SPANISH MACHINE TOOLS, TRUST IS OUR BEST TOOL

Spain is the third largest manufacturer and exporter of machine tools in the European Union. This is the best demonstration of the extremely high level of trust our customers place in Spanish Machine Tools. A trust that has succeeded in Spanish machine tools playing a very important role in the most relevant industrial sectors of the economy. Automotive, aeronautics and aerospace, energy generation, railways, capital goods, dies and moulds or electrical appliances, amongst others, are the main Spanish machine tool user sectors.

Spanish machine tools occupy an outstanding world position in the decisive commitment to technological innovation, dedicating an average of 6% of the sector's turnover to research, development, and innovation and to internationalisation, exporting, on average, 60% of production to international markets.

In 2008, the sector's production in Spain reached 1.056,7 million euros, representing an increase of 0.9% compared to 2007 figures. Exports on their part increased 18.4%, standing at 736 million euros.

AFM, COMBINING ALL THE SECTOR'S POTENTIAL

The Spanish Association of Machine Tool Manufacturers represents almost a hundred companies, which make this big economic reality possible. These companies represent 92% of total production in Spain. From its head offices in the San Sebastian Technology Park and since its setting up in Tianjin (China), AFM has been working to facilitate its associates' access to international markets.

AFM also has its technology unit, INVEMA, the machine tool research foundation. Its job is to promote technological development and improve the industrial management of the sector's companies, in close collaboration with its R&D, quality, and safety units.

All the latest technological innovations incorporated in the machines and the productive solutions offered by AFM’s hundred associate companies are included in the new edition of AFM’s General Catalogue, 2009-2012.

Next meeting: 26 BIEMH, 31 May-5 June, Bilbao, Spain.