Focus on Portugal Investment Immigration and Portugal's Economic Environment: Portugal's mold products are primarily injection molds, with the main users in the mold industry being automobile manufacturers. Almost all major global automotive companies, such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Toyota, Ford, General Motors, and Citroën, are clients of Portuguese mold companies. 70% of Portugal's mold products are sold to automobile manufacturers.
The Portuguese mold industry began in 1943 and has developed over several decades to rank among the world's leading producers of precision injection molds. Portuguese molds have gained market recognition due to their strong technical expertise, accumulated experience, high-quality products, advanced technology, strict delivery times, and reasonable prices.
Renowned multinational companies in the automotive, packaging, electronics, communications, and home appliance industries are increasingly adopting molds and related services designed and produced by Portuguese mold companies. China and Portugal excel in different aspects of mold production; China is a major mold production country, while Portugal is a stronghold of mold technology.
Despite Portugal's smaller economic scale, its mold industry ranks 10th in the world, with injection molds ranking 6th globally. Currently, there are 532 companies in the Portuguese mold industry, employing a total of 8,250 people. The industry is primarily composed of small and medium-sized enterprises, with companies employing over 100 people considered larger enterprises. The industry is mainly concentrated in the central city of Marinha Grande and the northern city of Oliveira de Azeméis, accounting for 65% and 35%, respectively. In 2011, the total output value of the Portuguese mold industry reached 350 million euros.
The Portuguese mold industry has a clear export orientation. Portugal's mold industry achieved its first exports as early as 1955, with products initially sold to the United Kingdom. By the 1980s, Portuguese mold products were exported to over 50 countries. Currently, 90% of Portuguese mold products are for export, reaching over 80 countries worldwide. Companies are active in various specialized fields of the international mold market, providing full-service from concept design to final product delivery. In 2010, Portugal's mold exports reached 318 million euros, accounting for 90.86% of total production. Germany, Spain, France, the Czech Republic, and Mexico are the top five export markets for Portuguese molds.
