Only in 2015, the company, based in Guimarães, has invested about 300,000 euros in new technologies to expand its business area, from home textiles, which still occupy 60% of production, to products more connected with the fashion’s world. «We have entered in this area three years ago, but last year we made a substantial investment and we are developing new things», said Eduardo Neves, one of the company’s administrators, in an article published in Jornal Têxtil’s March issue.
Solutions of lamination, foam bonding and membranes and application of polyester films by hot melt are part of the proposals in the fashion area, which for three years now joined the portfolio of textile lamination services, direct bonding and coatings with thermo‐adhesive and self‐adhesive films to various sectors, including footwear, automotive, construction, health and sport.
«Fashion is going quite well, these last couple of years have been very good, we have had plenty demand in this type of article – we have already increased the number of machines because of this business area», revealed the administrator. «We mainly managed to lower our costs and continue to maintain a great quality for the customer», he added.
And since “technology at the service of creativity” is one of the official slogans, Coltec has now more people in the product development department, bringing the number of employees to 41 people.
The turnover of the company, which exports directly and indirectly about 90% of its production, remained virtually unchanged in 2015, around 5 million euros. A value that meanwhile is expected to rise. «Since we are able to make things with more added value, we have had more demand. We hope that, in the future, it might bear fruit. Indeed, we are convinced it will», said Eduardo Neves.
Having Spain, France and Belgium as major markets, Coltec is still trying to reach new destinations, namely the United States. «I think the present circumstances, with the current situation of dollar, are very interesting for our company. But yet we are establishing the first contacts», highlighted the administrator.
For now, the first indicators are positive, as well as the sales recorded in January and February. «Compared with January and February last year, we have had an increase of around 10%», he noted. However, the target for the whole year is more modest, with an increase of 5%. «The domestic market is recovering, especially in the fashion field, but the growth will be mainly in exports», said the administrator.
