The benchmarking concept can be defined as a continuous and systematic process to evaluate the products, services and working procedures of organisations that are acknowledged as being representative of best practices, with the aim of introducing organisational improvements to the companies themselves.

In the context of the Globaltech Project, the concept of benchmarking has been adapted to technology and used to evaluate the leading technologies of various countries and agents within a given industry that were considered excellent and applicable to the situation of the industry in La Rioja.

Thus, using an initial worldwide technological and market study, we identified the countries that stood out as key players, either for attracting technologies or for acting as a market niche for those produced in La Rioja.

From this “Technology Map”, study subsectors were defined for each of the Globaltech industries (agri-food, metal/mechanics, elastomers/plastics, footwear and energy/construction/environment) and an in-depth study was carried out of the technologies and the main agents creating these in the countries where potential had been identified.

These studies resulted in what we call Technological Benchmarking studies, which identify the leading international agents with whom collaboration agreements can be set up for two-way technology transfer and with whom we can collaborate to develop R&D&i projects.

The next strategy after identifying the technologies and the agents generating them is the performance of technology missions that will allow us to set up collaboration agreements with these agents for mutual reinforcement. These agreements will subsequently take the form of collaboration with the agents through our companies, technology centres, University and government institutions.

Safety Footwear Sector

Agri-Food Sector

Metal - Mechanical Sector

Injection Moulding and Extrusion Plastics Sector

Photovoltaic Solar Power Sector