Amid the green and digital transition of infrastructures and buildings, Portugal’s Construction and Building Materials (CCBM) cluster stands out for its skills and competitive advantages that ensure its success worldwide. Comprised mostly of family-owned SMEs, these two major sectors invest heavily in innovation and technology. The result has been an average annual growth over the past five years of 14.5 per cent in service exports and 8.9 per cent in goods exports.
The construction and building materials sectors have traditionally maintained a strong export focus. Last year, they accounted for 2.2 per cent of Portugal’s total service exports and 6 per cent of total goods exports. Collectively, these sectors encompass over 151,000 companies, employing more than 612,000 people, with a combined turnover reaching 55 billion euros in 2023.
These industries have also distinguished themselves through their ability to embrace emerging trends, particularly in areas such as industrialisation, sustainability, digitalisation of the built environment, and e-commerce — all of which have been instrumental to their growth.
In the construction sector, key competitive advantages include its adaptability and international outlook, extensive expertise in rehabilitation, and a reputation for high-quality traditional craftsmanship. Other notable strengths lie in the sector’s technical excellence, attention to detail, and the close collaboration between engineers, architects, and landscape designers – resulting in distinctive projects rich in cultural identity. The sector also stands out for its proven capability to deliver engineering solutions and infrastructure on a global scale.
These factors have been instrumental in driving export growth. In construction services, the trade balance remains positive, with exports rising from 736 million euros in 2020 to 1.265 million euros in 2024 – representing an average annual growth rate of 14.5 per cent.
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