Augusto Vasconcelos
Canip Oezkul
Abílio Pereira
CEO of Elmate
He was born in Guimarães. From an early age he saw the world of work as a focus. His father died when Abílio was only four years old. His mother, his idol, was a fighter, raising four children at a time when there were many difficulties. Abílio Pereira has always worked in textiles. At the age of twenty he ventured out on his own. His wife, Belém, taught French, but after a few years she started working at the company. «And together we created this», Abílio tells us. A company with 52 employees, working for international brands, such as Ami Paris, Dior and Sézane.
In 1988 you created a knitwear company. What made you do this?
I wanted to be independent. When I started the company, it was a company that provided services to other companies. We were subcontractors. But my ambition, my project, was to get where I got to: to have twenty or so upright looms, and to get my own premises. I have a few more goals, but I don’t know if I will achieve them.
What goals? What would you like for Elmate in the future?
There is a machine, which came out twenty years ago, but which is now more effective, and which makes seamless pieces. In our field you find this a lot in t-shirts, in sports items. I went to Japan in early June to see the machines, the new technologies and I think it’s time to buy this machine. Though I don’t know if I’m going to invest, because I’m getting tired.
You’ve been through several crises... How did you overcome these phases?
I had very difficult periods. Around mid 2007, 2008, we were forced to make people redundant, which we did not want to do, because when we hire someone, we do so with the goal to make them part of the company family and to feel at home. This phase was very painful. But, despite all the fluctuations, we have managed to get where we are today. We are good, we have good clients and we work for good brands.
«My ambition was to get where I got to: to have twenty or so upright looms, and to get my own premises»
What markets do you work with?
Our strongest market is the French one. It’s the one that interests us most, because our French clients talk to each other and pass the news around that there is a company in Portugal that is very good.
What brands can we associate with Elmate?
At the moment we work with Ami Paris, which is a very well-known brand. With Dior, with Sézane, which is a brand that is only 5 or 6 years old, but which has a huge profile.
Is it easy to maintain a company of this size?
No, it’s getting harder every day, because labour is scarce. In terms of manufacture, we outsource a lot of things because there are no people to work. The weaving is all done in here, because it requires a lot of attention.
Do you work in the national market?
No. We have already worked in the national market and had many problems with some companies. Our focus is the international market: French, English, Dutch, Belgian, etc. Our biggest source of income is the French market, but we are working in other markets.
T.
Maria Cruz
P.
©PMC
