A new sports footwear factory is set to begin operations later this year in Barcelos, as part of an investment led by the French company Advanced Shoe Factory (ASF 4.0), which could create around 600 jobs in the region.
In the initial phase, the factory, currently under construction in the parish of Silveiros, is set to start operations in July with two production lines, generating around 210 jobs and an initial annual capacity of 500,000 pairs of shoes.
The project, however, envisages a gradual expansion over the coming years. By 2030, the facility is expected to reach an annual production of 1.5 million pairs and employ up to 580 workers, establishing itself as one of the major recent investments in the sector in Portugal.
Covering an area of around 4,200 square metres, the factory has been established with the support of the local council, through the Investment Support Office, and is initially set to produce for the Salomon brand, a long-standing partner of ASF 4.0.
Part of the French group Chamatex, ASF 4.0 counts among its investors figures such as Carlos Tavares and Olympic judoka Teddy Riner, with the project having been financed through a capital increase of around seven million euros, supplemented by bank credit.
For the local authority, this investment could play a pivotal role, not only because of its direct impact on employment, but also because of its ability to attract new industrial projects to the municipality, thereby strengthening Barcelos’s position within Portugal’s footwear cluster.
APICCAPS
In the initial phase, the factory, currently under construction in the parish of Silveiros, is set to start operations in July with two production lines, generating around 210 jobs and an initial annual capacity of 500,000 pairs of shoes.
The project, however, envisages a gradual expansion over the coming years. By 2030, the facility is expected to reach an annual production of 1.5 million pairs and employ up to 580 workers, establishing itself as one of the major recent investments in the sector in Portugal.
Covering an area of around 4,200 square metres, the factory has been established with the support of the local council, through the Investment Support Office, and is initially set to produce for the Salomon brand, a long-standing partner of ASF 4.0.
Part of the French group Chamatex, ASF 4.0 counts among its investors figures such as Carlos Tavares and Olympic judoka Teddy Riner, with the project having been financed through a capital increase of around seven million euros, supplemented by bank credit.
For the local authority, this investment could play a pivotal role, not only because of its direct impact on employment, but also because of its ability to attract new industrial projects to the municipality, thereby strengthening Barcelos’s position within Portugal’s footwear cluster.
APICCAPS
