(Catalan Cork Manufacturers' Association. )

The Catalan Cork Manufacturers' Association (AECORK), created in 1977 and grouping more than 90% of companies in the sector, in view of the difficulty to compete in the cost arena, and with the aim of responding to the growing demands of part of the end users for quality - especially in the case of stoppers -, committed itself at the end of the 80s to a strategy of improving the industry's competitiveness through technological innovation and product differentiation.

In 1991, following AECORK's proposal, the Government of Catalonia created the public consortium Catalan Cork Institute to articulate the sector's strategies through general action plans emphasising the maximum use of the already existing competitive advantages of quality, image, technology, etc. Moreover, the predominantly public nature of its funding lends greater objectivity to its activities.

The members of this consortium are:
* Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism, through the General Directorate of Industry which chairs the consortium.
* AECORK - Catalan Cork Manufacturers' Association.
* Department of Agriculture, Livestock Breeding and Fishing of the Government of Catalonia.
* Forestry Consortium of Catalonia.
* Chambers of Commerce of Palamós and Sant Feliu de Guíxols.
* Town councils of Palafrugell, Sant Feliu de Guíxols and Cassà de la Selva.
* University of Girona.
* Autonomous University of Barcelona.