risks when entrusting all their capacity to only a few local companies within one same sector. In order to mitigate this risk, the first step would involve sector diversification without opting for foreign markets, which seems logical as the path is simpler. However, other steps would entail a similar diversification, but looking abroad for clients within the same sector. In our opinion, this would be the best path “80% of the sector’s auxiliary companies state they have never collaborated with a university or a / INTERVIEW To what extent is Spanish metal-mechanical technology known and valued on an international level? What are its strong points and what needs improvement? technological centre” and at PTEMM, we are going to promote and stimulate this by means of product innovation. Spanish metal-mechanical technology is present and valued within the international scope by means of sectors such as the machinery-tool, components for the automotive or aerospace industries. Within the sector there is a good level of know-how and tech- nology which could represent the pillars on which to establish re-industrialisation initiatives. However, the lack of financial support and subsidies for good initiatives could be the risk which leads us to move back many years in the development of knowledge and technology. We must continue to invest in talent and technology and for this we need to support initiatives such as the PTEMM, which act as a vehicle for transforming our business structure. One of the PTEMM objectives is to promote frameworks for collaboration among technological agents. And Spain has several state-of-the-art centres in this field. Is there little knowledge transfer with the companies? Why? To conclude, in your opinion, how can the Spanish metal-mechanical industry attract international projects? 80% of the sector’s auxiliary companies state they have never collaborated with a university or a technological centre. The reason is obvious: they haven’t had a reason. Companies need a clear motivation for becoming innovative companies. At the PTEMM, we are going to seek this moti- vation in the form of a specific need for a driving force company and projecting this need on the market. From the PTEMM, we propose a logical diagram which makes the most of our strengths, which is as follows: Firstly, we should ask the driving force companies within our sector what components they need to buy for manufacturing their products, in many cases we will even find that they are buying certain components outside our country because they have been unable to find an appropriate supplier at home. When an SME from the sector sees the opportunity and assesses the benefit of projecting the new product on the market, it will surely connect with the technological agents for acquiring the innovation and take on the financial risks of the project as a good businessman. Of the opportunities we find among the local driving force companies, we should assess which ones have a higher potential in the international market and then select the most interesting ones. What is the situation regarding the international scope? There is a bit of everything. If we focus on Europe for obtai- ning a specific answer, I would say that we are at the same level as Eastern European countries in so far as collabora- tion among companies and technological agents, despite our technological agents being at the same level as more innovative countries, such as France or Germany. Undoub- tedly, the key lies with the SME and for this we need to iden- tify business opportunities, given that otherwise the need for innovation will not arise. Then, we move on to perform a feasibility study of the oppor- tunities with the highest potential, where we look into the technological, productive, financial or market possibilities. With the feasibility studies at hand, we should look for busi- ness people from the sector who want to develop the projects within their companies and, therefore, launch a new product on the market. At the PTEMM, we have the ideal structure for developing this activity by means of the regional and sector organisation of Confemetal, the existing collaborations with technological agents and institutions and of course thanks to the support from the driving force companies. / / 25