Gijón to host national procurement professionals for business challenges

Gijón will serve as a national meeting point for procurement, contracting, and supply chain professionals on 29 and 30 October. The Spanish Association of Procurement, Contracting and Supply (AERCE) will host two significant events in the city: the fifteenth edition of its national awards and a new edition of Procurement Day Asturias. Both gatherings aim to bring together representatives from various companies, specialists, and procurement leaders to share experiences, recognise innovative initiatives, and analyse the key challenges organisations face amid rising costs, new regulatory demands, and supply chain uncertainties.

The events in Asturias seek to highlight the strategic role procurement departments play in enhancing business competitiveness. This function has evolved from traditional supplier management to encompass areas such as innovation, sustainability, and business decision-making. Miguel Piñera, AERCE's vice president and president of AERCE Asturias, believes that hosting these events presents an opportunity to share successful experiences and tools that can help local businesses optimise resources and improve their responsiveness to market changes.

Recognition of best practices at the XV AERCE Awards

The first event will take place on Thursday, 29 October, at Llagar El Trole in Gijón, where the fifteenth edition of the AERCE Awards will be held. These national awards recognise the efforts of procurement professionals and teams that enhance their organisations' outcomes through innovative projects and new management strategies. Categories evaluated include process digitalisation, sustainability, supplier integration, transformation of procurement departments, business strategy, and talent development.

The ceremony will feature institutional representatives from the Gijón City Council and the Government of the Principality of Asturias. Opening remarks will be made by Ángela Pumariega Menéndez, Gijón's deputy mayor and councillor for Economy, Employment, Tourism, and Innovation; Arantxa González Montell, director general of Business and Commerce for the Principality; and Miguel Piñera. Attendee registration will begin at 19:00, with the official inauguration scheduled for 19:45, followed by the awards presentation at 20:05, concluding with a traditional Asturian espicha to encourage networking among participants.

Procurement Day Asturias to address energy and regulations

The second day will occur on Friday, 30 October, at the Gijón Congress Palace, focusing on issues directly affecting daily operations and business competitiveness. A central topic will be energy efficiency and the opportunities presented by the Energy Savings Certificates (CAE) system, which values energy savings from specific improvement actions. This segment will feature Hugo Magalhaes Madureira, technical director of the National Association of Energy Service Companies (ANESE).

Additionally, the evolution of leadership within procurement departments will be discussed, with Frederic Blanc, an experienced procurement leader in the consumer goods industry, examining the increasing importance of this role in strategic organisational decisions. Another key topic will be adapting to new regulations regarding packaging and containers, particularly relevant for industrial, commercial, and logistics companies. Carlos Monerris, director of Technological Transfer and Market at ITENE, will outline the implications of these regulatory changes for procurement management and supplier relationships. Xoán Martínez, president of the Galicia Logistics Function Cluster, will discuss supply chain tensions and their impact on businesses.

The programme will also include presentations of selected projects awarded at the XV AERCE Awards, showcasing real experiences from Spanish organisations that have successfully improved their processes and created value through innovation.

Enhancing competitiveness for Asturian companies

AERCE emphasises that the procurement function has become essential for addressing the economic and technological challenges faced by organisations. Efficient supplier management, cost reduction, sustainability, and the ability to anticipate potential supply disruptions are critical factors for the industrial and business fabric of Asturias. The upcoming events in Gijón aim to facilitate knowledge exchange among professionals from various sectors and provide regional companies with solutions already implemented by others.

Procurement Day Asturias will commence at 09:00 with registrations, followed by sessions starting at 09:30. The day will conclude at 13:30 with a networking event for attendees.

AERCE's commitment to procurement professionalisation

The Spanish Association of Procurement, Contracting and Supply has a 45-year history dedicated to promoting efficient, sustainable procurement management focused on value creation. The organisation is part of the International Federation of Purchasing and Supply Management (IFPSM), which includes 40 professional associations worldwide. With the XV AERCE Awards and Procurement Day Asturias, Gijón will strengthen its role as a venue for specialised business gatherings, uniting professionals whose roles are increasingly vital in the transformation and competitiveness of Spanish companies.