Based on a constant policy of quality, innovation, consistency and flexibility, Fibrauto has extended its area of action to the international markets, namely to Spain, France, Belgium and Switzerland.

In order to keep up with technological progress, this company has invested in a modern manufacturing line applied to its various production processes, has invested heavily in innovation, and is now prepared to offer innovative solutions in the markets where it operates.

According to Norberto Almeida, responsible for the company’s production, “Fibrauto can differentiate itself from other companies in the sector due to its constant improvement in both the processes and the diversity of products and raw materials that it is able to provide. The combination of the 3 companies makes us an important group for all our customers and partners.”

A pure symbiosis in 3 companies
Fibrauto group is divided into 3 companies: Fibrauto, Festruca and SER-ERTM.

Fibrauto carries out the manufacturing of polyester components. In this sense, it produces parts using various types of production processes, namely manual manufacturing, infusion and projection of resin and fiber, hand-lay-up, spray-up, RTM Light and 6 axis CNC robot machining.

Festruca, fábrica de estruturas de carroçarias Auto, Lda, is active in the manufacture of metal structures in the area of transport, metal components for various applications, namely, urban furniture.

Finally, SER-ERTM’s activity consists in the production of glass fiber parts in the process of resin injection, the so-called RTM Light (Resin Transfer Molding) process – transfer of resin by injection mold. The RTM Light molding process is widely used in the industry for manufacturing high quality components. Its advantage is in the construction of parts with finish on both surfaces, better control of the tolerance of the part, reduction of the emission of styrene in a cleaner working environment and mainly good productivity by the rapid molding cycle.

The strategy behind the division was simple, according to Norberto Almeida: “to separate the different areas in which each company has specialized, making the symbiosis of the 3 give customers high quality products / price and production time.” “Our customers look to us as an added value group to their final product, because the diversity of products that we can provide with different processes and technologies makes us the ideal partner and differentiator of the rest of the companies in the industry”.

Fibrauto and the alpha-pendular remodeling
Since 2006, Fibrauto has had a commercial relationship with EMEF (Empresa de Manutenção e Equipamento Ferroviário) and CP (Comboios de Portugal), regarding the supply of components for existing trains.

In 2016 a public contest was opened for the renovation of the new alpha-pendular and Fibrauto group, as it met all the conditions to provide a good service, competed with 3 more foreign companies.

According to Norberto Almeida, “the symbiosis that exists in the Fibrauto group was fundamental to the success of this operation, because with the collaboration of the three companies the result is being a success – and impact – on Fibrauto both nationally and internationally.”

A partnership that “made perfect sense”
Fibrauto and Fibrenamics have been working in partnership for some time and in several projects. Norberto Almeida says that in 2011, in one of the visits to international fairs that Fibrauto regularly does, the opportunity to invest in a project with natural fibers was identified. Since Fibrauto had been invited to participate in a program that Fibrenamics had carried out on the dissemination of the extraordinary world of fibers, the company soon realized that promoting such a partnership made perfect sense.

“Today the research centers have a relationship of proximity and exchange with other centers around the world and are inserted in networks that seek to boost and accelerate production with innovative products and higher value added. For this reason, the partnership with Fibrenamics has been an added value for Fibrauto and for all our customers“, said Fibrauto.

Within this partnership, there are several projects, some already completed, others under way and many others that are expected to come soon.

For the future, Norberto Almeida is very pragmatic: “we intend to follow the policy of innovation and growth, which we have followed over the years, in the production of fiber parts.” For this, Fibrauto intends to continue the policy of investments in new technologies, specialization of production processes and optimization of material and human resources, always focused on the quality of processes and products. In this sense, “we count on the contribution and knowledge of the Fibrenamics team to achieve these goals”, concludes Norberto Almeida.

Date: May/2017
Interviewed: Norberto Almeida, Director - Fibrauto