The Minister of Employment, Enterprise, and Autonomous Work of the Junta de Andalucía, Rocío Blanco, visited Lucena to hold a working meeting with representatives of companies in the wood and furniture sector. Also attending the meeting were the territorial delegate for Employment in Córdoba, Marina Montes, the president of the Association of Wood and Related Industries of Lucena (AMALU), José Antonio Guardeño, the president of Uniema, Enrique Fernández, and representatives of the municipal corporation.
The meeting, held at the Casa de los Mora, allowed for a first-hand understanding of the sector's situation and the ongoing projects of Lucena's companies, with a particular focus on their participation in the Feria Hábitat Valencia, scheduled from September 28 to October 1. A total of 21 companies from the province of Córdoba will attend this event, more than half of them from Lucena.
Rocío Blanco highlighted the importance of direct contact with companies to understand their needs and support them in their growth and internationalization processes. The minister pointed out that the wood and furniture sector employs over 4,000 workers in the province of Córdoba, emphasizing Lucena's role as the "furniture city," an activity that remains significant for the local and provincial economy. Blanco also focused on training, digitalization, and design as areas of advancement, and underscored the value of the National Reference Center for Wood in the neighboring town of Encinas Reales as a resource for preparing professionals.
For his part, Aurelio Fernández emphasized the continued importance of this industry in the city and the effort made by entrepreneurs. He conveyed the City Council's willingness to continue working with companies and requested the regional government's ongoing support for Lucena's business fabric. Additionally, the City Council will formalize a collaboration agreement with AMALU next Monday, which includes a financial contribution to support the companies' presence at the Valencia fair.
AMALU has valued the support from various administrations for the sector's participation in Hábitat Valencia and the importance of continuing to work on promotion and opening new markets. The possibility of an initiative to connect companies from Lucena and the province with architects and designers, showcasing their capacity for complete equipment projects, was also discussed. Business representatives also stressed the need to advance in training, innovation, and digitalization to meet the sector's demands.
