80% of the companies that are members of clusters consider that belonging to one places them in a better position to face the COVID-19 crisis

• This is one of the conclusions of a survey by ACCIÓ, according to which being part of a cluster has given companies greater connection with their sector, more information and knowledge, and the ability to work jointly on innovation projects during the pandemic.
• Over the past year the number of Catalan companies that are members of the 29 clusters in Catalonia has risen by 13%; taken together they total 2,600 members, represent 30% of GDP and generate more than 300,000 jobs.

• Leather Cluster Barcelona is the global, cross-cutting network made up of companies and stakeholders from the value chain of the Catalan leather industry. The cluster has its capital in Igualada and its headquarters at the Adoberia Bella, the European Centre for the Interpretation of Quality Leather.

80% of the companies that form part of a cluster consider that being a member places them in a better position to face the current crisis caused by COVID-19. This is one of the conclusions of a survey carried out by ACCIÓ, the business competitiveness agency of the Ministry of Business and Knowledge, of which Leather Cluster Barcelona forms part through the Catalonia Clusters programme.

A cluster is a grouping of companies and supporting stakeholders (universities and technology centres) from a given economic field which share resources, generate synergies and project themselves internationally. It is an instrument that makes it possible to improve the competitiveness of its members through the definition of joint strategic challenges and the development of transformative projects. In this regard, Leather Cluster Barcelona is working, among other things, on animal welfare, traceability and circular economy projects, with a business ecosystem spanning everything from livestock farming and sustainability to manufacturing, design and fashion.

Since the start of the pandemic, Leather Cluster Barcelona has carried out a set of actions to support its members, such as opening a communication channel to provide information on the goods corridor during the lockdown of the Conca d’Òdena, or advice on maintaining or resuming activity depending on whether it qualified as an essential service, as well as providing other knowledge about the COVID-19 situation and undertaking procedures with various government bodies in order to share safety, health, employment and tax measures with the members.