Pedrosa & Rodrigues is ending 2025 without growth, but with results considered positive by Ana Rodrigues, product manager at the Barcelos-based garment manufacturer. «We were expecting a shake-up this year, with a contraction. But the truth is that we managed to maintain last year’s business levels», she notes.
Turnover is expected to be around €15 million, in line with 2024, and for the product manager at Pedrosa & Rodrigues – and the second generation involved in the family business –, «considering the current climate» in the textile and clothing industry, «maintaining what we were already doing» represents a good performance.
At a strategic level, the company’s main focus is Circlo, a project specialising in the reuse of cutting waste generated during the garment manufacturing process, which is recycled by Sasia and transformed into new raw materials. Although its financial contribution is still «marginal», Ana Rodrigues considers Circlo crucial to the future, particularly in light of European regulatory requirements. «Different brands are more or less interested in or prepared for this issue of circularity. But we know that some of them will wake up to it overnight», explains the product manager at Pedrosa & Rodrigues, adding that circularity at the company «is not a conceptual exercise; it is a business. We have already fulfilled orders for very demanding brands. So, we know that this is relevant and that it makes sense». The company positions itself as an advocate of mechanical recycling, for now rejecting chemical processes, «until a clean process is available».
Employment, technology and strategic flexibility
At the same time, Pedrosa & Rodrigues has been investing in the technological modernisation of its factory, including internal logistics solutions that reduce repetitive tasks, such as the introduction of a robot. The aim, Ana Rodrigues explains, is to free up employees for higher value-added roles, since «it is a tremendous waste to use people’s time and intelligence on repetitive or unproductive tasks».
Internally, Ana Rodrigues identifies the combination of experience and new generations as one of the company’s main strengths, valuing the exchange between «veteran and young» employees, which fosters a culture of continuous learning and adaptation to change. Pedrosa & Rodrigues believes that the introduction of new technologies is only successful when employees understand the purpose of the change and its associated benefits, while encouraging younger employees to question processes and propose improvements.
Among the current challenges is the need for alignment with customers, in a context where many brands are rethinking supply chains and product strategies, requiring flexibility. Production in Morocco, through subcontracted factories, has declined significantly in recent years due to intense price pressure and customers relocating to even more competitive locations. Even so, the company maintains its own quality control teams on the ground.
As for 2026, in a scenario where «it is so difficult to make projections because the unthinkable is constantly happening», the company has not set formal turnover targets, with the priority being to maintain operations and safeguard jobs. «If we maintain our business levels and, above all, if we maintain the 115 jobs we have here, it will be a good year», stresses Ana Rodrigues.
