Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker OHLA has been awarded the contract to build the new Rodalies Station in Parets del Vallès (Barcelona) The company will carry out this project with the help of its construction team and its specialized subsidiary G&O which has an important portfolio of railway projects with a 75-year history The contract focuses on the construction of a new infrastructure to meet current and future needs motivated by the increase in passenger traffic It also aims to improve the connection between the historic center and the Eixample district a platform will be built to cover a section of the tracks thus facilitating the direct access of vehicles from the Avenida de Catalunya to this new platform it is planned to build a new passenger building and to create a parking area for private and public transport vehicles in addition to the creation of a square that will provide access to the new passenger building It will also allow access to the future platforms from the upper level of the platform instead of accessing at the level of the railway platform thus avoiding the need to cross the tracks to move from one platform to another as is currently the case through the existing STRAIL crossing the main pedestrian access to the platform will be through a pedestrian walkway that will connect Avenida de España with the square adjacent to the new passenger building thus solving the accessibility problems that exist today OHLA has several important rail projects in its three geographical areas of reference: the USA OHLA has recently been awarded the 95.7 million euro (VAT included) contract for the construction of Subsection 1 of the northern section of Line 3 of the Seville metro and will participate in the extension of the Granada metro for almost 25 million euro (VAT included) It is also carrying out important high-speed rail contracts in Spain Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times Danone said that "normal activity" had now resumed at the facility Strike action has been called off at a Danone plant in Spain the company plans to close with the French giant reaching a deal with union officials Danone said a deal had been finalised “in principle” The agreement will “be submitted for ratification by the workers’ assembly tomorrow [20 March]” Danone added “normal activity” had now resumed at the plant in Parets del Vallès north of Barcelona The Oikos yogurts owner declined to provide more details on the deal Reports from local news site Crónica Global indicate Danone has agreed to close the plant by the end of 2024 at the earliest with the possibility of extending the closure date to the first quarter of 2025 The strike came as a result of Danone’s intentions to shutter the Parets del Vallès site, which it announced in January Danone made no mention at the time of when it planned to close the factory Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Workers had originally planned an 11-day strike from 16 March to 27 March the Catalonian trade union Comissió Obrera Nacional de Catalunya (CCOO) Just Food has contacted the CCOO for comment When Danone announced its plan to shut the site it said the move was “part of a local rationalisation process with the aim of strengthening the competitiveness of brands and gaining industrial efficiency.” The closure was expected to affect around 157 workers local reports from Spanish news agency Europa Press suggested Danone invested €12m ($13m) into building a new production line at the Parets del Vallès plant in 2021 dedicated to producing plant-based yogurts under the Alpro brand The Danette puddings manufacturer owns eight facilities in Spain Besides its two HQs in Barcelona and Madrid it also manages factories in Aldaya (Valencia) Nominations are now open for the prestigious Just Food Excellence Awards - one of the industry's most recognised programmes celebrating innovation This is your chance to showcase your achievements Don't miss the opportunity to be honoured among the best - submit your nomination today Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network. Danone workers in Parets del Vallès have agreed to go on strike against the closure of the factory The staff voted on Friday and this Saturday whether they supported the protest and the clear majority (100 out of 121) chose to go on strike There were also 20 votes against and one blank The strike is expected to be held between March 16 and 27 A meeting is scheduled for Tuesday between the workers representatives and the company but so far there is nothing to suggest that this will prevent the strike from going ahead French multinational Danone announced plans in January to close its factory in Parets del Vallès to “streamline” activity and “gain efficiency.” The closure will affect 157 workers at the factory In February, some 250 people protested against the decision in Barcelona. Demonstrators marched from Sants train station to Danone's headquarters in the Catalan capital, leading to moments of tension with the police during which protesters threw eggs and yogurt at the building's facade.  Get the day's biggest stories right to your phone v1.1.0. Copyright © 2025. Powered by EBANTIC. All rights reserved. First published: January 12, 2024 01:02 PM French multinational Danone announced plans on Friday to close its factory in Parets del Vallès, located just north of Barcelona, to “streamline” activity and “gain efficiency.”  The closure will affect 157 workers at the factory. The company has agreed to start a process of dialogue in which the re-industrialization of the factory is on the table. Meanwhile, the unions have rejected the proposal and instead asked Danone to improve its plan. The decision to close the factory has been taken “after a long period of reflection and analysis,” according to the company, which promises to “promote reindustrialization to maintain the industrial continuity of the area and minimize the impact on employment.” Danone also emphasized that Spain was a “strategic market” and stressed that it would maintain its “commitment” to keep it that way. Demonstrations to stop the closure are expected, according to the unions, who received the news at lunchtime on Friday. They are in meetings with Danone representatives to learn all the details, union sources told the Catalan News Agency (ACN). In a statement, the union CCOO has “categorically” rejected the closure and urged the multinational to “reverse course” and instead sit down for negotiations with the workers to ensure that jobs are maintained. Politicians have reacted to news of the possible closure with surprise and support. The mayor of Parets del Vallès, Francesc Juzgado, told the Catalan News Agency (ACN) that he was surprised by the news, adding that Danone was “not aware of the collateral damage” of the closure, and that 60% of the workers are from Parets del Vallès.  "Not only are 157 workers directly affected, but an entire industrial network of suppliers and services," Juzgado said. The Catalan government stated that it regrets the decision of the French multinational and expressed support to the workers. It will meet with Danone “in the coming days” to ensure the best possible outcome from the negotiations.   Meanwhile, the Spanish Ministry of Industry said they will “get in touch with the affected workers” and follow the situation to see what the reindustrialization plans look like.  Almost a year ago, Danone celebrated the 40th anniversary of the factory in Parets del Vallès and announced that it would invest €6.7 million in the digitalization of the factory.   At the time Danone said the factory was “strategic” and a “motor for change” where products like Actimel and Danacol were manufactured, as well as being the first factory in Europe to produce both dairy and non-dairy alternatives.    Last year, the factory produced 132 products, both dairy and non-dairy. It exports more than 20% of its production to Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.  The biggest miniature nativity scene in Catalonia was unveiled in Parets del Vallès 25km north of Barcelona, on Wednesday.  it depicts scenes from the Christmas story in Bethlehem reimagined in the south of France in the medieval citadel of Carcassonne and along the Canal du Midi – or should that be the Canal du Mini "It is the largest 'tabletop' nativity scene in Catalonia, at 230 square meters," says Albert Pérez, president of the Parets del Vallès Nativity Scene Association, who in previous years have welcomed baby Jesus into the world in mangers set among the Egyptian pyramids, and Montserrat, Catalonia's sacred mountain.   Incidentally, more than 900 people came together to form a "unique" live nativity scene at Montserrat in November "We made a reproduction of the Canal du Midi to show how goods were transported with horse-drawn barges and how work was done in ancient times," says Pérez.  in recent years 3D printing has been used to create the models.  "We worked hard with the canals to create the water we have incorporated silicone and other elements such as polyurethane to create the effect of the sea and the rivers and we are very happy with the result," Pérez says.  And, like any Catalan nativity scene, Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus are of course joined by a traditional pooping peasant known as a caganer, or in the case of Parets del Vallès, three of them!  The Alpro producer said the decision was made to boost “the competitiveness of brands” and improve “industrial efficiency” French dairy giant Danone has confirmed it intends to shut its dairy and plant-based yogurts facility in Parets del Vallès In a statement published today (12 January) the Activia maker said it had begun a process of negotiations “regarding the possible cessation of activity of the plant” with “the legal representation of the workers.” Spanish news agency Europa Press has suggested some 157 workers will be impacted by the closure Just Food has asked Danone to confirm the exact number of employees at the site as well as when it expects the facility to shut Catalonian trade union Comissió Obrera Nacional de Catalunya (CCOO CAT) confirmed that the company had shared its decision to close the facility with the CCOO CAT works council the group said it “flatly rejects the closure announcement and urges the company to reverse its intentions” It added that it expected to see the company develop “an industrial plan that guarantees the continuity of activity and jobs at the Vallès plant” Danone said the decision was made as “part of a local rationalisation process with the aim of strengthening the competitiveness of brands and gaining industrial efficiency.” It added that it would “work together with the legal representation of the workers to offer the best possible solutions and minimise the impact on the employees of the plant Danone Spain will try to reach and agreement that satisfies the interests of all parties and will make every effort to mitigate the consequences of this announcement.” The company also said it would also strive to boost “reindustrialisation” with the goal of “facilitating industrial continuity in the area and minimising labour impact” Danone has already begun its search for a new buyer for the plant In 2021, the group invested around €12m ($13m) in the installation of a new plant-based production line at the Catalonian site to manufacture the Alpro coconut and oat-based yogurt brand Danone said Parets del Vallès was its first European facility to produce dairy and dairy-alternative products in the same space First published: February 12, 2024 01:30 PM Some 250 people protested Monday morning against Danone's decision to close its factory in Parets del Vallès, north of Barcelona. Demonstrators marched from Sants train station to Danone's headquarters in Barcelona, leading to moments of tension with the police, during which protesters threw eggs and yogurt at the building's facade.  The French multinational announced last month its intention to close the Parets del Vallès plant as part of an effort to "streamline" operations and "improve efficiency." The closure is expected to affect 157 workers employed at the plant.  After meeting with Danone, the president of the UGT union at Danone in Parets del Vallès, Jordi Barragan Garcia, said that the company's initial proposal was " insufficient and ridiculous." "There is still time to negotiate and the company is committed to reaching a fair deal," he added. The workers will meet with the company again on Thursday to continue negotiations. Danone justifies its decision on the grounds of a 48% inactivity rate of industrial tools at the plant. The company intends to transfer production from Parets del Vallès to its Valencia plant, which would involve the transfer of only 40 of the 157 workers affected. Despite the company's explanation, the move has met with opposition from both workers and regional authorities. Last week, Catalan president Pere Aragonès pledged to preserve jobs and industrial activity at the plant after meeting with union representatives. The Catalan government stands behind the workers and has pledged to support them throughout the negotiation process.