The new center, located in Valladolid, will be a benchmark in advanced industrial production and specialized training for people with disabilities.
Grupo Lincean entity belonging to Fundación Personas, today inaugurated the first Center for Social Additive Manufacturing (CFAS) in Castilla y León, in the presence of Leticia García, Minister of Industry, Trade and Employment, and Emma Fernández, Director General of Social Economy and the Self-Employed. This innovative space aims to promote the labor inclusion of people with disabilities in emerging technological sectors such as 3D printing, consolidating Grupo Lince as a benchmark in the social economy and advanced industry.
The new center, which has more than 1,500 m², houses two strategic areas: the Social Additive Manufacturing Center (FAS), focused on the production of industrial parts through 3D printing, and the EPIC CENTER (Interconnected Training and Production Center), where people with disabilities are trained in specialized jobs related to the industrial sector. This space has been conceived not only to provide services to sectors such as the automotive, aerospace and health sectors, but also to develop its own projects that enhance the autonomy of people in a situation of dependence.
Ángeles García, president of Fundación Personas, highlighted during the inauguration: “This center not only opens new doors to labor inclusion in a sector of the future, but also reinforces our commitment to offer real opportunities for professional development to people with disabilities. This project would not have been possible without the unconditional support of the Regional Ministry of Industry and its Industry 4.0 and training with hiring commitment programs.”
For his part, Daniel Clavero, CEO of Fundación Personas, stressed the importance of diversifying the sectors in which the Grupo Lince Special Employment Center operates: “We want Castilla y León to position itself at the forefront of technology. This center will allow us to break down barriers and be part of a more inclusive labor transformation. Our ambition is to have people with disabilities working here who will lead innovative projects, such as the first employee with intellectual disabilities and a master’s degree in Additive Manufacturing.”
A key collaboration with the Junta de Castilla y León
The new Center for Social Additive Manufacturing has been financially supported by the Junta de Castilla y Leónthrough various programs that promote technological modernization, training and job creation for people with disabilities. Since the beginning of the legislature, the Junta has increased its budget for Special Employment Centers by 47%, reaching 34.8 million euros in 2024.
During the ceremony, Councilor Leticia García said, “This project is a clear example of how innovation, training and commitment to labor inclusion can transform the industrial fabric of our region, positioning people with disabilities as key players in high-tech sectors.”
A benchmark in inclusion and technology
Grupo Lince, with a workforce of more than 750 employees, 90% of whom are disabled, continues to demonstrate that labor inclusion and technological innovation are not mutually exclusive, but complementary. With the CFAS, it is expected not only to generate job opportunities, but also to contribute to the competitiveness of companies in Castilla y León, with high quality products and services, in sectors as demanding as the automotive and aerospace industries.
About Fundación Personas
Fundación Personas was created in 2008 by five associations in Castilla y León: ADECAS Guardo, ASPANIS Palencia, APADEFIM Segovia, ASPRONA Valladolid and ASPROSUB Zamora. Our mission is to improve the quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. To do this we provide comprehensive services, in the environment and covering all stages of the life cycle of a person. The founding associations belong to the Plena Inclusion family movement and bring 60 years of experience, share innovation and foster mutual collaboration.
With a regional presence, we are present in 30 towns in Castilla y León, urban centers and rural areas, where we attend to situations of disability or dependence and provide support for the promotion of personal autonomy. We also offer support and training to people at risk of social exclusion. Our activity is governed by criteria of quality and proximity in care; efficiency and transparency in management; equal opportunities, accessibility and respect for diversity as a driver of social transformation.
In the educational-care area, we manage 5,300 places daily in 75 centers, distributed in more than 30 locations in Valladolid, Palencia, Segovia and Zamora. In the labor area, Fundación Personas has 3 Special Employment Centers (CEE) Lince Group S.L.U., APADEFIM 2000 S.L.U.. and CEE Fundación Personas – with a workforce of 939 employees, more than 90% of whom have some type of disability.
FOUNDATION PEOPLE IN FIGURES:
- 5,300 places (disability and risk of exclusion)
- 2,500 people with disabilities served
- 3,000 families social base
- 75 operational work centers
- 30 locations in CyL
- 5 Delegations
- 3 Special Employment Centers
- 1,800 professionals
- 850 workers with disabilities
- 939 total workforce
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