AER Automation Celebrates 40 Years: Barcelona Declaration Propels Spain to the Forefront of Robotics Innovation

AER Automation marked its 40th anniversary with a landmark event at DFactory Barcelona, drawing over 130 industry leaders and premier international associations—including VDMA, A3 – Association for Advancing Automation, International Federation of Robotics (IFR), and Odense Robotics. The institutional opening, led by Joan Romero i Circuns from ACCIÓ alongside Carles Miranda Sánchez, set the tone for a day dedicated to celebrating strategic collaboration and technological advancement.

The highlight of the gathering came with the signing of the “Barcelona Declaration on Robotics & Automation” by five prominent figures: Jeff Burnstein (A3), Susanne Bieller (IFR), Søren Elmer Kristensen (Odense), Patrick Schwarzkopf (VDMA), and Carlos Méndez (President of AER Automation). This declaration emphasizes a shared vision for a resilient, competitive, sustainable, and human-centered industry, with commitments to advancing industrial competitiveness, labour force development, workplace safety, and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

As a board member and active participant, BitMetrics is proud to support AER’s mission. This milestone event not only reinforces Spain’s emergence as a vital hub for robotics and automation but also reaffirms our commitment to ethical innovation, international cooperation, and the pursuit of smart, human-first automation for the future.