Page 46 - Glass-Technology International no. 4-2019

CASE HISTORY

Being a partner for clients is one of the most important features for a steady and mutually

profitable relationship between glassworks and glass machinery manufacturers. And if

this special relationship lasts for over 20 years then it is sure to lead to development

and innovation too. This article gives us a perfect example of how the continuous

collaboration between Forel and Vidraria

Josè Pires, CFO
Mortagua has done this. of VIdraria Mortagua

T HE COMPANY metre production site,
AND ITS VISION
a workforce of over
“The important thing
turnover in excess of
is having a clear goal. It 100 and an annual
isn’t always necessary to EUR 10 million. The
know how to reach this company produces
goal already when you laminated and insu-
start: first you choose the lating glass for both
destination, and then you residential and com-
plot the route. Nonethe- mercial applications,
less, ambitious plans often in pane sizes up to
come with hurdles that and even beyond Jum-
can’t always be overcome bo format. While the
alone. And this is where company distributes
you need a partner, not its products directly
just a supplier, that can put within Portugal only, its orders. Our company then
the initial vision into focus clients supply a market continued to grow stead-
and transform the idea into extending throughout Eu- ily, and so we transferred
a project.” rope. For over 20 years, to a larger new plant and
These are the words of Vidraria Mortagua has increased the size of our
Josè Pires, Chief Finan- been using Forel machin- workforce. But when the
cial Officer of Vidraria ery for the production of recession came in around
Mortagua, one of the insulating glass, edge pro- 2010, we experienced a
leading glass-processing cessing and, more recent- drop in business like eve-
companies in the Iberian ly, laminated glass cutting. ryone else at the time. We
peninsula. Founded 30 had only two paths ahead
or so years ago by Nuno THE FIRST FOREL of use: we could either
Morais, the current CEO MACHINE close down to save us from
of the company, and Josè “We purchased our first financial loss or risk new
Pires, Vidraria Mortagua Forel double glass produc- investments. We asked
has grown from a small tion line in the late 1990s, ourselves what we could
artisanal business with and it is still in operation do to stand apart from our
around a dozen employ- today,” says Pires. “About competitors, and the an-
ees to become a struc- ten years later, we added swer was a project for a
tured industrial company a second Forel line to cater third double glass produc- Forel Flexible Profile Applicator
with an 18,000 square for the growing number of tion line: a line capable of

44 Glass-Technology International 4/2019