Portugal's Mold Makers: Your Partner for Greater Injection Molding Productivity The over 260 mold makers in Portugal produce an often bewildering array of mold types: absolutely every type of mold starting with ultra-precision tools for tiny electrical and electronic markets, small medical parts - used in sensitive applications such as pace makers and other medical parts - up to very large tools weighing up to 50 tons and used in an array of applications. For the past ten years Portugal has invested heavily in this industry, described by some as the "most competitive sector" of the country. Today this fast growing industry invests 15% of all sales dollars in new equipment and research and development, according to government statistics. Even though the 260 mold making companies are fiercely competitive, there is a very collegial atmosphere. There is constant sharing of new ideas and technologies, simplified by the joint participation in Portugal's mold technology center Centimfe and the training center known as Cenfim. You can find molds from Portugal in almost every major end market for plastics. Housewares and delicate medical parts or large packaging crates, complex three-component automotive parts such as tail lights or tiny parts for consumer electronics - this is just a small sample of the parts made with such molds. Return to top