Cecot is reinforced in Barcelona. After last year’s break in Sant Cugat, the Vallesan employers’ association has returned to the Catalan capital to celebrate its Company Night, the city in which it has organized it the most times together with Terrassa. More than a thousand guests filled L’Auditori this Monday. Among the authorities, the Minister of Industry and Tourism attended, Jordi Hereuthe president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illathe Minister of Economy, Alicia Romerothe deputy mayor of Economy of Barcelona, Jordi Vallsand the former presidents of the Generalitat, Jordi Pujol, Jose Montilla, Artur Mas and Pere Aragones.
But the wink with the Catalan capital has not only stopped there. For 18 years, Cecot has had a headquarters in Barcelona, located at 22@, and has now just moved it to Diagonal and Nàpols, shortly after Paseo de Sant Joan. “It is a more central headquarters and closer to our users,” said its president, Xavier Panés.in his speech during the ceremony.
For Cecot, with its headquarters in Terrassa, Barcelona is also the home of many of its unions, business associations and users, so it is often here where its big annual party is organized to recognize entrepreneurs, without forgetting the demands to governments, a part of the speeches that never fails. For Panés, many of the requests that have been made in previous years remain unanswered and this year he is especially concerned about the impoverishment of citizens.despite a very positive economic context for Catalonia and the rest of Spain.
“We grow more, we have relatively lower inflation than our neighbors, we have endured the energy crisis well. I think it would be a mistake not to recognize this situation, it would also be a mistake to become complacent. But I claim confidence, not so long ago, we were experiencing a pandemic, we had doubts and we have overcome it,” defended the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, with a speech that focused on public health, with mentions that are not customary. to listen in forums like this, like the new Florida CAP of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat. “In times of difficulty, the public administration has risen to the occasion, as it did in the pandemic. It is easy to resign, to fall into indifference, but I call for hope and optimism, touching the ground with our feet,” Illa asked.
“We must react and we must do so by embracing a new era of industrialization. A sustainable, inclusive and innovative industrialization. The industry is the solution,” defended the president of Cecot. “If we want to defend a European social model, its freedoms, social and political rights, we need to strengthen the economic and productive aspect. We are in a Europe that has rediscovered the industry, not out of whim, but out of necessity. We have to boost the industry again that will later generate quality services and local commerce,” added Hereu, who pointed out digital transformation, energy efficiency and sustainability as challenges for the sector.
Illa: “It is easy to resign, to fall into indifference, but I call for hope and optimism, touching the ground with our feet”
To this end, Panés has pointed out the need to improve the financing of Catalonia, aligning himself with the proposal defended by the Socialist Government and the Generalitat after the agreement with ERC. “To improve the lives of Catalans and improve the growth and transformation capacity of companies,” he stressed. Illa has demanded to face the debate on new financing, as well as that of immigration, without falling into “noise or demagoguery.” “Let’s show that we are a mature and supportive society. The thing is not about confronting territories but about deciding what model of country we want,” he stressed.
Panés has also called on politicians to learn from the collaboration that is achieved through social dialogue as a way to reduce “the crisis of confidence towards institutions.” “The parties should learn from this way of dealing with businessmen and workers in disputes and apply it in the Parliament, the Congress, the budgets… And do it with education, without stridency and with discretion,” he maintained, asking “to stop personalisms aside” and taking the opportunity to criticize proposals from the Ministry of Labor such as the reduction of the working day.
Joan Planes (Fluidra), Cecot 2024 Personality
In this 29th edition of the Company Night, the founder and honorary president of Fluidra, Joan Planes Vila, has been awarded the 2024 Cecot Personality Recognition for his professional career. From Astral SA de Construcciones Metálicas, the seed of Fluidra, the manager, an industrial engineer by training, piloted the growth of the company and its internationalization, now reaching more than 45 countries with its products for swimming pools and with a workforce of more than 7,000 workers. . “Their business commitment is the example that Catalonia needs,” Illa said.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Comexi, Mat Product & Technology, Torrons Vicens, Centers Mercè Torguet, Geneva School, Azbil Telstar, Industrial Institute of Terrassa – Gremi Tèxtil and Whip Guild They accompany this year’s list of winners. The night was completed with the recognition of the trajectory of three centenary companies such as Clie Publishing, Houses and the Companyia General Càrnia.