There are some important facts about Spain that remain unknown to many Vietnamese, especially regarding the success of some of Spanish companies all around the world. Spain is one of the world's most developed countries, with an important role in the international political and economic arenas.
“Although this can be measured in different economic areas, I want to focus on two of them which are related and are especially interesting for Vietnam in this moment: public works engineering and architecture”, said by Mr Alberto Cerdán Borja, Spanish Economic and Trade Counsellor of Spain.
The genius of Spanish architects is often matched by the ingenuity of Spanish engineering firms that provide the technical solutions needed to materialize the designs of the artists. But Spanish companies not only design and build impressive infrastructures; they also make them possible through the necessary financial arrangements and manage them once built. Mr Alberto shared: “Our architecture is known around the world for a creativity and genius such as that evidenced in the unique artistic vision of masters like famous Antonio Gaudi. All the same, much of their innovative and distinctive work would not have been possible, were it not for the contributions of the engineering firms that have provided practical technical solutions to the theoretical challenges raised by the designs of these architects”.
Architecture and engineering have grown hand in hand through the decades. Spanish engineering and construction firms now routinely tackle the ever-growing complexities posed by the works of world-famous architects. Among them, are Norman Foster's Bilbao subway system, Santiago Calatrava's Planetarium in Valencia's City of Arts and Science, Frank Gehry's Bilbao Guggenheim museum, Rafael Moneo's Kursaal Auditorium in San Sebastian, and Ricardo Bofill's new Barcelona airport terminal. “We are happy to see several Spanish Architecture firms setting up offices in Vietnam, both countries will get the most form this cooperation”, added by Alberto.
But it is not only in complex architecture where Spanish companies make their mark. They are also instrumental in such engineering feats as providing bridge sections around the world, building the world's largest floating jetty for the port of Monaco, and digging the fifth-longest tunnel in the world for a high-speed railway line in the Spanish sierra of Guadarrama.
Spanish construction firms have world-class expertise in the construction, finance, and operation of transport infrastructure. Spain has undertaken several decades of continuous improvement in airports, roads, railroads –including high-speed lines– and seaports.
The highway network, for example, has tripled in length since 1982, and is now the second largest per capita in the European Union. The astonishing development of Spanish infrastructure in the last thirty years can show the way to countries like Vietnam. Spanish companies who have already covered this way can offer their knowledge and their experience cooperating with Vietnamese partners.
Besides, this expansion has transformed Spain into one of the leading nations in the use of innovative Public Private Partnerships, or PPP's, to finance these projects. For many years now, Spanish firms have been using the different modalities of PPP's in projects around the world.
The sheer complexity of the economic projections and legal arrangements required in these ventures reflects the high degree of financial sophistication reached by the Spanish private companies involved in this field. Successes in existing PPP programs have caused the model to be adapted to other fields like hospital facilities.
Furthermore, Spanish construction groups, among Europe's largest by market capitalization, are very diversified. Besides their expertise in the construction of toll roads, ports and airport-management, they are particularly strong in such environmental services as water treatment and wastewater treatment.
In the last thirty years, Spain has managed to move the passion of its sportsmen or of its worldwide known celebrations to the entrepreneur field. “The transformation of our infrastructures symbolizes the transformation of Spain, which is still on the way with development of high speed train. Now Vietnam faces similar challenges to the ones Spain faced in the early eighties. Working together, we can make this challenge still more successful”, said by Alberto.
(Source: Spanish Economic and Cultural Office, HCMC)
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