A resilient chemical industry looks to the future with optimism at the Expoquimia Gala Dinner

The Oval Hall of the MNAC hosted the Expoquimia 2026 gala dinner, marking the show's 60th anniversary and Equiplast's 40th with 700 guests, including executives from chemical companies and client sectors, professional associations and public administration. The evening was presided over by Spain's Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, joined by Catalan minister Miquel Sàmper, Fira de Barcelona president Pau Relat, and the presidents of Expoquimia, Carles Navarro, and Equiplast, Bernd Roegele. Keynote speaker Katja Scharpwinkel, member of BASF SE's Executive Board and former Cefic vice-president, stressed that chemistry is a solid, resilient sector ready to lead the green transition, calling this a key moment for investment decisions and for a simpler regulatory framework that safeguards Europe's competitiveness and strategic autonomy. Ahead of the gala, some thirty CEOs from firms such as BASF, Dow, Covestro, Henkel Ibérica and Air Liquide met the political representatives. Best-in-class awards went to Lefance, L'Oréal Groupe, Almirall and Moeve for chemistry-driven industrial transformation and to Seat & Cupra for plastics circularity, with special recognitions for Vicenç Muñoz (Quimidroga), Moeve and, posthumously, Miguel Burdeos, president of SPB and Quimacova, who died in the 2024 DANA floods. Expoquimia and Equiplast, with 800 exhibitors, run until 5 June at Gran Via.