Corrugados Azpeitia, located in the center of Azpeitia, closed definitely in 2013. It is ready for foundry and has a long history in the village. In 2013, they fired the last 40 workers out of the 300 and closed the plant.

In 2019 the US investment fund Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) purchased Gallardo Balboa, owner of Corrugados Azpeitia and Corrugados Lasao, which has about 30 employees. The following year the Gallardo Balboa group was acquired by Ricardo Loyen in Grupo Industrial CL (Cristian Lay). In recent years the rumour has been repeated that the plant will be reopened.

In recent weeks, however, the opening of Corrugados Azpeitia has been threatened by the stronger wind than ever. The meeting between Cristian Lay, the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and the Azpeitia City Hall was held last week to discuss the possibility.

The municipal PNV group in Azpeitia issued a note earlier this month asking the mayor “courage” for Corrugados Azpeitia to get back on track. The municipal group stressed that the project of the Cristian Lay group has the support of the Basque Government and the Provincial Council. This pressure has been heightened following the meeting with the company and the institutions, which have denied any pressure whatsoever.

The mayor, Nagore Alkorta, explained in a hearing about the plan to start the plant that the City Hall is "very interested" in starting the activity of Corrugados in Azpeitia. But there are some obstacles. On the one hand, the company has not submitted an economic plan. On the other hand, the plant located in the urban area cannot be implemented, since in the General Plan of Urbanism approved in 2013 this area changed from being industrial to being of services and housing.

In addition, steel furnaces are waiting for technical ignition reports so close to the urban area, and Alkorta has pointed out that it can be considered “almost certain” that there will be insufficient guarantees for the use of the facilities located in the urban area. The Municipal Government of Azpeitia has proposed to transfer the facilities of Corrugados Azpeitia to the Trukutxo area for the start-up of the plant, as approved in the 2013 General Plan.

In view of this, the Basque Government Minister for Economic Development and Infrastructure, Arantxa Tapia, stated in ETB1 that the General Plan that prevents the implementation of Corrugados Azpeitia in its current location can be modified by the approval of a Special Plan. In this sense, he warned that the transfer "is not viable" and the start of the plant would be delayed, so "with a little will he can seek a solution" to the City Hall.

In addition, the Deputy for Economic Promotion, Tourism and Rural Environment of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, Jabier Larrañaga, has asked the City of Azpeitia to "not put obstacles" to the "real will" of the company Cristian Lay, but "take the necessary steps".