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EU PolicyWatch

Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure ES-2020-13/1475 – measures in Spain

Repsol adapts part of its production to hydroalcoholic gel

Repsol adapta parte de su producción al gel hidroalcohólico

Country Spain , applies locally

    • – ES3 COMUNIDAD DE MADRID
Time period Open ended, started on 25 March 2020
Context COVID-19
Type Company practices
Category Reorientation of business activities
– Change of production/Innovation
Author Alejandro Godino (UAB)
Measure added 26 November 2020 (updated 15 February 2021)

Background information

After the state of alarm decreed in 14 March and given the deficit of disinfectant gel, Repsol, the fossil fuel multinational company based in Spain, adapted its production facilities for motorbike competition lubricant in its Technology Lab (Mostoles) to produce hydroalcoholic gel to donate to hospitals and health centers together with protective material for health personnel.

Content of measure

The Repsol Technology Lab is one of the most important centers of the company in Europe, becoming a technological benchmark in which all kinds of products and lubricants are conceived for the most important motor racing competitions in the world. After the initial impact of the pandemic, the Lab adapted its activity to generate 3,000 liters of hydroalcoholic gel per week to donate to hospitals and health centers. Likewise, Repsol delivered machinery to the Hospital de La Paz (Madrid) to carry out 500 PCR tests as well as protective material: more than 500,000 masks and more than 2,600 protective suits, mostly to the Ministry of Health.

Use of measure

250 of the 400 workers of the Repsol Technology Lab adapted their tasks to reorient their activity to the production of hydroalcoholic gel. According to the manager of the Center's Technological Support and Experimentation Area at the head of the initiative, the experience and predisposition of the workers was essential for this rapid reconversion process.

Contents

  • Work organisation

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Does not apply to businesses Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
Company / Companies
Companies

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Unknown Unknown
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • Unknown
  • Main level of involvement: Company level

Involvement

No involvement of social partners.

Views and reactions

CEOE, the largest Spanish EO, held an event in June with some of the main Spanish companies, including Repsol, to highlight the commitment of all companies to the health and economic recovery of Spain.

Sectors and occupations

    • Economic area Sector (NACE level 2)
      C - Manufacturing C19 Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2020), Repsol adapts part of its production to hydroalcoholic gel, measure ES-2020-13/1475 (measures in Spain), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/ES-2020-13_1475.html

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Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.