More than 3,000 professionals gathered at the fair BigMat Day

BigMat has undertaken this initiative with the aim of "providing the opportunity partners participate in a contest designed and organized exclusively for them, with an intense program of presentations of products, services and activities that enable them to strengthen their relationship with suppliers", said Jesus Prieto, general manager of BigMat.

As noted by Luís Pérez to the media during the opening of the contest "to the crisis, the solution is the daily work." That set is to be more efficient. "We are at a time to reflect how and where we are and where we want to go".

"We have moved to the Secretary and the Mayor of L'Hospitalet needs with our sector: must be helped to finance rehabilitation." We understand that it is the way to follow the new building has stagnated and there is a great estocaje of homes to sell. "For the moment, it is essential to help rehabilitation."

"We must take into account - he continued - that the distributors of building materials are in the eye of the hurricane from the crisis." We have had many outstanding on account of the problems of the promoters. We need aid, and urgently, reduce payment periods, both for our clients towards us, as of us towards our suppliers. "Would not be otherwise equate us to Europe in those 45 or 60 days which have funding," he concluded.

Also the Minister of labour of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Mar Serna, pointed out the rehabilitation as an engine of momentum in the sector: "I am convinced that, will be without a doubt, the rehabilitation of housing which will mark the departure of the crisis in the construction sector". The Government of Catalonia is investing in 80,000 jobs with public investment. "Within the National Pact for the housing there instruments to ensure that the rehabilitation check out of the crisis".

"The construction sector have to train and innovate more." "Especially in materials", said the Adviser of the work of the Generalitat

He also noted that "the construction sector have to train and innovate more, mainly in materials." We are at a fair in which there are companies that combined efforts and companies with new materials for the construction of the future. Also, this crisis is also an opportunity to improve and innovate. And rehabilitation, as it has happened on other occasions, will be the starting point. "I believe that this will be the way to highlight and facilitate, together with financial institutions, appropriations so that the rehabilitation drives the output of the sector of the construction sector," he said.

In this sense, BigMat Catalonia's President, Joan Aymerich, welcomed the presence at the Councilor and Mayor and emphasized the importance of holding the first fair of all Spain in L'Hospitalet. "Obviously he has made to reinvent initiatives and, above all, the field of the reform and rehabilitation of housing." The Town Hall of L'Hospitalet is a prime example of what must be done. "Now it should convey the message to banking because if not granted mortgages for the purchase of new flats should be granted for rehabilitation", he said.

'Create confidence and work'. These were the words of Luis Pérez Núñez, President of BigMat in Spain before the days of conferences that took place during the two days of celebration of the event.

The Mayor of L'Hospitalet, Nuria Martín, pointed out that the construction, one of the most dynamic sectors facing "complicated moments that have also hit multiple sectors." "A global crisis with local effect". The Mayor of the Barcelona town reported new projects where is immersed his town hall based on social assistance, training and the promotion of investment. It also highlighted efforts played the town in the area of rehabilitation. 75% Of the houses of the town was built before the 1970s, reason by which the City Council has opted for rehabilitation, specifically, promoting the installation of lifts. Marín welcomed the initiative of the event organized by BigMat: "the sector must reflect." "It is the time to be more imaginative".

Antonio Bolaño, journalist and former director of communications of the President of Generalitat, gave the Conference "business communication: if not communicate do not exist", in which highlighted the need to disseminate the activities of the company from a communication strategy. He gave as an example the celebration of the day: "You are communicating at this show." "It gives the impression that not wrinkle to adversity."

Also, during the second day of conferences, the rapporteurs identified three keys so that the construction sector can stand up to the current economic climate: innovate, internationalize and cooperate.

Ciriaco Hidalgo, Chief of the area of analysis and economic policies of the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, listed, during his lecture "Analysis of the current economic climate", the investments that the Catalan Government has dedicated to encourage the sector, and warned of the need to renew the sector and to make changes, being "the own sector who lead their renewal". It also stressed the need for the sector have confidence as a basic value.

According to Enric Aloy, Secretary general of the Department for innovation, universities and enterprise, "98% of the Catalan industrial fabric is composed of SMEs." We are aware of the risk they face of globalization, but also its advantages: has a small and flexible structure which allows you to move quickly. "An advantage when globalization is in crisis".

BigMat Day brought together more than three thousand professionals between suppliers, partners and customers. The first day was devoted exclusively to members of BigMat and the second to its customers.

Different producers in the sector of the building materials were represented at the fair: bastos, hardware, machinery and tools, health, flooring, coatings, external conditioning, work, covers and external conditioning.

BigMat Day is a strategic action to promote and consolidate relations between partners, suppliers and customers. With the celebration of this event, the building materials sector wanted to join forces to tackle the current economic situation. The building materials sector brings together more than 5,000 companies of all Spain that employ some 500,000 workers. Last year the companies in the sector registered declines in its billing.

As reported by the BigMat group construction in Spain sector showed signs of improvement in January of 2009, according to data from the Bureau of statistics of the European Union (EU), Eurostat. In this way is situated with an increase of 7.8% in the volume of carried out construction, as the second European countries in growth of its rate of production in the real estate sector. The rate of growth experienced by Spain only was overcome by Slovenia which was a growth of 22.4%.

The respite in the real estate sector during the month of January also extends to the whole of the EU, where experienced an increase of 1.8% compared to the 1.8% decrease experienced in the month of December.

BigMat in figures

Partners: 167

Outlets: 263

Presence in European countries: 4

Presence in provinces: 44

Employees: 1,500

Billing: 630.000.000 EUR

Referenced suppliers: 380

The BigMat group starts a cycle of annual conventions

BigMat, benchmark group in Spain in the storage and distribution of the building materials sector, has initiated the Organization of exclusive meetings following the experience of other European countries. Catalonia has hosted the event since it is precisely this community which concentrate a large part of the partners of the group, which has begun a cycle of annual conventions that will be organised in the different autonomous communities where BigMat has presence.