Invest in Álava

Alava is a widely recognised investment destination in the fields of industry and logistics. The region’s development strategy prioritises the promotion of resources oriented towards facilitating the implementation of innovative activities that are committed to sustainable and sound development that respects the environment.

Quality industrial parks, promoted and sustained by regional organisations that provide considerable resources so as to maintain the competitive positioning of these facilities.

In addition to AAD, other entities that offer industrial areas in Alava are:

Sprilur
Technology Park 
Gilsa
Arabako Industrialdea
Arasur
CTVi

These options are integrated into our interactive search engine to locate industrial plots and real estate.

Located on the European Atlantic Corridor, Alava enjoys an excellent connectivity network via land, air and sea. These infrastructures are constantly being enhanced to reinforce the efficiency and sustainability of logistics operations.

The Intermodal Transport and Logistics Centre (CTVi) is a complete service platform linked to the Atlantic Rail Freight Corridor (TENT-T network) and the Intermodal Terminal. The most important companies in the logistics sector have their facilities in this centre, where they are provided with a wide variety of services, including customs management.

The Vitoria Intermodal Terminal is located in Jundiz. In its first phase, already under construction, the extension and complete remodelling of the current ADIF terminal is under way. This infrastructure will become the first logistics terminal in Spain to be connected in standard gauge to the Atlantic Corridor, which will promote and enhance the processing and exchange of goods with Europe, as it will be able to accommodate 750-metre trains in both standard and Iberian gauge. In the second phase, the facilities for the rail motorway between Vitoria and northern France will be built next to the current terminal.

The Basque high-speed railway network, known as the  Basque “Y”, is listed by the European Commission as a Priority Axis on the Trans-European Transport Network Corridor 7: Lisbon-Strasbourg. Built for international gauge and designed to enable the transit of both people and goods, this route boasts connections to the Basque Country’s key logistics platforms.

Vitoria International Airport, which is very active in freight traffic, provides facilities for the operation of large cargo aircraft and specialised infrastructures, such as its perishable goods and live animal terminal.

With a long track record in the management of complex cargo handling projects, it is able to offer a made-to-measure service covering all air cargo processes. It is home to integrated services companies such as UPS, FedEx and DHL, the latter operating from Vitoria as its air hub for Spain, Portugal, southern France and Morocco. From Vitoria Airport, a shipment takes just 24-48 hours to reach any country in the world.

The Arasur Multimodal Platform is located at the road and rail intersections of the North-South and East-West axes of the Iberian Peninsula. Its infrastructures include the Port of Bilbao rail terminal.

The Port of Bilbao is the most important port in the south of the European Atlantic Arc. It has state-of-the-art container facilities, with natural draughts of more than 20 metres and an extensive network of short-distance services to the main European ports. It has regular connections with 800 ports worldwide.

The Port of Pasaia, located 15 kilometres from the French border, is a fundamental link in the logistics network of the iron and steel and automobile industries.

Location of a significant part of the value chain associated with the strategic clusters of the Basque Country’s economy.
The local administration is highly effective thanks to its ample experience and decision-making power in the fields of tax and industrial promotion, and offers a wide range of resources to meet the specific needs of investors and entrepreneurs.

The Department of Economic Development of the Provincial Council and that of the Basque Government, as well as those agencies oriented towards new investment projects (AAD and SPRI Group with its project “Invest in the Basque Country”) provide assistance and advice for new project promotors, offering detailed information and guidance.

The document “Alava for you” describes the main characteristics of Alava as an investment destination. In addition, business associations such as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Alava and SEA Empresas Alavesas also provide assistance to help welcome new investors.

The service “Álava Emprende” offers a wealth of information on the resources available in Alava to facilitate entrepreneurship, as does the Basque Government website. One such service is BICAraba, whose business centre located in Alava Technology Park offers support for the establishment of new projects in their initial phase.

Network of R+D and innovation support centers of recognised prestige.

The Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network reflects the Basque Country’s technological interest, bringing together a group of research, development and innovation organisations who operate as a network to meet the technological needs of the business world.

Alava Technology Park is home to an array of outstanding scientific and technological services, such as the CIC energiGUNE (energy storage), BioAraba and Araba PharmaLab (health sciences), the CTA Aerospace Test Laboratory, Neiker (the Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development), Siemens-Guascor, the Basque Cybersecurity Centre, Basquevolt, Robotekin or Araba Mobility Lab.

more information

Recruitment and talent management with technical and educational resources adapted to the needs of innovation, entrepreneurship and internationalisation of local industry: dual qualifications at university and higher vocational training level, specialised training for researchers and PhDs, and customised training programs for the development of a wide number of projects.

Alava offers innovative training opportunities, for its new qualifications on the one hand—including degrees in car manufacturing and digital industry—and its dual apprenticeship system on the other. Vocational training and university studies come together in a joint training program that ensures their seamless and effective interaction.

Vocational Training has been popular in Alava for over 70 years. Both the private network EGIBIDE and the public network IKASLAN form the Basque model of Vocational Training, internationally renowned for its innovative capacity, its connections with the productive realm, and the way in which the training centres themselves foster entrepreneurial culture and the creation of companies. In addition, it is a reference for its implementation of new methodologies, such as High Performance Cycles, a collaborative learning approach based on challenges.

The UPV/EHU, UNED, Deusto-Egibide and Euneiz (European University Gasteiz, currently under construction), offer a collective prospectus of 60 university degrees in Engineering and Industry 4.0, Pharmacy, Humanities, Health, Sports, Digital Contents and Creative Industries.

Vitoria-Gasteiz is home to two top university research centers: the Lascaray Research Center (Biosciences and Quality of Life) and the more recently established Micaela Portilla Research Center, specialising in Social Sciences and Humanities.