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H.M. King Felipe VI visits Gestamp on its 25th anniversary

Felipe VI visited Gestamp Palencia, the first production plant built by Gestamp, on the Group's 25th anniversary.

03.02.2023

His Majesty the King visited Gestamp Palencia production plant in the context of the company´s 25th anniversary. Francisco J. Riberas, Executive Chairman of Gestamp, showed the Spanish Head of State the facilities dedicated to the production of structural parts, such as bodywork and chassis, for some of the most important vehicle manufacturers in the world.

The Palencia factory, which employs more than 300 workers, is an example of the operational excellence of this company, which was founded in 1997 and whose origins date back to the creation of the family group by Francisco Riberas Pampliega in 1958. It was then that the foundations were laid for the corporate culture of what is now Gestamp, marked by a long-term strategic vision that has a solid 25-year global record of accomplishment. With a presence in 24 countries and more than 40,000 employees, Gestamp is today one of the world's leading technological suppliers of automotive components.

"Gestamp's history began 25 years ago and during this time, it has grown from a small local stamping supplier to a global company. Today the industry, especially the automotive industry, is facing new challenges, but the company's experience allows us to face the future with the same enthusiasm with which we started in 1997. The mobility of the future is a great opportunity and Gestamp is ready for it", said Francisco J. Riberas.
Along these lines, the Executive Chairman showed His Majesty the King, on a tour of the facilities at the Palencia plant, technologies such as hot stamping, key to the manufacture of safer metal components in the event of an accident and with the capacity to lighten their weight, a crucial feature for achieving greater efficiency in energy consumption.

Innovation as a response to the main challenges
Likewise, H.M. the King of Spain was also informed of the main responses that the company
is working on in terms of innovation in order to continue to be a driving force in the sector at a
time of transformation due to the challenges of the global context and the market itself, such as
electrification.

During the visit, the Gestamp team showed the multinational's main innovations in products
and materials used with the aim of contributing to making mobility safer and cleaner every day
thanks, for example, to the reduction of CO₂ emissions due to the lighter weight of the
components.

The Head of State, who had already accompanied Gestamp at the inauguration of its R&D
centre in Bielefeld (Germany) in 2014, was thus able to learn about the company's development
in terms of innovation over the years and its roadmap in the face of new trends in the sector.
In addition, another of the key points of the visit focused on innovation in manufacturing. For
years, Gestamp has been a pioneer in digitalisation and Industry 4.0 capabilities to achieve
greater flexibility in manufacturing and efficiency in its production plants, which allows for greater
adaptability to the market context and responsible manufacturing of components:
"The automotive sector is one of the key industrial sectors of the Spanish economy and, in
order to continue to spearhead the industry, digital transformation is crucial; as today it is the path
to operational excellence and competitiveness," stressed Riberas.

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