dmc

forum FORUM across links companies and professionals from different fields and countries, fostering cross cultural corporate values and encounters.

1. birdwatching in 2. canning industry 3. fashion 4. forestry 5. green house plantations 6. iberian pork meat production 7. olive oil industry 8. Porto, north capital of 9. students technical visits birdwatching in Extremadura Extremadura is considered one of the most important regions in Europe for birds and is a prized destination for birdwat- ching enthusiasts and nature lovers. the region holds a very interesting cultural and histori- cal heritage. valle del Jerte it is in the centre of the peaks of Gredos, forming a large valley of 40 km protected by two large mountai- nous spurs. this place is unique within Extremadura for having the best indigenous forests areas, prima- rily of Pyrenean oak trees. additionally, it is home to many unique bird species, including birds from nor- thern areas, such as carrion crows but also some Mediterranean species like the subalpine warbler. Monfragüe national park located in the centre of the province of Cáceres, it is the only national park in Extremadura and therefore it is home to a large number of birds. the park’s main viewpoint is the salto del Gitano-Peña Falcón whe- re the biggest colony of Griffon Vulture lives. in the park you can also findstorks, the Spanish imperial eagle, the peregrine falcon or the eagle owl. plains of Cáceres a large plateau south of the river Tajo forms a lands- cape where it is possible to see various species of ste- ppe birds, like the Spanish sparrow or the calan- dria. other species in this area include the little owl, great spotted cuckoo or the common stonechat. – dehesas de Jerez this area in the province of , has a rich flora which is home to a variety of bird communities. some endangered species of particular interest find seclu- sion in these vast wooded areas during the breeding period before returning to sub Saharan Africa.

1 canning industry

Spain is the top European pro- ducer in fish processing. its product, trade and canning tra- dition is due to its peninsula’s geographical location surroun- ded by sea, providing the ne- cessary raw materials and in- gredients. Galicia leading Spanish producer of canned fish and seafood with an approximate production of 80% of the na- tional total. there is a wide range of species and high quality production with great culinary value. among them are tuna, molluscs, sardines, mac- kerel, anchovies, etc. products that meet a broad and growing worldwide demand. the canning sector in Cantabria is linked to fish and especially to the production of anchovies. companies are located mainly in the towns of Santoña, Laredo, Colindres and Castro Urdiales. the production of canned tuna also has a long tradition with products of the highest quality. Cádiz this region has a lot of potential in the canning and fish processing industry. companies are concentrated mainly in the main extractive fishing ports of Cádiz, Barbate and the Bay of Algeciras. the main pro- ducts are tuna and melva, and to a lesser extent other such as lobster, mussels or octopus. Basque Country in this region industries are smaller than its compe- titors, however its size doesn´t correlate with their innovation factor, their commercial development and investment in R&D. there are large companies such as Garavilla, Sálica and Conservas Ortiz.

2 fashion in Spain the most important fashion sectors in Spain are textiles and footwear, which have achieved great success not only in the national market but also inter- nationally.

Galicia, northeast Spain this region exports the most fashion in Spain. a good example of this great success is Inditex, one of the largest textile groups in the world. it includes eight brands such as Zara and Bershka, and is present in 88 countries around the world. in addittion, there are also Textil Lonia, Bimba and Lola and another 500 companies dedicated to fashion in Galicia. Catalonia 34% of Spanish fashion exports come from this re- gion. with a turnover of 12,73 million euro and 2,000 enterprises, like Pertegaz, Rosa Clará, Custo Bar- celona, Desigual and Mango, this industry is in continuous expansion. renowned brands such as Camper and Loewe star- ted out in Mallorca. their origin was in the 19th cen- tury when a plague of aphids destroyed vineyards, forcing locals to create a new industry. this is how the leather craftsmanship and the shoe and bag-making traditions came about. lesser-known Balearic fashion designers still embody this spirit of innovation, with a passion and respect for artisan techniques. Elche the city of Elche has more than 1,000 shoe factories, making it one of the most important footwear produ- cers in Europe. about 50% of Spain’s shoe-makers are based in and around Elche including brands like Panama Jack, Garvalin and Salvador Artesano.

