Consorci Garrigues


OVERVIEW	LOCALIZATION	PRODER	10 REASONS TO INVEST	NEWS	RELATED WEBSITES

1. THE AREA'S STRATEGIC LOCATION

Locating a business activity is a very important decision that can represent a company's key to success.

At present, thanks to the construction of major communication axes, Les Garrigues region is sited in a privileged location that is swiftly connected to the industrial development generated in the Mediterranean.

The territory of Les Garrigues has the following communication axes: A-II motorway (Lleida-Barcelona), highway N-240 (Lleida-Tarragona) and secondary roads C-233 (Flix-Bellpuig) and C-242 (Reus-Fraga). There is also a railway infrastructure that links Lleida-Tarragona and Lleida-Barcelona, with stations in Les Borges Blanques, Juneda and Vinaixa. Over the forthcoming months, a new railway infrastructure for the high-speed train (TGV) will be set up, allowing our region to access the TGV or AVE in less than half an hour from the station in Lleida city.

By road, there are two exits that lead to the region: one in Les Borges Blanques, and the other in L'Albi-Vinaixa. They both link the territory to Barcelona airport in no time. We also have excellent communication with Reus and Saragossa airports. In the near future, Alfés and Cervera, and their airports, could become important marketing centres, which would open our region's communication possibilities even more.

Maritime marketing is another possibility at our hands thanks to the ports in Tarragona and Barcelona, two of the most important in Spain. They perform a considerable number of daily transactions, both national and international.

2. AVAILABILITY OF INDUSTRIAL SOIL AT COMPETITIVE PRICES

Les Garrigues region's economic tradition is closely linked to agricultural production. Consequently, the industrial sector is mainly composed of small companies, which complement the agricultural sector.

Currently, there are three consolidated industrial areas in the region: the first, and most important, is the area of Les Borges Blanques, which offers companies two urbanised areasdos áreas urbanizadas al alcance de la empresa que lo desee: the Les Verdunes area and the large surface area. The other two industrial areas are in Juneda and Arbeca, two towns located near the main communication axes.

Despite not having industrialised areas, the other towns aim to foster the implementation of any business initiative, hence the promotion of the reclassification and adaptation of lands at unbeatable prices.

The current price of industrial soil is a major attraction if compared to prices in other areas in a 100 km. radius.

Les Garrigues region is located near important industrial and service areas such as Lleida, Mollerussa and Montblanc, that accommodate a great number of companies that can meet the needs of any type of economic activity.

3. POTENTIAL LABOUR MARKET

Les Garrigues, together with other inland regions in Catalonia, has suffered the effects of the immigration of its population towards large cities, such as the ones in Barcelona's metropolitan area.

Said depopulation has halted economic development and the diversification of activities. Given this situation, the main economic activity is focused on agriculture, stockbreeding and service companies that are linked to this sector.

Due to this stagnation, the region's youths, despite a fine training, have to move to industrialised centres to look for a job, as many of their relatives or neighbours have done before them.

A survey performed in 2000 showed the number of youths undertaking university studies who would doubtfully find a job in the region. Thus, the human potential in our region should be an attraction for companies that wish to progress, as we have a young and well-trained labour force that is deeply rooted in the region.

There is a lack of job offers in the region, which implies that almost 19% of the population has to move to other areas.

At present, the deficit of labour force is being solved through the arrival of immigrant workers. They are now settling in the region, and coexistence with them is being positive. This is another example of the open and friendly nature of the people of Les Garrigues.

4. NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FIELD OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

Currently, Les Garrigues region is undergoing times of change. Some of the towns in the area have witnessed how the introduction of support irrigation has lead to the emergence of new opportunities which allow them to face the future in better conditions.

The first irrigated lands to become established are 12,360 acres of irrigation transformed with the creation of the Garrigues Sud irrigation, between the municipal areas of La Granadella and Bovera. Recently large areas in the municipal regions of El Vilosell and L'Espluga Calba also draw on this irrigation. In forthcoming years, another 9,884 acres will take water to municipal regions such as Bellaguarda, Juncosa and Els Torms.

The Segarra-Garrigues canal is designed to be able to water 38,880 acres. Its right margin will be fully irrigable, whilst the left one will be so partially. This long-awaited future experience will be a salutary economic event for all affected regions.

The arrival of water to this territory, with its long tradition of dry agricultural production, opens up a whole new range of possibilities, both from the agricultural and from the industry and services points of view. The tourist profit this endeavour can create can represent a major opportunity for the introduction of new leisure, restaurant and hotel activities.

Les Garrigues' strategic location, thanks to the major communications axes such as the N-II highway and the future development of logistic centres in Lleida city, and its proximity to important markets like Tarragona, Barcelona or Saragossa, suggest the possibilities of carrying out an agricultural production with alternative crops that would almost certainly be successful in all fields (production, transformation and marketing).

5. EMERGING RURAL TOURISM

Nowadays, rural tourism has become a key element for economic diversity and local development for many regions as it has mainly been introduced in areas where traditional economic activities have suffered a decline.

Les Garrigues' territory and landscape offer a vast collection of quite unknown potentials and resources, mainly based on its own heritage. This region has a large cultural, historical, landscape and natural foundation.

An example of this important local heritage is the fortress of Els Vilars d'Arbeca, an exceptional architectural complex with stunning defensive elements and a towered-wall. Other constructions can be found all around the region, such as the gothic castle-palace of La Floresta, the covered square and the stately buildings in Les Borges Blanques, or the ruins of the castle-palace of Els Cardona in Arbeca.

