Limalha

Creating distinctive pieces that make all the difference is no easy task. Nor is it for everyone. And creating them with design and art has been the purpose of Limalha. A Portuguese company dedicated to the production and design of hardware and fittings. A universe of products that bring divine detail to a house, a hotel, a project.
The company started operating in 2009, in the architecture metalwork sector, with the creation of staircases, handrails, etc. In 2014, it becomes a brand – Limalha –, focusing more on the furniture segment, after already having been working in the sector since 2011. «There were no companies with the capacity to respond in this sector and we took advantage of this and entered the market,» says Ricardo Costa, the founder. Ricardo didn’t work in the area when he started, but it was the «lack of product in the market, as well as companies losing know-how, and some even closing down», that led him to invest in this sector. He quickly realised that there were only about 15 companies manufacturing this type of product in Europe. «And we associate the part played by metalsmithing in the manufacture of handles, using hand chiselling techniques [chiselling is a technique that allows volumes, reliefs and textures to be created]. Basically, they end up becoming jewellery applied to architecture,» he alludes. He adds: «From the moment we entered the hardware and fittings sector we were given two markets, the hardware and fittings market and the furniture market.»

Today, 14 years later, the company is already a national benchmark. It has 20 employees – between foundry, finishing, assembly and back office –, and with a perspective of exporting 80% of its products to Europe. «Initially, we employed metalworkers to produce hardware, but we realised that the metalworking technique left the handle with many imperfections.» As there was labour available in the market when it came to hand chiselling, the company started hiring artisans. And the production process is astonishing: first, the creative team develops the handle, 3D prints it, casts it, and then the artisans come in, specialising in traditional and innovative techniques, who hand chisel, retouching and finishing. They are the ones who guarantee that the quality of the final product meets the client’s expectations.
In addition to handles, skirting, lift facings, among other things, Limalha produces many pieces of furniture, authentic pieces of art. 80% are designer pieces. «We have some of our own furniture ranges and we are focusing mainly on the development of outdoor furniture pieces.»When it comes to furniture they produce tables, chairs, consoles, candlesticks, washbasins, a lot of things. Limalha works with brass, copper, iron, stainless steel, bronze. And most of the pieces are made using the same casting technique as the one they use for the handles. 

Limalha gives a 50-years guarantee on its hardware and fittings

The company combines design, modernity, the classic with consumer taste. They are timeless pieces. With Limalha’s products we imagine a home with its own style. In which the furniture inspires standards and takes us back in time. Here, imagination has no limits, and each piece portrays memories and styles.
The company is present in the domestic market, in Europe and is now entering Saudi Arabia. We are talking about a luxury market. «More than 90% is for the luxury segment. Even in Portugal, these new investments that have been coming about are very much geared towards the luxury market, which are our clients,» Ricardo explains.
And how do clients get to Limalha? A lot come through word of mouth, through those who have already had the opportunity to work with the company and to see the incredible final result on each piece. And how long does it take to produce the pieces? A month, if we’re talking about the handles, and between two to three months, if we’re talking about furniture, between the prototype and the order. Limalha has the majority of its handles in stock and «what we don’t make for stock we use 3D printing and more advanced technology and we also manage to produce faster.» 30% of clients send the design and the team produces it. «Our goal by 2030 is to enter the mass market as far as handles are concerned. To make this a better-known product and easier for the client to access. Because, normally, the handles are normally sold by antique shops and they sell few, because they don’t have enough know-how. And we have come to realise that in the Iberian market, there are three companies in Madrid that are also producing, and in France as well, where they give delivery time of eight to nine months. We want to attract that market share a little, so that Portugal has a factory comparable to those that already exist,» concluded Ricardo.

Limalha wants a product on a global scale. Besides the classic ranges, they have modern, highly organic ranges, and some designer pieces. And they are also establishing some partnerships with visual artists.
The success of Limalha, a highly reputed brand among architects, clients and final consumers, is due to the quality and design of the product, factors that set it apart, which means they work with international brands. Many of the projects are exclusive, which requires a more demanding and rigorous production process. Limalha enables its clients to have innovative or classic hardware and fittings, as it has a collection of moulds, some boasting more than 250 years of history, while always with an approach to design trends. Limalha expresses its own style. Old techniques are combined with the modern. Memories are created. Eager to see for yourself? You can always stop off in São João da Madeira, Oporto, and visit the factory where everything happens.