Digital transformation has reshaped Spain’s productive landscape over the last few decades. And, while digitalisation is advancing, it isn’t doing so at the same pace across all industries.
Some are already leveraging artificial intelligence, robotics, and big data for growth. Meanwhile, others still rely heavily on manual processes. The outcome is a two-speed economy.
The ICT sector leads the way in digitalisation. Other sectors that partner with Aritex to boost their digital processes —like Engineering and a number of manufacturing sectors (e.g., machinery, automotive)— also rank high among Spain’s most digitalised industries.
In contrast, very important sectors like Hospitality, Construction, and Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries are the least digitalised, which hinders their competitiveness.
Report ‘The Digital Economy in Spain’
At Aritex, we found the 2025 Cotec & Ivie report particularly insightful. It provides a detailed overview of how digitalisation has been integrated into the Spanish economy from 2011 to 2023. The report’s methodology allows for a sector-by-sector comparison based on Gross Value Added (GVA).
What is Gross Value Added (GVA)?
GVA is the difference between the value a company generates through its production and the cost of the intermediate goods and services used in that production.
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How do you measure the digitalisation of a particular sector?
The report measures a sector’s digitalisation by differentiating between its total GVA and its digital GVA, which is the portion of GVA that comes from the use of digital capital and labour. The proportion between the two is what determines the level of digitalisation.
Digital GVA includes investments in digital assets (software, hardware, R&D, telecom), the involvement of specialized ICT workers, and also non-specialized workers who also require digital skills.
Manufacturing ranks in the top 5 most digitalised sectors
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector is at the forefront of digital transformation. No surprise, since technology is at the very core of their business and the vast majority of their workforce is made up of digital workers.
However, other industrial sectors are also ranking high in the race to boost competitiveness through digitalisation. Let’s have a look at them.
Automotive industry
The automotive sector stands out particularly for its investment in digital design, simulation, connectivity and adoption of electronics and robotics. It’s also a leader in constantly improving assembly line productivity through robotic automation solutions. In recent years, Aritex has developed several projects for this industry where robotics play a key role , alongside the implementation of emerging digital technologies like Augmented Reality.
Similarly to machinery manufacturing sectors, the automotive industry shows a high level of investment in digitalisation, even though its proportion of specialized digital workers is smaller.
Manufacturing of machinery, IT equipment, and electrical and electronic components
These industrial sub-sectors are leading the way in industrial digitalisation, especially in terms of investment. Nevertheless, they need to do better in digitalisation of tasks, as the use of digital tools is not yet widespread among production line operators.
For these companies, automation is at the heart of their strategy for competitiveness, driven by connectivity, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), robotics, and the use of smart sensors.
Digitalisation is proving to be a key driver for productivity in these industrial sub-sectors.
Chemical, oil refining and pharmaceutical industries
These sectors may be less visible to the public, but they boast a high level of digitalisation in their processes and production assets. They make extensive use of technologies for automatic control, data analysis, and advanced monitoring.
Fostering digital skills through training: a pressing challenge for industrial sectors
Industrial sectors are leading the way in digitalisation investment, often with Aritex as a strategic partner to guide a results-oriented digital transformation.
The main challenge for the coming years is training a growing number of operatives to improve their digital skills in an Industry 4.0 production environment.
And Aritex has already got down to work. In particular, we are empowering line operators to perform maintenance, quality control and production tasks through training processes based on augmented reality (AR).
This AR-based training pursues multiple objectives. On one hand, it accelerates the training process and reduces costs. On the other, it’s a crucial way for both new and current operatives to become familiar with common Industry 4.0 tools and acquire new digital skills. The result is increased efficiency and better preparedness for future challenges.
We have recently consolidated a project of this kind with SEAT/CUPRA at their Martorell plant in Barcelona. You’ll soon be able to read about it in the Spanish Robotics Association’s Yearbook and in our blog
ICT: the absolute leader in digitalisation
The ICT sector is the most digitalised sector of the Spanish economy, with 74% of its GVA being digital already in 2023. Additionally, 78% of its workforce are digital specialists—the highest proportion in the country. It has also been one of the fastest growing sectors in terms of digital employment and productivity, as well as salaries for ICT specialists.
