While the sun may power Spain's impressive renewable energy revolution, a far broader industrial transformation is quietly unfolding, fueled by €198.5 billion in manufacturing output and over two million skilled workers driving resilient growth.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, Spain's manufacturing sector output grew by 2.1% year-over-year, reaching €198.5 billion in value added
- Spain's industrial production index for manufacturing stood at 105.3 in December 2023 (2015=100), marking a 1.8% increase from the previous year
- The manufacturing sector employed 2.12 million people in Spain as of Q4 2023, accounting for 11.2% of total employment
- Spain's installed renewable energy capacity reached 60 GW in 2023, with 50% from wind power
- Renewable energy generated 50.1% of Spain's electricity in 2023, totaling 137 TWh
- Solar photovoltaic capacity in Spain was 25 GW at end of 2023, up 28% from 2022
- Spain's construction sector grew 4.2% in 2023, with turnover €140 billion
- Building construction permits issued 105,000 units in 2023, up 15%
- Civil engineering works value €45 billion in 2023
- Spain's mining production index rose 1.5% in 2023 to 102.4 (2015=100)
- Copper mine output 45,000 tons in 2023
- Iron ore production 1.2 million tons from Riotinto mines in 2023
- Food processing industry turnover €120 billion in 2023, employing 600,000
- Meat processing output 4.5 million tons in 2023
- Olive oil production 1.2 million tons in 2023/24 campaign
Spain's industry grew moderately in 2023, supported by construction, food processing, and renewable energy.
Construction
- Spain's construction sector grew 4.2% in 2023, with turnover €140 billion
- Building construction permits issued 105,000 units in 2023, up 15%
- Civil engineering works value €45 billion in 2023
- Housing starts 90,000 in 2023
- Construction employment 1.35 million in Q4 2023, 6.8% of total jobs
- Residential construction investment €25 billion in 2023
- Non-residential building permits €12 billion value in 2023
- Road construction contracts awarded €8.5 billion in 2023
- Construction material prices rose 5.1% in 2023
- Productivity in construction 1.2% growth in 2023
- Construction firms numbered 450,000 in 2023
- Public works budget execution 85% in 2023, €30 billion
- Renovation and rehabilitation market €7 billion in 2023
- Steel used in construction 12 million tons in 2023
- Cement production 22 million tons in 2023, down 2%
- Construction waste recycled 85% in 2023
- Energy-efficient buildings certified 15,000 in 2023
- BIM adoption in construction projects 40% in 2023
- Construction export services €5 billion in 2023
- Labor accidents in construction 25% of total sectoral in 2023
- Digitalization investment €1.5 billion in construction 2023
- Affordable housing completions 20,000 units in 2023
- Railway infrastructure investment €4 billion in 2023
- Port expansion projects €2.5 billion ongoing 2023
- Water infrastructure works €1.8 billion in 2023
- Construction PMI averaged 52.1 in 2023
Construction Interpretation
Spain's construction sector is striding forward with a 4.2% growth, €140 billion in hand, and permits aplenty, yet it’s walking a tightrope between rising costs, lingering safety concerns, and a pressing need to build not just more, but smarter and more affordably.
Energy
- Spain's installed renewable energy capacity reached 60 GW in 2023, with 50% from wind power
- Renewable energy generated 50.1% of Spain's electricity in 2023, totaling 137 TWh
- Solar photovoltaic capacity in Spain was 25 GW at end of 2023, up 28% from 2022
- Wind energy production hit 62 TWh in 2023, covering 25% of national demand
- Spain's natural gas consumption for electricity was 45 TWh in 2023, down 15% YoY
- Nuclear power plants generated 55 TWh in 2023, 22% of total electricity
- Hydropower output was 25 TWh in 2023, affected by drought
- Spain's electricity demand grew 2.3% to 248 TWh in 2023
- Coal-fired power generation dropped to 1.2 TWh in 2023
- Energy intensity in Spain improved to 4.8 toe/M€ GDP in 2022
- Spain imported 90% of its oil needs, 1.4 million bpd in 2023
- LNG regasification capacity 28 bcm/year in 2023
- Electricity exports from Spain reached 15 TWh in 2023
- Residential electricity consumption 65 TWh in 2023
- Industrial electricity use 85 TWh in 2023, 34% of total
- Pumped storage hydropower capacity 5.5 GW in Spain 2023
- Green hydrogen production target 4 GW electrolysers by 2030, investments €9 billion
- Energy efficiency investments €2.5 billion in industry 2023
- Spain's final energy consumption 92 Mtoe in 2022
- Transport sector used 50% of oil products in 2023
- Renewable share in heating and cooling 25% in 2023
- Electricity price for industry averaged €120/MWh in 2023
- Carbon capture projects in energy sector 3 operational in 2023
- Biomass energy production 8 TWh in 2023
- Geothermal energy negligible at 0.02 TWh in 2023
- Energy R&D spending €1.2 billion in 2022
- Spain's grid losses 6.5% of generated electricity in 2023
- Offshore wind potential mapped at 30 GW by 2030
- Electricity storage capacity 10 GW target by 2030
Energy Interpretation
Spain's energy transition is blowing in the right direction, as wind and sun are now clearly outshining gas and even nuclear, proving the country can power growth while weaning itself from volatile imports and droughts.
