manufacturing

Potential €3.5 billion deal could create 3,000 jobs directly and a further 18,000 indirectly

Car manufacturer expects to start producing electric cars in Catalonia in five years

Hong Kong-based multinational Thunder Power, which specializes in electric vehicles, is planning to open an R&D center in Catalonia. The center will become operational in 2018, involve an initial investment of €80 million, and create 200 jobs, a company statement revealed last Thursday. The group is also considering building a plant in Catalonia for assembly and distribution. This project will be ready by 2020, will create 1,000 jobs, and could produce up to 50,000 vehicles per year. The agreement was signed during the unveiling event of the first running prototype at the prestigious Eaton House in Hong Kong. Over 250 business professionals from Barcelona, Catalonia, and Hong Kong participated in the showcase, including the Catalan Minister for Business and Knowledge, Jordi Baiget, and the Second Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni.

Virtual desks, automatic cash points, a new packaging line or consulting services on innovation are some of the Catalan products displayed at CeBIT. This is the Europe’s biggest trade fair on digital industry. It is being held in Hannover from March 6th to March 10th.

The European leading centre for design research and promotion presents a new series of events to overview 21st century changes in production processes. 3D technologies are said to become an essential tool for design professionals.