Other highly digitalised sectors
Professional, scientific and technical activities
This group includes consultancies, engineering firms, advertising agencies, design studios, and legal services, among others. Their digital GVA is high and growing, and digital workers make up 29% of their workforce. This sector benefits from the use of advanced digital tools and from the integration of technical know-how with technology.
Financial and Insurance
This sector is one of the most capital-intensive in terms of digitalisation, with a strong presence of technologies like artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain. Digital employment is also high, especially in banking and insurance.
Moderately digitalised sectors
Trade and Repair
Despite its significant role in the economy, digitalisation in this sector has been uneven. E-commerce and the digitalisation of logistics processes have driven transformation, though ICT jobs remain limited.
Transport and Storage
Digitalisation continues to advance in this sector, with notable improvements in logistics, fleet management and warehouse automation.
In particular, intralogistics is seeing remarkable development, as its applications cut across multiple industries. This is an area where Aritex excels, manufacturing and integrating customized robotic mobility solutions , which operate autonomously and drive efficiency in internal logistics.
Government, Education and Healthcare
E-government, digital education, and telemedicine have all contributed to digitalisation in these areas. However, progress has been uneven and heavily dependent on public investment.
The least digitised: sectors facing major challenges
Construction
This sector has low digitalisation in both capital and labour. Larger companies and those with a global outlook are developing digitalisation and automation projects—and Aritex is already working on some projects for this sector.
However, overall adoption is limited, partly due to a traditional corporate culture.
For this reason, construction companies that embrace digitalisation can quickly gain a competitive advantage; for example, with solutions such as Building Information Modelling (BIM).
Hospitality
This is one of the sectors with the lowest digital GVA (less than 10%). True, it has incorporated technologies for reservations, payments or management, but its highly fragmented nature limits its transformation.
Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries
Despite the potential of precision farming, sensors and drones, digitalisation remains low due to a combination of low investment, a lack of digital talent, and the small size of many operations.
Real Estate
This remains one of the least digitalised sectors, despite the rise of proptech (a merge of the terms ‘property’ and ‘technology’ for specific technologies that improve services in the real estate sector). Investment in technology and the adoption of digital tools is still limited.
Key factors behind digital leadership
The most digitalised sectors share several common characteristics:
- Technology is a core part of the business (such as in the ICT sector)
- Ability to invest in digital assets
- High proportion of ICT specialists in the workforce
- Competitive pressure or need for constant innovation
- Intensive access to data and advanced use of analytical tools
Digitalisation is cross-sector, but uneven
Digitalisation is progressing in all sectors, though at different speeds. 84% of the growth in digital GVA between 2011 and 2023 is explained by the internal intensification within the sectors themselves, rather than by changes in the productive structure. This suggests a cross-cutting rather than purely sectoral transformation process.
In addition, a slight convergence among industries can be observed: the least digitalised sectors are moving faster, although structural barriers still play a significant role.
Towards a more digital, but not homogeneous, economy
From our point of view, and based on the data in this report, the challenge for the coming years is to expand digitalisation to all sectors, reduce structural barriers, and ensure that digital talent isn’t concentrated solely in a few leading activities. Digitalisation not only boosts productivity but also economic resilience. To this end, it will be key to:
- Invest in digital capital in lagging sectors
- Improve training and attraction of ICT specialists
- Adapt digitalisation to the context of each sector
- Design public policies that balance sectoral inequalities
The competitiveness of companies depends on accelerating this digital transformation. And in line with the Fifth Industrial Revolution, in an inclusive and sustainable way.
If your company is ready to take a decisive step toward digitalisation, Aritex will walk with you, providing solutions tailored to your sector. Contact us and find out how to transform your processes for greater competitiveness.
