ASCER requests aid from the Government to maintain competitiveness against Italy, China or Algeria

CASTELLON. The crisis is affecting all areas, and the ceramic sector is no exception. The president of ASCER, Vicente Nomdedeu, has defended the importance of this industry, “vital” for the Valencian Community and, especially, for Castellón.

Nomdedeu has stressed on several occasions the urgent need to receive aid from the Government of Pedro Sánchez, due to the need to “generate to invest in innovation”, and to be able to survive in this difficult stage. “Every day that passes is later for the sector,” they say from ASCER, who see short-term aid as a way to avoid losing competitiveness with international rivals such as Italy, China or Algeria, among others.

A competition that, says Nomdedeu, “enjoys the advantages that the Government does not provide here”, with measures that support the sector since the beginning of this year 2022. In addition, the gas cap is not regulated for this industry and, according to ASCER, “for one euro of electricity, nine euros are spent on buying gas”, a huge obstacle for a sector where “there is no other way to make tiles”.

In addition to financial aid, ASCER has acknowledged having made two other requests to the Government of Spain. Firstly, in the medium term, the drop in the price of gas. Nomdedeu has explained that they do not want to be a subsidized sector, due to the precariousness that this fact produces, but the injection of money in these times would help to avoid needing that same money in the future. The solution proposed by Nomdedeu has been the purchase of gas at source, a practice that could reduce costs by up to half the current one: “We can buy American gas for fifteen euros, which then transporting it here would raise the price to sixty euros, but it would continue being cheaper than the almost one hundred and twenty that we currently pay”.

The other proposal made by the ceramic association is related to decarbonisation, an essential aspect according to the guidelines set by Brussels and in which Spain is also at a disadvantage compared to other countries. Nomdedeu has demanded the obtaining of pilot plants, since they need “many tests to know what would happen implementing the changes that must be made.”

Ismael García, vice president of ASCER, has announced the return of the Cevisama fair in February, after two years of absence due to the pandemic. In charge of the commercial section, García has assured that they foresee “a high participation, with 397 confirmed exhibitors in 7 pavilions”, in addition to an attendance with “700 confirmations, half of them with tickets purchased to attend”.