Fernando Gastaldo Lázaro re-elected president of AFMEC
He will continue leading the Spanish Association of Machining and Metalworking, reinforcing the sector’s commitment to innovation, talent, and technological transformation
Fernando Gastaldo Lázaro, CEO of Factor, has been re-elected president of AFMEC (Spanish Association of Machining and Metalworking) during the assembly held as part of Advanced Manufacturing Day 2026.
The reelection marks the continuation of a roadmap launched in 2024, characterized by a roadmap focused on strengthening the metalworking sector through innovation, digitalization, industrial automation, attracting talent, business collaboration, international outreach, and industrial sustainability.
AFMEC brings together companies involved in machining, metal forming, metal fabrication, and other strategic areas related to metalworking, serving as a platform for representation, collaboration, and advancement within the advanced manufacturing industry.
During his remarks at the event commemorating the association’s tenth anniversary, Fernando noted that “AFMEC is not just an association, but a reflection of a sector with its own identity, values, and an enormous capacity for evolution”.
He also highlighted the metalworking industry’s capacity for transformation in the face of current challenges, stating that “we are a sector that brings precision, technology, and reliability to the entire industry, but also a sector that looks to the future”.
During his speech, Fernando also highlighted some of the sector’s key strategic challenges, such as attracting and developing talent, advancing digitalization and automation, diversifying into new markets, and the need to remain competitive in an increasingly demanding global environment.
In this context, he also highlighted the role of AFMEC and AFM CLUSTER as an ecosystem for business collaboration, knowledge sharing, and driving industrial innovation, emphasizing the importance of continuing to project the image of a strong, modern sector with a promising future.
Following his reelection, Fernando expressed his gratitude for “the trust of the members and the support of the Board of Directors,” reaffirming his commitment to the sector’s growth and to the consolidation of an increasingly competitive, innovative, and collaborative industrial model.
This continuity at the helm of AFMEC further reinforces Factor’s commitment to industrial development, industry collaboration, technological evolution, and the future competitiveness of the metalworking sector.
