IDP honoured for Martorell battery plant project

On Tuesday 23 September 2026, engineering company IDP, a subsidiary of Bureau Veritas, received the 'Best Business Practice' award from the College and Association of Industrial Engineers of Catalonia. The ceremony took place at the Modernist Sant Pau Recinte in Barcelona as part of the 2026 Engineers' Day event. The award recognises IDP's advanced engineering work on the new battery cell assembly plant for SEAT at its industrial complex in Martorell. The jury described the facility as "key" to the transformation and electrification of the automotive sector in Catalonia and Europe.

High-tech plant to support electric vehicle production

IDP designed and launched the 72,659-square-metre facility within just over two years. The €300 million project supports the production of electric vehicle battery systems, with capacity to manufacture up to 1,200 batteries per day, one every 45 seconds, or 300,000 units annually. The plant includes a 550-metre automated transport bridge that directly connects to SEAT’s vehicle assembly line. Jurors praised the integration of engineering, digitalisation and sustainability using cutting-edge tools, as well as the effective coordination of a multidisciplinary team.

Senior officials attend recognition event

The awards ceremony was presided over by the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa. Also present were Maria Salamero, dean of the College of Industrial Engineers, and Xavier Rovira, president of the Association of Industrial Engineers. This year’s event, themed 'The Engineering of Life', highlighted how industrial solutions contribute to health, sustainability, wellbeing and societal progress.

The Engineering of Life theme underscores how technology serves human development and environmental resilience.

Alongside IDP’s award, Eloi Planes, executive chairman of Fluidra, received the Professional Career Award for his leadership in the multinational’s IPO, merger with US-based Zodiac, and entry into the Ibex-35 index. The Innovation Award went to a joint project by Nissan Barcelona Technical Centre and Lightyear to develop a solar-panel-equipped car prototype. Its integrated photovoltaic panels add 20–30 km of average range per day, halving the need for charging.

Reported by viaempresa.cat.