Mafex prepares an intense agenda of activities for 2022

IN ADITION TO THE INTERNATIONALISATION  ACTIVITIES, THE ASSOCIATION CONTINUES TO BET ON INNOVATION A PATH TO EXCELLENCE.

n the international area, Mafex is once again committed to continuing to promote Spanish railway services and technologies in countries with important investment plans and a portfolio of projects such

International promotion: Conventions and exhibitions
As in previous editions, Mafex will participate in leading sector exhibitions such as Middle East Rail in Abu Dhabi, InnoTrans in Berlin and TransMEA in New Cairo.

It is worth mentioning the Innotrans exhibition that will be held between 20th and 23rd September 2022 in Berlin after an edition postponed in 2020 due to the impact of Covid-19. Mafex will meet and coordinate again the grouped participation of 59 companies in the sector. This pavilion is the ninth time, and the most numerous, in which the association is responsible for the promotion of the Spanish rail-way sector in the main world event of the sector.

It is also worth noting the celebration in November 2022 and for the fifth consecutive year of the exhibition and congress “Rail Live!”, which has become the main national reference forum of the railway sector with a marked international character and where Mafex is co-organiser.

Trade policy
The Association will pay particular attention to trade policy issues and impact on industry, as they are aware that trade in goods and services contributes significantly to greater sustainable growth and job creation. The negotiations of EU trade agreements with third countries will be followed with particular attention, as in order to create new business opportunities and overcome barriers to trade, it is necessary to closely monitor trade defence instruments, also ensuring effective protection of the interests of the sector and avoiding bad practices.

Strategic Intelligence
The preparation of “FocusOn” reports on identified strategic markets will continue as well as the renovation and improvement of the intelligence platform with the most relevant news and business opportunities in the national and international railway sector.

Networking
During the next year, the sectorial forums on Digitalisation, Mobility, Sustainability, Hyperloop and International Markets will be launched. New working groups will also be launched adapting them to the new dynamic defined in the Strategic Plan of the Association 2021-2024.

Competitiveness and Innovation
In addition of the activities of international character and the strategic intelligence, the innovation is key in the services offered by Mafex given its differentiating nature in the competitive improvement of companies. That is why What Mafex acts as a facilitating agent of supply and demand of innovation in different activities, supporting R&D with the aim of keeping pace technological with other means of transport and looking for the partner companies to be more competitive, innovative, and technologically advanced.

In addition, the association considers necessary the collaboration and the implementation of joint initiatives to support the sector in different areas such as: sectorial forums, attraction of talent, technological training and the organisation of training days and technological missions. Also, and as it has been done, Mafex, will follow with the continuous approach to universities and technological centres, as well as to start- ups to promote collaboration between academia and the industrial sector.

Al the year-round work will continue in the identification of calls at national and European level, pulling and managing consortia for the presentation of projects and promoting the participation of partner companies in R&D projects in a collaborative way.