Last September 30, the president of Ciment Català, Salvador Fernández Capo, held a meeting with Lluís Moreno, president of the Chamber of Works Contractors of Catalonia (CCOC), to exchange views on the complex situation for the that crosses the construction sector.
The war conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February this year, is further exacerbating the crisis of shortages and the increase in prices of materials started by the rapid growth after the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the start of the conflict, materials such as iron, nickel, aluminum and wood have experienced sharp price increases, and energy costs have soared to levels unaffordable for some companies.
On the other hand, the amount tendered in 2021 is still below the average tender of the last 20 years (3,700 million euros per year) and is still far from the needs of the Catalan economy, approximately 5,000 million per year (equivalent to 2.2% of GDP, in line with the trend of the main European countries over the last 20 years), but the fact is that the investment finally carried out in Catalonia is very far from what was initially budgeted : from 2013 to 2021, the budget execution of the State in Catalonia has been 61.4%, accumulating an approximate deficit of 4,400 million euros between budgeted investment and investment finally liquidated. According to the estimates of the CCOC and Foment del Treball Nacional, the accumulated deficit of investment in economic and social infrastructures in Catalonia is approximately 35,000 million euros for the period 2009-2020. All of this means that the country is currently suffering from a clear deficit in infrastructure and equipment, losing competitiveness and that the quality of life of its population is adversely affected.
Another issue that was discussed during the meeting was the incorporation of the Association of Cement Manufacturers of Catalonia in the Commission for the Expansion of Barcelona Airport, which is chaired by Lluís Moreno himself, and which has to seek the consensus of all Public Administrations for the development of this infrastructure. Finally, both presidents talked about Ciment Català‘s future collaborations related to the Infrastructure Advisory Council of Catalonia and the committees or with the CCOC itself.