• COVER PAGE

  •  INTRODUCTION

  •  EUROPEAN
     CHAMPION:
THE UNITED KINGDOM

  •  THE RUNNER-UP:
      FRANCE

  •  GERMANY GRABS
      THIRD PLACE

  •  BELGIUM, NO. 4

  •  POLAND TAKES
      FIFTH PLACE

  •  IRELAND, NO. 6

  •  HUNGARY TAKES
      SEVENTH PLACE

  •  SPAIN, NO. 8

  •  THE NETHERLANDS
      RECORD BREAKING
      YEAR

  •  AUSTRIA ROUNDS
      OUT THE TOP 10

Spain is one of Europe's up-and-coming contenders in the fierce competition to attract new business, a point underscored by its No. 8 finish in 1998's facilities race. Spain also attracted some 40 percent of all investments into southern Europe.

Moreover, Spain lured 20 major new manufacturing plants (earning the No. 9 ranking) and seven research and development facilities (taking the No. 6 ranking).

Examples of large new manufacturing investments include Mecanica de la Pena's $154 million iron ore pellet plant in Bilbao, Wande Display International SA's $53 million monitor screens plant in Cadiz and Pilkington plc/Glaverbel SA's $138 million joint-venture float glass factory in Sagunto.

"The Pilkington-Glaverbel plant will be an important supplier to the automobile and construction industries," says Instituto Valenciano de la Exportacion (IVEX) investment department official Anneliese Cerni. The factory will create about 150 direct jobs, plus 500 more indirect jobs in Sagunto and the Valencia region.

A broad range of business reforms in recent years has helped elevate Spain to its current position (see the October/November 1998 Site Selection ). For a detailed report on the business advantages of Navarre, in northern Spain, visit Site Selection's Website (www.conway.com/webss1.htm) and click on the Navarre Investment Guide.

A recent report by international property consulting firm Knight Frank predicts that Spain's robust economic expansion will continue in 1999, forecasting 3.3 percent growth in gross domestic product vs. the EU average of 1.9 percent.