The Alicante Chamber of Commerce and the Honorary Consulate of Germany, led by Nuria Von Kapff, organized a day of business visits along the Alicante-Elche corridor for a visiting German institutional and business delegation. This initiative, developed in collaboration with the Alicante City Council, through Alicante Futura and ALIA – Alicante Investment Agency, and the Elche City Council, builds upon the relationships fostered during the 1st Spanish-German Business Forum held last year in Alicante.
The day began at the Alicante Chamber of Commerce, where its president, Rafael Fernandez, and the general manager, Eva Miñano, welcomed the delegation, giving them a tour of the facilities and a brief presentation outlining the organization’s activities and its role as a driving force for the province’s business sector.
The delegation then embarked on a tour in a minibus, visiting some of the region’s key innovation and industrial hubs. Passing by the University of Alicante, the Alicante Science Park, and making the first stop at the Las Atalayas Industrial Park.
At the Las Atalayas Industrial Park, we visited the Aliaxis facilities, where Iván Varela, Plant Director, and Vanessa Izquierdo, HRE Manager, gave us a tour, explaining the safety procedures they use and introducing us to the team, the machinery, and the work carried out daily at the company, showcasing the plant’s impressive technological and human capabilities.
The tour continued to the Elche Business Park, where we visited PikoKiazen, the Pikolinos production factory. Patricia Alonso, Marketing Director, and Noelia Espí, Visual Merchandising Manager, welcomed us and explained the footwear manufacturing process, from the moment the leather arrives at the facilities until the shoes leave for the end customer, highlighting how each step is done by hand and the rigorous quality controls the product undergoes.
The day concluded at Elche City Hall, where the delegation was received by Pablo Ruz, Mayor of Elche, and Samuel Ruiz, Councillor for Economic Development, Training, and Employment. During the meeting, the main strengths of the business sector, the region’s connectivity, and the investment opportunities offered by the area were presented.
On the return trip to Alicante, a brief tour was conducted of the Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, the Alicante Trade Fair Institution (IFA), the Aguamarga industrial park, the Príncipe Felipe Business Incubator, Ciudad de la Luz (City of Light) Science and Technology Park, the Digital District, and the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office).
The objective of this visit was to showcase Alicante and Elche as a competitive, innovative, and highly connected region, capable of offering a favorable environment for companies to establish themselves and attract international investment, while also strengthening institutional and business ties between Spain and Germany.
The German delegation included Mischa Groh, Managing Director of the AHK; Markus Kemper, Director of Market Consulting at the AHK; Martin Schneider, Director of Communications and Institutional Relations at the AHK; Friedrich Henle, Director of GTAI Spain and Portugal; and Nuria von Kapff, Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Representing the Alicante City Council at the event were María del Carmen de España, Councilor for Employment and Economic Development; Vicente Seguí, Director General of Employment, Business Development, and the New Economy; and Elisa Díaz, Head of the Employment and Development Service.
