In his speech during the State of the Community Debate, the Aragon President announced the sale of 100,000m2 of land on the logistics platforms to 4 new companies that will make their investment projects public in the coming months. During his speech, the President referred to the situation in which the Executive found the companies related to the logistics area; they were lacking commercial drive, were decapitalised and away from the circumstances determining the logistics property markets. The impulse given to this area by the Aragon Government is considered strategic for the growth of the economy of the Autonomous Community, and the Executive has managed to sell about 300,000m2 of land in Plaza alone (compared with 95,483m2 in the last legislature) for €22 million; while the previous Administration managed €12.5 million in four years. It was during 2016 that Plaza closed the first major operation in five years and the second largest in its history.
When comparing the disposals in all platforms, the Aragon Government has managed to sell and earn almost as much in one year as the previous Executive achieved during the entire legislature. Compared with the 317,179m2 sold in 1 year by the Lambán Government, the previous one sold 454,913m2 in 4 years. In terms of revenue, the numbers are also significant: during the past year, the platforms earned €23.2 million, compared to the €25 million obtained during the previous 4 years. To these data, we would also have to add the 100,000m2 for the 4 new projects announced. Another aspect of the logistics area management highlighted by the Aragon President during his speech was the delicate equity situation of its companies found by the Executive. As a result, all the platforms were refinanced with participative loans to rebalance their equity. This has meant the Aragon Government becoming a sole shareholder in some of the companies, among other things, which allows for unitary management (e.g. Plaza).
In addition, disencumbrance and business plans were prepared for each of the companies to increase and facilitate sales. Together with these, a joint territorial and marketing plan was prepared for the supply of land for industrial logistics and business use in the hands of commercial companies, which included promotion and marketing of all the platforms, industrial estates and land for business use. Among other things, an adjustment in the land price was applied to the ACTUAL situation in the logistics property market, which is providing good results. To consolidate momentum in this strategic area, the Aragon Government created the “Aragón Logistics Platforms” brand, with which it has attended forums and fairs where previously there was NO presence and from which important operations have emerged. For example, the Barcelona International Logistics Exhibition and the EME Supply Chain and Logistics Summit, also in Barcelona, brought together over 600 logistics managers from the main multinational companies. The aim of the Aragon Government for this term is to consolidate the position of the Aragon Community as an important place in the southern Europe logistics, production and distribution field, as has already occurred in Lyon (France) and Bologna (Italy); where they have created a very well central location and connected environment, capable of attracting significant investment, both in production and distribution.
Therefore, it is essential to be committed to rail connectivity and thus the need to promote connection to the international gauge with the European Union on the 3 existing routes: the Mediterranean corridor, Atlantic corridor and Canfranc. In this scenario, the Zaragoza Maritime Terminal (TMZ) has acquired fundamental importance. The TMZ is promoted by Mercazaragoza and the Port of Barcelona and is owned by the Aragon Government. It is the main internal logistics centre developed by the Port and is considered by Catalan infrastructure as a key strategy in its approach to offer logistics services to the companies in the north and centre of the Peninsula, to contribute to the internationalisation of these companies and improve their positioning in foreign markets. In fact, the Port has confirmed its commitment to the Zaragoza Maritime Terminal (TMZ), which increased its business by 13% in 2015. The existing relationship between both infrastructures allows companies located in the Middle Valley of the Ebro to have all the advantages of the port at their disposal and increase their competitiveness by lowering transport costs.
