Over the last decade, a lot of hard work and great developmental strides have been taken in the Portuguese mold industry, leading to it placing eighth in the world and third in Europe for mould production.
In fact, the mold sector is firmly committed to finding solutions to the many challenges 2020 will bring; challenges that are coming about due to the new technologies and know-how we have access to. Only by staying ahead of the curve will the sector be able to position itself ahead of its international competitors, therefore consolidating the reputation it has come to make for itself.
Rapid technological development and the assimilation of new processes will inevitably have to become a part of the investment made by Portuguese companies. Automation, digitisation or “zero defects” manufacturing will increasingly become the reality faced. This will require the sector to invest in the processes necessary to make this possible, so that it can maintain its position.
Investing in innovation is unavoidable, but valuing the human resources within the sector is also essential. And this will mean pushing and training human capital. It is therefore crucial to retain and invest in current employees, as well as attracting new skills and talents.
Other aspects that will condition the way in which all companies will operate, on a global scale, are: market instability, political-economic uncertainties, the commercial policies put in place by economic lobbies, the lack of clarity about new mobility concepts that may arise, environmental policies, new technologies and materials, as well as more demanding clients, to name but a few. For all these reasons, it is imperative that companies keep up the hard work so that they can remain focused and increasingly competitive.