3 forestry Spain is the second largest producer of cork in the world, just behind Portugal. if you drink a bottle of wine in Australia, Japan or Moscow, the cork stopper has probably been manufactured in the Iberian Peninsula. this industry promo- tes a suistainable, non polluting economic activity that produces an ecological, na- tural and recyclable product. also appreciated as an insulator, it has many uses in industry, as well as corkstoppers, which has not yet been matched by any other material. Extremadura this region in the westside of Spain next to Portugal, is the second largest producer of cork in Spain. with 250,000 ha. and about 5,750 people working on the harvest campaign, the extraction of cork is an impor- tant activity for this region. the Extremadura cork stoppers are of a very high quality, and 10% of the world annual production of cork stoppers comes from this region. Andalucía cork is one of the main forest resources of Andalusia and a great opportunity for the sustainable use of fo- rests in this province. this region has 49% of the cork oak area of Spain and produces 56% of the Spanish cork. there are some 325,944 ha., distributed mainly in the provinces of Cádiz, Huelva, Málaga, Sevilla and Córdoba. Catalonia Girona is the province with the highest production of cork stoppers: of the 2.4 million Catalan plugs pro- duced per year, 1,300 million are for cava (Catalan sparking wine) and 1,100 for wine.

4 greenhouse plantations due to the climatic conditions of the Spanish Mediterranean coast, a proliferation of green- house cultivation developed during the 1970s. the so-called “plastic sea” whose structure can be seen from the Interna- tional Space Station. Almería known as the market garden of Europe thanks to its fertile land, it is the world leader in greenhouse agriculture techniques. this industry has generated 110,000 jobs being Andalusia, 84.6% of these jobs are accounted for in the province of Almería. the most representative products are: tomato, pepper, eggplant, zucchini, melon, watermelon and cu- cumber. you can discover it through guided visits to the farmlands, to taste some of the delicious vegeta- bles. it is a great way to learn more about the latest techniques used. Murcia it has the second most permanent greenhouse surfa- ce dedicated to vegetables. the main crops are toma- to, pepper, zucchini and flowers. Murcia generates “spectacularly competitive” agricultural technology, capable of unseating competitors such as Israel, the Netherlands and USA. much of the effectiveness of the greenhouses is due to the automated systems of air conditioning and irrigation incorporated. Granada coast in Granada province, most greenhouse areas are lo- cated in the La Costa region. additionally, this region boasts a tropical coast bathed by the Mediterranean sea, with a subtropical microclimate. its main pro- ducts are mango, avocado, guayava and litchis. there are opportunities to do tasting in different far- ms, leaving you captivated by these fresh and deli- cious exotic fruits.

5 iberian pork meat production the top quality cured “Iberi- co” meat plays a big part in the exquisite Spanish gastronomy. the ham comes from the Ibe- rian pig which is bred in a na- tural environment in different regions of the country. jabugo in Huelva in the west part of Andalucia, there are majestic acorn-fed Iberian pigs on the pastures. learn about the production of cured meat in the natural cellars and taste this delicious product while seeing how car- ving the ham works. cured free-range ham from Extremadura the cured ham from the Extremadura meadows is protected under the denomination of origin and is ob- tained from pure Iberian pigs and then crossed with a maximum of 25% of Duroc-Jersey breed. the classi- fied meat gets salted, washed, settled, dried and then undergoes a curing and aging process for more than a year until it has gained its signature purplish-red colour and delicate flavour. Los Pedroches in Córdoba warm weather, old oak trees and a thick mantle of grass is what the Iberian pigs get to enjoy in a life in freedom in the north of the province of Cordoba. in 2002, UNESCO declared the dehe- sas a Biosphere reserve, which has become one of the largest protected areas on the planet. Guijuelo in Salamanca at an altitude of over 1,000 metres, Guijuelo is one of the most important Spanish regions in the art of Iberian ham curing. visitors can enjoy an experience in one of the ham factories accompanied by a master craftsman, ham tasting sessions and ham slicing workshops.

