AVIA reports a significant increase in applications from eMobility sector companies interested in establishing themselves in the Valencian region.
Jackie Sánchez-Molero, the new manager of the Automotive and Mobility Cluster of the Valencian Community (AVIA), confirms this to Mobility Portal España.
With 23 years of experience in innovation projects and two in the Mobility Innovation Valencia (MIV) area, the engineer states:
“We are becoming an innovation hub in mobility. That’s why many companies choose to come here.”
In this context, she explains that it is an “attractive territory, with competitive costs, and a strategic logistical location.“
SEAT and PowerCo, Volkswagen’s company, are some of the major firms choosing to expand their operations in the Valencian Community.
Between March and June, the region received a €3 billion investment from the VW Group to build a battery plant in Sagunto.
The Valencian Community not only has a strong business network but also a significant network of technological institutes and universities.
Therefore, to advance towards sustainable mobility, Sánchez-Molero emphasizes the importance of training workers to adapt to new needs.
“We have highly qualified labor, and we must support them from universities, administration, and companies. It must be a collective effort,” she says.
In this context, she stresses the need to adopt intelligent and sustainable mobility aligned with existing and emerging global trends.
Therefore, it is essential to guide companies so they can make decisions about the technologies to invest in and the trends to follow.
The cluster is in constant dialogue with authorities on behalf of the more than 25,000 employees working in AVIA member companies.
“We try to make it concrete through the presentation of projects and initiatives we are carrying out,” she details.
And she adds, “The regional administration is very aware of the importance and usually supports the activities.”
Therefore, she asserts that government subsidies are “very positive” and should target both small and large companies, covering the entire value chain.
Recently, Gestamp Levante secured a €5 million funding from Perte VEC II, earmarked for assembling its Battery Box in Valencia.
“I believe that the consolidation of the Valencian Community as a reference for innovation and mobility is becoming a reality,” she emphasizes.
Sánchez-Molero takes on the role of AVIA manager
For two years, Sánchez-Molero served as Director of Mobility in the Mobility Innovation Valencia area.
It is a sector that aims to support traditional automotive companies in adapting to the challenges posed by the mobility sector.
“Because mobility is changing and must respond to new demands to ensure its survival,” she explains.
After Elena Lluch decided to retire from her position as manager, which she held for 13 years, AVIA offered the position to Sánchez-Molero.
Since taking office, one of the biggest challenges she has faced is incorporating all companies and entities linked to mobility into AVIA, “to expand the scope of activity beyond the automotive sector.”
Also, another change she would like to see is greater participation of women in engineering, telecommunications, computer science, and other disciplines related to the sector.
“I would like more women to be interested not only in studying these careers but also in working in the sector because there are still few women; it is a very male-dominated sector,” she concludes.
