Company
founded
in 1971

Autofer - Fábrica de Artigos para Automóveis e Ferragens, Lda
Was created in 1971 and is one of the first companies in the Barrô Industrial Zone.

In 1991, AUTOFER was acquired by the current owners, becoming part of the JAMARCOL Group. The old facilities were demolished, and new infrastructures were created to restructure production processes.

At that time, the company continued to produce the same items as bumpers, fenders, bars, handlebar supports, and also provided metal chrome service for the domestic market.

Due to the requirements of the market, there was a need to increase the range of products and Autofer diversified the production in the market of PTW ("Power Two Wheels"), especially exhausts, curves, pedals, handlebars, etc. Following the integration of our country into the European market, Autofer gradually adapted working conditions with more appropriate equipment, using new technologies and more efficient processes.

These improvements allowed Autofer to begin its export process.

Following the integration of our country into the European market, Autofer gradually adapted working conditions with more appropriate equipment, using new technologies and more efficient processes. These improvements allowed Autofer to begin its export process.

This year begins a partnership (which still remains today) with a multinational in the field of Fitness and Sports, wich allowed diversify the main activity area of the entire Jamarcol Group. For this, new processes and assembly lines were developed, suitable for the manufacture and assembly of these articles.

For the fitness and sports sector, 5 assembly lines were developed and put into action for medium and large series, highlighting the beginning of this year of the assembly of Ping-Pong Tables.

This year Autofer started the Lean Manufacturing project, applying the 5's methodology throughout the company and executing Lean techniques in a specific assembly line.

Following the Group's Strategic Marketing Plan, Autofer started manufacturing metal components for other activities areas and also reinforced the provision of services (welding, stamping, bending, etc.). With this increase, the need arose for more space for internal logistics, which was filled with the acquisition of a new pavilion with 2.000m².

With the increase of customers and products with the need to include components owned by customers, it became inevitable to invest in a pavilion that serves as a raw material / components warehouse to supply production and assembly lines. Following this, Autofer bought in 2012 the premises of an insolvent company, totaling 3.800m².

Continuing the project of diversification of area of activity, it was this year that Autofer started the production of components for the Automobile industry, more precisely for large-scale agricultural equipment.
Also this year it was necessary to incorporate a new process in Autofer, the bending of sheet metal. For this was bought a high tech bending machine that came to fill a gap in our product value chain.

Over the years, following the internal needs to improve the processes and the requirements of its customers, Autofer was meeting the necessary conditions to proceed with its certification by NP EN ISO 9001: 2008, which happened in January 2014.
This year, included in the equipment renovation process, a new guillotine and a new saw were acquired with more precision and efficiency, making the respective cutting processes more productive.

Although it was purchased in 2013, it was in 2015 that all production processes, equipment and administrative sectors were included in a new infrastructure with the objective of increasing production capacity, improving production efficiency and offering better social conditions to Autofer employees . 

It was indeed a milestone in the company's history that managed to effect the transition to the new facilities without affecting production and commitment to customers. In the same year, there was already a significant increase in production, which translated into a + 50% increase in turnover.

With a strong growth due to the increase in turnover with its largest customer, and in order to satisfy other customers as well, Autofer management decided in 2016 to prepare an investment plan to increase production capacity, increase storage space and improve productive flow and, consequently, to improve their productivity levels. These investments include the increase of infrastructures with the construction of a new pavilion, purchases of new productive equipment and new computer systems of monitoring and control, making the processes more efficient.

Also during 2017 the process of identification and image in the production and administrative sector was improved.

Following the previously defined growth plan, in 2017 an increase was made in the manufacturing and warehouse facilities, reaching a total of 20,000m², of which 14,000m² is covered.
Also this year there was a significant investment in production equipment: presses, bending machines and pipe cleaning machine,  improving our service and capacity offer.

With investments in new infrastructures and new equipment (bending machine, tube cleaning machine, etc.) consumed in 2017, Autofer Management decided to make significant investments in productive equipment (a Laser Tube Cutting and tube forming equipment), providing the last generation of technological equipment, which allows a significant increase in production capacity and guarantee quality to the products.

Also in 2018 we started manufacturing components for the automotive industry (Renault, PSA, Dacia, etc.), being suppliers of Rank 2. This project implies a high level of quality and document management that requires a transversal commitment to all departments of the AUTOFER.

This year more investments were made in production equipment, namely a new high capacity press with automatic feed. Also in 2019, following the internal improvement plan, we remain dedicated to the improvement, optimization and monitoring of processes and jobs.
Also this year we will increase the diversity and complexity of articles for the automotive industry and we will also produce new models of fitness and sports equipment.