Amidst the cries of seagulls and the sound of waves, the horn of a large cruise ship blares off the coast of Barcelona. It is one of many that dock at the huge harbour every day. It has seven cruise terminals, of which Terminal D, also known as ‘Palacruceros’, was recently modernised and is now equipped with high-quality sliding doors from Gilgen Door Systems. Gilgen's local partner installed four door systems in the first stage of the refurbishment and a further six in the second stage.
Partner exclusively distributes Gilgen products
The partner Obrematic Puertas Automaticas Peatonales sold and installed all ten door systems and is responsible for maintenance. The Spanish company, founded by the Sans brothers, employs eight people and is the exclusive distributor of Gilgen systems. Obrematic supplies not only the city centre, which has a population of around 1.6 million, but also the catchment area of the Barcelona metropolitan area, which is home to a further 3.2 million people. But it's not just Barcelonians who use the Gilgen doors in the city - heaps of tourists also visit Barcelona every year.
Largest cruise harbour in Europe
Barcelona is the most visited city in Spain and the city on the Mediterranean that recorded by far the most cruise tourism in 2023. The size of the modernised terminal makes this clear: the ‘Palacruceros’ measures around 10,000 square metres. Designed by Italian architects, Terminal D welcomes some of the approximately 3.6 million passengers who disembark or board a cruise ship in Barcelona every year. Gilgen door systems are able to cope with these crowds: the SL drive systems have TÜV certification with three million cycles for intensive continuous operation.