Juneda has a baroque church, covered streets and a gothic portal, as well as an ancient ice cave. The castle-palace of the Hospitalarios stands out in L'Espluga Calba. The cave paintings in el Cogul and L'Albi, and the Romanesque churches in Vinaixa, Fulleda or Granyena, are of unquestionable artistic interest.

There is an Archaeology Museum and an Oil Theme Park in Les Borges Blanques. La Pobla de Cérvoles boasts an Ecomuseu (Ecomuseum) located in an old 18th century windmill and the Arborètum. La Granadella has permanent exhibitions displaying the work of local painters Jaume Massip and Emili Pujol.

Throughout the year there are other attractions in the region with its festivities and events. Some of the most important are the Easter procession in Granadella, the Spring Festivities in Sant Salvador, the Competition of "Cassoles de Tros" (consisting in cooking a casserole made with vegetable, snails and pork) in Juneda or the paella competition in Les Borges Blanques, among others.

The main trade fairs: in January, in Les Borges Blanques, fair where extra virgin olive has a major role, and which celebrates the production of high-quality food and agriculture with olive oil as the star product (being a distinctive symbol of the region). In November, Arbeca celebrates a fair dedicated to gundogs, and finally Juneda organises the Firaporc fair, dedicated to the pork sector, twice a year.

The development of rural tourism and other types of tourism is an advantage for our environment. The new leisure trends are focused on agrotourism, ecotourism, cultural tourism and sport activities such as trekking, routes on mountain bikes and horse back routes, all of which are respectful and in contact with nature .

6. OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SERVICE SECTOR

Les Garrigues region has subsisted on an economy based on the primary sector.

The economic and social changes that have taken place in the last few years have lead to an increase of the secondary sector and, in parallel, to the need for an expansion of the tertiary sector.

This new industrial offer has prompted the arrival of inhabitants from other areas in Catalonia and from other countries to cover the need for workers.

The increase of population implies the development of other services and needs, all of which are linked to the tertiary sector. Society itself requests a network of basic and supplementary services such as the construction of new old people's homes, geriatric centres, day care centres, etc., focused on OAPs. Health requirements include dentists, ophthalmologists, psychologists, etc. Culture, leisure and sport requirements include museums, archives, gyms, dance and music, etc. Other professionals such as lawyers, architects, decorators, etc. are also needed.

7. DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT PROVIDES HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE

Nowadays society is subjected to constant changes that mainly aim to make our lives easier, although sometimes they imprison us.

During the last years, our towns and, our region as a whole, have witnessed the introduction of basic equipment that has improved our quality of life. Basic service such as electricity, drinking water, primary assistance service, telephone, and other leisure services such as swimming pools, sports facilities, libraries, access to the Internet, etc. enable us to access quality services to carry out any activity.

As a whole, Les Garrigues offers a well-sited environment for the establishment of companies which can, at the same time, offer employees an excellent quality of life. Comparing our region to any other city in the surroundings it is obvious that:

The towns in our region have a very low level of noise pollution.
The environment favours the enjoyment of this tranquillity and peace that enable the development of a great many initiatives

The value of these aspects cannot be calculated financially, but we must bear them in mind when choosing a place to establish our business or residence.

To continue safeguarding these natural elements, we have protected two rural areas: the Mas de Melons i Matxerri, in Castelldans, and the Timoneda d´Alfés, both of which are well worth visiting. Furthermore, the whole region is crossed by countless paths that are ideal for persons who like to discover nature taking a walk or riding a bicycle.

Local gastronomy includes excellent products such as oil, which is renowned globally for its organoleptic qualities, combined with typical dishes from our region.

8. INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

Over the last decades, Les Garrigues region, and many other regions with economies based on agriculture, have seen their inhabitants move to large cities in search of a job.

Currently, this region aims to face the future taking advantage of opportunities and new technologies. In this line, the local and regional administrations (councils and Regional Council of Les Garrigues) think it is a good moment to promote their territory and to make economic activities other than agriculture and stockbreeding more dynamic. The region's status will change in forthcoming years, as its territory, mostly dry with an agriculture based on olive and almond trees, will incorporate major irrigation areas which will offer opportunities to consolidate a growing food and agricultural industry.

Furthermore, inhabitants and institutions in the territory are geared towards fostering the establishment of any environment-friendly economic activity, that would allow inhabitants that have left the area to return to the region.

In order to make the establishment of companies in Les Garrigues region possible, different local and regional institutions have put at the disposal of the interested parties the human and technical team they need to facilitate their creation and establishment.

This support includes:

Facilitating the search for possible locations that could accommodate new economic activities in the region.
Assessment on all aspects regarding the necessary processing of permits and administrative records.
Offering companies human resource offers that are available in the region.
Offering an appropriate institutional support on behalf of the different local administrations.

9. AID PACKAGES

Companies that establish themselves and function in Les Garrigues can obtain very attractive and appealing financial incentives. The essential characteristic that defines Les Garrigues' public support service is that it is geared to cover companies' real needs and promote businessmen's enterprising nature.

Currently, the Regional Council is managing eight aid packages in Les Garrigues region, all of which are promoted and participated by other bodies that act throughout the whole of Catalonia.

I. Aid programmes for the occupation of freelance workers