ICF and the ACG Merger and Acquisition Platform have held the first edition of the 20 to 100 Programme, whose objective is to promote the growth of Catalonia's business community. This series of conferences was set up with the aim of publicising successful businesses that have grown in recent years, through the testimony of their managers.

About one hundred companies, investment funds and business associations attended this first event, which showcased three leading Catalan manufacturing companies: Audax Energia, Frit Ravich and MAT Holding.

The conference, held at the Palau Robert, was opened by Josep-Ramón Sanromà, CEO of ICF, and Xavier Pérez Farguell, President of ACG Barcelona.

Mr Sanromà explained that "Catalan companies need to grow to be able to innovate, digitise and operate in a global framework". He added that "in Catalonia there are 4,800 companies that, with a turnover between 10 and 50 million euros, have the opportunity to grow organically or through acquisitions" and that, for them to do so, "ICF offers multiple financing solutions via direct financing, guarantees and venture capital".

For his part, the President of ACG Barcelona highlighted the importance of the event to "show entrepreneurs that growth is possible, either through acquisitions or via mergers". "To increase productivity, growth is indispensable," he emphasised.

Subsequently, a round table was held, in which José Elias, CEO of the Audax energy group, Judith Viader, General Manager of Frit Ravich, and Pau Relat, CEO of MAT Holding, took part. During the discussion, the entrepreneurs described the growth strategy of their respective companies and the challenges they expect to face in coming years.

José Elías explained that his company has chosen to grow on the stock market and through acquisitions. The head of Audax encouraged SMEs to use the financial markets in their future plans and stressed that "in this country there is little interest in increasing the size of businesses through the purchase of companies. Banks must lead the process, because they are a very important agency for SMEs to grow". Audax, which was the first company to issue corporate bonds in the MARF market, has entered a new market every year. "We sell energy from Tarifa to Warsaw," Mr Elias said.

Frit Ravich's growth strategy has been very different since its creation in 1963. The food company has based its business on increasing its size through organic growth. "We have been non-conformists and have focused on constantly renewing our product. And on people's enthusiasm. If you don't have that, it's difficult to grow," said CEO Judith Viader. The company plans investment of around 20 million euros between 2018 and 2020 to expand its production capacity.

Ms Viader and the CEO of MAT Holding, Pau Relat, agreed that it was indispensable for companies to have a well-defined growth plan. Mr Relat insisted that "acquisitions should have a multiplier effect on the company's perimeter. Buying exclusively to achieve planned synergies makes no sense, because the cost reductions never materialise." MAT Holding has carried out a corporate operation in each of the last four years.

As part of this programme to promote business growth, ICF and AGC will organise a new conference during the second half of the year to publicise more successful business cases.