A dip for the Spanish rubber sector

Data from the Consorcio Nacional de Industriales del Caucho show that the Spanish elastomer processing sector has around 300 companies, employs 22 thousand people (12400 in the tyre sector and 9600 that of technical articles), and in 2012 recorded a turnover that just topped the 5 billion euro mark. Production in 2012 fell by 15% compared to 2011, mainly as a result of shrinking exports (-23% in volume terms), but also as an effect of the considerable drop in vehicle registrations (-15% on the domestic market and -19% on the export market), given that 88% of rubber products manufactured are destined for the automotive industry. Around a third of Spanish rubber processors are located in Catalonia, 15% in the Basque Country, 15% in the Valencia area, and 10% near the capital, Madrid.