06:19:04 Tuesday, 19th March

  • Paços de Ferreira

If we're talking about the furniture industry then we must talk about Paços de Ferreira, a city and municipality in the district of Porto, where the largest number of companies in this sector can be found (around 4,000 companies and 35 thousand workers) — that is why it is known as the "Furniture Capital".

Furniture exports, which currently stand at around 80%, have been increasing each year. The companies in this sector, including those from Paços de Ferreira, export not only to Europe (Spain, France, Italy), but also to countries as far as South Korea, China, Brazil, Russia and the United States of America. The investment that has been made in winning new markets has been successful, the idea also being to attract tourists to Paços de Ferreira, as it is cheaper to buy furniture in this municipality than in any other point of export.

Major furniture companies, such as AM Classic, are based in this municipality. This company was founded in 1962 and is highly renowned in over 40 countries throughout the world for its high quality products, where only the best wood is used to produce English and French-style furniture, which can be tailor-made to the taste of each customer. Manufactured by workers with extensive experience and knowledge, the products are unique and of even greater value as they are finished by hand. This company participates in the most important international fairs to show its latest collections, satisfying the wishes of even the most discerning customers. Rafael Nadal, the world-renowned tennis player, chose Portuguese furniture from AM Classic for his home in Marbella. Furniture from this Portuguese company is also in the favourites list of the US Army.

The Paços de Ferreira Business Association (Associação Empresarial de Paços de Ferreira) holds a major exhibition of the companies in this sector, which is called the 'Furniture Capital'. At this event, companies showcase their collections, make important contacts and do business deals. It really is the biggest furniture fair in the country.

Paredes, a neighbouring municipality of Paços de Ferreira that also belongs to the district of Porto, is its major competitor in this sector. This is where WoodOne is located, the second biggest furniture factory in Portugal (after the multinational IKEA) and national leader in school furniture. This company has been in existence for 60 years and exports to countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Mozambique, Angola, Kuwait and Qatar, among others.