Indra advocates in Germany for Spain as a Near-shore location for Europe

The event, entitled "Spain, a near-shore destination for Europe", was held on Tuesday November 25 in Frankfurt by Indra and the Chamber of Commerce in Germany. The aim was to detail a service model capable of providing a rapid and efficient response to the exacting software development demands of the German market and representing a major economic engine for the euro area and countries within its sphere of influence. The meeting was attended by the General Consul of Spain in Frankfurt, Juan José Sanz, the Director of Indra in Germany, Antonio González Gorostiza, and representatives from Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS), the German air traffic services provider, and the European Central Bank. As well as Indra, the technology industry was represented by executives from Microsoft, BMC and the Spanish Association of Defense, Aeronautics and Space Technologies (TEDAE).

At the event Indra outlined the far-reaching capabilities of Spain's technology industry, its commitment to innovation and quality, as well as its rapid international expansion, all of which has seen global outsourcing and application maintenance models emerge in the country, as well as unique and pioneering projects in industries such as air traffic control, cybersecurity, telecommunications and more. Its natural and extensive familiarity with the Latin American market was also emphasized at the meeting.

Price is no longer the deciding factor

As was demonstrated at the event, the balance between talent, quality and costs has seen Spain emerge as a highly attractive country to global companies seeking to set up specialization hubs. Evidence of this are the more than 180 software factories and process outsourcing centers that are currently operational across Spain, with Spain being the fourth placed country worldwide in the number of CMMI certifications, while two out of every three software factories hold working relationships with off-shore centers, primarily in Latin America and Asia Pacific.

According to the speakers, price is no longer the primary factor when selecting a service provision model. Instead, it is one of many aspects to be considered, along with productivity,  cultural affinity and market expertise. 

Indra's hallmark global cloud services model and software production

The speakers also demonstrated the key role that Indra has played in this trend, as the leading Spanish technology firm and one of the foremost companies in Spain and Latin America. As was explained by the Director of Indra in Germany, Antonio González Gorostiza, the combination of the company's software production capabilities, with a network comprised of 24 factories (of which 13 are distributed across Spain and other European countries), and the rapid international growth of its cloud infrastructure management model (Indra Flex IT), driven by tie-ups with leading partners such as Microsoft and BMC, has positioned the consulting and technology multinational as a key driver of Spain's emergence as a near-shore destination for Europe.

For example, the incorporation of Microsoft Azure within Indra Flex IT created the first hybrid solution to provide infrastructure services from Spain to clients from all regions. Furthermore Indra is regarded as an Elite Partner by BMC, the highest category for a reseller, for Spain, Portugal and Latin America, and became the first Spanish firm to join its community of Certified IT Consulting Services Partners (CSPP).

Indra's software production centers harness cutting edge productivity models and represent technological hubs for project development using leading technology and architectures. They also offer a high performance network to operate as a single virtual center, providing uninterrupted 24/7 service to clients in all regions. Indra has 15 of its 30 worldwide Excellence Centers located in Spain, which combine technology with expertise in client business areas to develop solutions and services tailored to the needs of each industry.

According to Antonio González Gorostiza, Indra is ideally suited as a near-shore provider for Europe thanks to its equilibrium between cost, quality and regional proximity; the elimination of time differences and ease of connectivity; the ability to quickly send technical resources to any European country; the elimination of visa requirements and having production centers within easy reach in Spain, Portugal and Italy. 

Indra, chaired by Javier Monzón, is the leading multinational technology and consulting company in Spain and one of the most prominent in Europe and Latin America. Innovation represents the cornerstone of its business and sustainability. In the last three years it has spent more than €570 million on R&D&i, making it one of the biggest European investors in the industry. With a revenue of approximately €3 billion, 61% of its income is generated by the international market. It employs more than 42,000 staff and has clients in over 138 countries.