The Engineering & Tooling Competitiveness and Technology Hub, coordinated by POOL-NET - Portuguese Tooling Network, was formally recognized by the Portuguese Government in 2008, integrating the Moulds, Special Tools and Plastics Industries, as a result of mobilizing work (Strategic Plan) promoted within the Industry, through CEFAMOL - Associação Nacional da Indústria de Moldes, and CENTIMFE - Centro Tecnológico da Indústria de Moldes, Ferramentas Especiais e Plásticos, involving its main stakeholders (Companies, Universities, Polytechnics and other Innovation Centers, suppliers and other partners).
The result of this joint STRATEGIC VISION has allowed the Cluster to align around common OBJECTIVES, boosting promotion in the INTERNATIONAL MARKET around a COLLECTIVE BRAND ("Engineering & Tooling from Portugal"), with a view to DIVERSIFYING MARKETS (geographic and product), based on a commitment to INNOVATION, boosting NETWORKS, strengthening TECHNOLOGY and KNOWLEDGE, aimed at INCREASING COMPETITIVENESS and EXPORTS.
This "bottom-up" approach has leveraged a national development strategy, with a global scope, which is increasingly reflected in the strengthening of COOPERATION within the Cluster, making it possible to show an improvement in export performance in 2014 (growth of 40% in 2012, international recognition of the collective brand and the cluster with more than 20,700 visits from 71 countries to its Portal).
The recognition of Portuguese Engineering & Tooling is now evident in the national and international markets, and POOL-NET is representing the Cluster in a European Commission pilot project involving complementary clusters in other countries (Spain, France, Germany, UK, Austria, Italy), to detect opportunities in markets outside Europe (India, Brazil, USA and Japan).
The success of this Industrial, Scientific and Technological Community has to do with the development model that gave rise to it, where openness to stakeholder participation, comprehensive internal discussion, the strategic market orientation pursued, as well as the support of the "invisible hand of the State" that created an environment of recognition and internal support, were decisive!
In this way, the Engineering & Tooling Cluster is increasingly becoming an infrastructure industry, with intensive capital and knowledge, supporting global clients in the industrialization of most of the products we know. For this reason, it will always be an industry of the future and critical to the development of the products of the future!
