A Look Back at Advanced Factories 2025

The leading event in automation, industrial robotics, and Industry 4.0 brought together 38,714 industrial professionals, 639 exhibiting companies, and 427 international experts from April 8th to 10th at Fira Barcelona

Once again, the industry of the future gathered in Barcelona for what became a historic ninth edition of Advanced Factories. The event was defined by cutting-edge technologies, top-tier talent, and the unwavering commitment of a forward-thinking industrial community determined to drive the transformation of the sector. For three days, Advanced Factories 2025 reaffirmed its position as the premier meeting point for executives, engineers, plant managers, IT/OT experts, COOs, CIOs, business unit directors, production managers, and professionals from across the entire industrial value chain in Southern Europe.

An exhibition area where real-world challenges met next-gen solutions

With the participation of 639 exhibiting companies, the exhibition showcased 1,419 solutions in automation, collaborative robotics, AI applied to industry, additive manufacturing, data analytics, machine vision, industrial software, cybersecurity, sensors, IoT, and energy efficiency, among others. It was a comprehensive showcase for all manufacturing sectors.

The most advanced innovations met the real needs of the industry—from process automation to the integration of sustainable technologies, and the optimization of production through real-time data.

427 International Experts at the Industry 4.0 Congress and 217 Real-World Industrial Case Studies

The Industry 4.0 Congress established itself as the largest European congress on industrial digitalization—a space where 427 national and international speakers shared strategies, real-life use cases, and industrial experiences.

Among them, 217 industrial case studies stood out, presented by leading experts such as Daniel Watkins from Red Bull Technology, Eduard Marfà from Siemens, Nuria Cristóbal from Nissan, Emanuel Pupello from SEAT-CUPRA, Hans Juergen Grundig from Stellantis, Guillermo Prieto from Damm, José María Montserrat from Repsol, Natalia Turón from SEAT-CUPRA, Víctor Moreno from Jaguar Land Rover, Aron Jones from Amazon, Miguel Lechón from Michelin, Carlos Velázquez from Roca, Pol Llorca from Airbus, Federico Asensio from Saica, Ricardo García from Benteler Automotive Modules, Beatriz Font from Coca-Cola, Francisco Ramírez from Naturgy, Emilio Anglés from Kellogg’s, Raquel Hernansanz from HORSE, Carles Alabau from Dow Chemical, Alejandro Segué from Atlas Copco, Teresa Navarro from Indox Energy Systems, Ernesto Barceló from Gestamp, Fernando Castillo from Novaltia, Edorta Echave from Grupo ARANIA, Miguel Carracosa from Surplex, Gorka Martín from Sonnen, Paco Ontiveros from NACEX, Meritxell Galletto from HIPRA, Eduard Forradelles from Towa, Jordi Duch from NOEL, Mariano García from Holcim, Roland Fadrany from Gaia-X, and Gloria Zufiaurre from Mercedes Benz, among many other industry leaders who shared their insights and visions for the present and future of manufacturing.

The Industry 4.0 Congress featured a comprehensive program of vertical forums and professional agendas, tailored to the key challenges and innovation strategies across the industrial sector.

An Ecosystem Driving the Industry of the Future

In addition to the exhibition area and the Industry 4.0 Congress, Advanced Factories 2025 hosted high-level networking activities such as the Leadership Summit, the Factories of the Future Awards 2025, the CEO’s Summit, the Plant Managers Summit, the CIOs Summit, and the Industry Startup Forum. These events provided unique opportunities to create strategic connections and share experiences among the sector’s top leaders.

In parallel, initiatives such as the Talent Marketplace brought the event closer to new generations of professionals, connecting companies with young talent specialized in engineering, automation, robotics, and digital technologies. This space was essential for ensuring generational renewal and strengthening the industrial ecosystem from its foundations.

Advanced Factories 2025 has once again proven to be an active and committed industrial community, a true collaborative ecosystem where each edition helps accelerate the transformation of the productive sector toward more sustainable, efficient, intelligent, and human-centered models.