Food Processing
- Food processing industry turnover €120 billion in 2023, employing 600,000
- Meat processing output 4.5 million tons in 2023
- Olive oil production 1.2 million tons in 2023/24 campaign
- Wine production 33 million hectoliters in 2023
- Dairy products value €15 billion in 2023
- Bakery and pastry turnover €18 billion, 500,000 jobs 2023
- Canned fish exports €3.5 billion in 2023
- Fruit and vegetable processing 12 million tons processed 2023
- Sugar production 800,000 tons from beet 2023
- Frozen food sales €4.2 billion in 2023
- Organic food processing growth 12% in 2023
- Poultry processing 1.8 million tons in 2023
- Jam and preserves market €1.5 billion 2023
- Baby food production €900 million turnover 2023
- Snack foods growth 8% to €2 billion 2023
- Food R&D investment €1.8 billion in 2023
- Export share 45% of food processing output 2023
- Sustainability certifications 70% of processors 2023
- Packaging innovation €500 million invested 2023
- E-commerce food sales 20% growth to €10 billion 2023
- Halal food processing exports €1 billion 2023
- Vegan product lines doubled to 500 in 2023
- Traceability systems 90% adoption 2023
- Energy efficiency saved €200 million in processing 2023
- Labor productivity €120,000 per worker 2023
- CO2 reduction 15% in processing emissions 2023
- Automation robots installed 5,000 units 2023
- New plants opened 50 in 2023
Food Processing Interpretation
Spain's food industry, a €120-billion juggernaut, masterfully balances its deep roots in olive oil, wine, and jam with a modern appetite for robots, vegan lines, and e-commerce, proving that feeding the world sustainably is a serious business best served with a side of innovation.
Manufacturing
- In 2023, Spain's manufacturing sector output grew by 2.1% year-over-year, reaching €198.5 billion in value added
- Spain's industrial production index for manufacturing stood at 105.3 in December 2023 (2015=100), marking a 1.8% increase from the previous year
- The manufacturing sector employed 2.12 million people in Spain as of Q4 2023, accounting for 11.2% of total employment
- Food and beverage manufacturing subsector contributed €38.4 billion to Spain's GDP in 2022, representing 19.3% of total manufacturing value added
- Spain's machinery and equipment manufacturing output was €25.7 billion in 2023, up 3.4% from 2022
- Metal products manufacturing in Spain produced 4.2 million tons of steel in 2023
- Textiles and apparel manufacturing employed 120,000 workers in Spain in 2022, with exports reaching €12.5 billion
- Spain's wood and paper products manufacturing turnover was €14.8 billion in 2023
- Electrical equipment manufacturing in Spain grew by 4.1% in 2023, valued at €11.2 billion
- Plastic products manufacturing output in Spain reached 5.8 million tons in 2022
- Furniture manufacturing sector in Spain had a turnover of €7.9 billion in 2023, exporting 50% of production
- Pharmaceutical manufacturing value added was €13.4 billion in Spain in 2022
- Rubber products manufacturing in Spain produced €3.2 billion in sales in 2023
- Non-metallic mineral products manufacturing turnover €22.1 billion in 2023
- Printing and reproduction of recorded media sector employed 45,000 in Spain 2023
- Spain's manufacturing PMI averaged 50.8 in 2023, indicating slight expansion
- Computer, electronic and optical products manufacturing output €9.6 billion in 2022
- Repair and installation of machinery subsector grew 2.5% in 2023
- Spain's manufacturing energy consumption was 145 TWh in 2022
- Value added per worker in manufacturing reached €85,000 in 2023
- Manufacturing R&D expenditure in Spain was €4.2 billion in 2022, 2.1% of sales
- Spain exported €112 billion in manufactured goods in 2023
- Imported raw materials for manufacturing cost €78 billion in 2023
- Manufacturing productivity index at 112.4 (2015=100) in 2023
- Capacity utilization in manufacturing averaged 78% in 2023
- Spain's manufacturing CO2 emissions totaled 45 Mt in 2022
- Investment in manufacturing assets €18.5 billion in 2023
- Manufacturing orders index rose 3.2% in 2023
- External demand drove 60% of manufacturing growth in 2023
- Manufacturing wage growth was 4.5% in 2023
Manufacturing Interpretation
Despite a steady, if unspectacular, expansion fueled largely by exports, Spain’s manufacturing sector reveals itself as a surprisingly robust engine—powered by gourmet food, practical machinery, and increasingly valuable labor—while cautiously navigating the modern demands of energy, emissions, and global competition.
Mining
- Spain's mining production index rose 1.5% in 2023 to 102.4 (2015=100)
- Copper mine output 45,000 tons in 2023
- Iron ore production 1.2 million tons from Riotinto mines in 2023
- Potash mining in Navarra produced 800,000 tons in 2023
- Zinc concentrates output 250,000 tons in 2023
- Aggregates extraction totaled 350 million tons in 2023
- Mining employment 25,000 direct jobs in 2023
- Mining sector turnover €5.2 billion in 2023
- Gold production 5 tons from Asturias mines in 2023
- Gypsum mining output 7 million tons in 2023
- Coal production declined to 2 million tons in 2023
- Mining investment €450 million in 2023
- Rare earth exploration permits issued 12 in 2023
- Lithium projects advanced 3 in Galicia 2023
- Mining royalties collected €120 million in 2023
- Quarry production value €3.8 billion in 2023
- Environmental rehabilitation spending €50 million in mining 2023
- Mining exports €2.1 billion in 2023, mainly copper concentrates
- Salt production 6 million tons from solar evaporation in 2023
- Fluorspar output 100,000 tons from Murcia in 2023
- Mining R&D €30 million funded in 2023
- Digital twins implemented in 20 mining operations 2023
- Water usage in mining 150 million m3 in 2023
- Mining accident rate 2.1 per million hours worked 2023
- Critical raw materials strategy identified 30 deposits in 2023
Mining Interpretation
Spain's mining sector is showing surprising signs of life, as evidenced by a modest rise in its production index and the quiet humming of essential industries from copper to salt, yet it remains a modest, safety-conscious player focused on critical materials for the future, while responsibly managing its legacy from coal's decline.
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