It is so because of its contribution to industrial GDP, because of the investment effort in R&D and because it employs more than 210,000 people", said Sánchez, who was accompanied by the Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles; the Minister for Home Affairs, Fernando Grande-Marlaska; the Minister for Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu; the President of the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page; and the Secretary General for Innovation, Teresa Riesgo.

In this sense, the head of Executive reiterated the Government's commitment to the reindustrialisation of the country, as well as its willingness to support those strategic partners who, like Airbus, commit key investments for employment and have at their service all the tools available to deploy their high transformational potential.

The joint programmes of the Ministries of Defence and Home Affairs to acquire up to 36 H135 helicopters manufactured at the Airbus facilities in Albacete; or the transforming capacity of the PERTE Aerospace, with 2.6 billion euros, are clear proof of the Government's commitment to the aeronautical industry.

Likewise, the president of the Government of Spain stressed the Executive's constant desire to reach agreements with all public actors who wish to contribute to the country's stability. "This is the Government of agreement. In the last legislature we signed 15 major agreements with employers and trade unions, for example in the area of labour reform or pension reform. It is important to give this figure the relevance it deserves, because we were coming from the opposite: labour counter-reforms that cut rights and added precariousness", Sánchez explained.

Three hundred jobs and 50,000 square metres of floor space

"Today Airbus exponentially reinforces its commitment to the Albacete plant with the inauguration of this hub", said the head of the Executive during the inauguration of the Airbus centre, which aspires to be an international benchmark for innovation and technological development in the design and manufacture of helicopters.

Spain is one of the founding countries of the Airbus Group, the best example of a purely European business consortium. The relationship between Airbus and the Government has been consolidated in recent years and this hub further strengthens the strategic nature of the Consortium for our country. "Airbus can count on Spain to strengthen and grow its great company. We are a loyal, reliable and, of course, demanding partner," Sánchez stressed.

Likewise, the new Airbus logistics centre consolidates Castilla-La Mancha's leading position in the aeronautical sector, positioning it as one of the benchmark regions in this high added-value industrial hub.

This new 50,000 square metre hub has created around 300 direct jobs. It will also become the European aeronautical manufacturer's third large technological warehouse, from which thousands of parts and components for the models developed by the company will be distributed.

The inauguration of the logistics hub was followed by the annual meeting with Airbus Group's top management, during which issues such as increased investment in R&D, employment and the industrial footprint were discussed.

Non official translation