6 olive oil industry

Spain is the world’s biggest vir- gin olive oil producer and proof of its quality is the existence of 27 denominations of origin. we recommend the following regions to enjoy olive oil, a vital ingredient in Spanish cuisine. Jaén largest producer of olive oil in the world, also called “World Olive Oil Capital”. it produces 50% of the national total and more than 20% of the world. you can enjoy olive routes, “almazaras” (mills where olives are crushed), tasting sessions and discovering the Olive Culture Museum, in Baeza close to Úbeda, towns awarded by the UNESCO World Heritage re- cognition. Córdoba home of four different denomination of origins, “Bae- na”, “Priego de Córdoba”, “Montoro Adamuz” and “aceites de Lucena”. in numerous villages it is possible to organize virgin olive oil tasting sessions and gui- ded visits. do not miss Hornachuelos Nature Reserve, home to more than 100,000 ha. of olive groves. Catalonia the second Spanish region with the second largest number of denominations of origin. places not to be missed are: the oilve oil eco-museum, in Pobla de Cèrvoles; the Castelldans olive oil museum; and the olive oil theme park in Les Borges Blanques. savour some Catalan “Pan Tomaca” (tomato bread), which gets its unique flavour from virgin olive oil. Castilla La Mancha it has four denominations of origin, and the moun- tains in Toledo province are home to huge olive gro- ves that are open for visits. the most common extra virgin olive oil is of the cornicabra variety, charac- terized by great stability, being fruity and aromatic.

7 Porto, north capital of Portugal the north of Portugal and the city of Porto contain a rich cul- tural, historical, architectural and landscape heritage. pearls’ that UNESCO has classified as World Heritage Sites, making this place a perfect destination in the Iberian Peninsula. modern architecture in Porto discover the most symbolic landmarks of contem- porary architecture in Porto, such as the founda- tion serralves, one of the best examples of the art deco movement in Europe, or casa do musica, an icon of Porto as a modern city, important for both its avant-garde design and its intense cultural activity. don´t miss the faculty of architecture of Porto’s university, one of the most reputable schools of ar- chitecture in the world; it is where Álvaro Siza Viei- ra and Eduardo Souto Moura studied, the only two Portuguese architects awarded the Pritzker Prize. you can also visit the Boa Nova Tea House and the piscine de Palmeira with its water pavillon by Siza Vieira or the 24th august metro station by Souto de Moura. world heritage the historic center of Porto was declared a World He- ritage Site in 1996 and includes jewels such as the palacio da bolsa (converted into a cultural and con- gress palace) the sao bento train station, Porto’s impressive cathedral, the magnificent Luis I. brid- ge, or the baroque Clerigos tower from where there are incredible panoramic views over the Douro river. wine and river explore Porto’s popular port wine lodges. take a cruise through the Douro river along its 210km of navigable waters experiencing breath taking views. finish your trip in Porto enjoying a popular fado show at one of the oldest houses of fado in Porto.

8 student technical visits Spain is a perfect destination for student groups due to its cultural heritage, natural re- sources, entertaining activities and a wide network of compa- nies and institutions ready to show the best of our industry.

Barcelona a city full of culture and fun with UNESCO world heritage sites. it was designed by famous artists like Gaudí and Lluís Doménech i Montane, and is the home of the most visited amusement park in Spain, Port Aventura. Barcelona is the perfect place to have a great time, learn and explore. Valencia a large complex dedicated to providing scientific and cultural information. students can discover the fasci- nating world of culture and science in an enjoyable way, making use of interactive games, workshops, experiments along with explanation of guides. astronomy in Almería the largest astronomical observatory in Europe hou- sing professional telescopes of up to 3.5 metres aperture. day and night time activities will bring you closer to the science underpinning the discovery of exoplanets or revealing the secrets of black holes, un- der one of the darkest night skies in Europe. Madrid, business city visit one the most recognized and oldest business schools in the world, with branches in Berlin, Lon- don, Madrid, Paris, Turin and Warsaw. its mission is to train the next generation of international business leaders. through the combination of innovative peda- gogy, multi-campus programs and a faculty of renow- ned prestige, it is an example of the development of a management culture.

9 dmc

Barcelona príncep d´astúries, 20, 3ºA 08012 barcelona t +34 93 238 68 91

Madrid arlabán, 7, 2-4 28014 madrid t +34 91 360 58 64

www.across-spain.es [email protected]