It is all about efficiency, quality and dedication. We are talking about AMOB, a Portuguese enterprise, located in the small town of Louro, in the district of Braga. The company, now led by his son Manuel Barros and his grandchildren´s Manuel António Barros e Inês Barros, counts among the best in the branch and is a leading partner on international markets.
AMOB - its origins, products and services
The company took its name from the founder - António Martins Oliveira Barros (AMOB). As a young man of around twenty António started to work in the metallomechanics industry. Creative and interested as he was, the young man used to spend his free time fixing agrocultural machines. Over the years his techniques were getting better and better. „One day the owner of the shop where António used to buy rods for his repairings, mentioned his problems with some of the pipe-bending machines, that weren’t working well enough. Wanting to help, António made up his mind to create a similar machine on his own – and this is how it all came to be“- begins Manuel Barros, the son of the founder, his story. In the first years of its existence the company was getting known on the local and country market. The real turning point has come together with the decision to expand internationally, the young company began by making its name on the Spanish market. From that moment on AMOB began to grow very fast. Later the two sons of António- Luís and Manuel followed their father‘s footsteps and joined the family-run firm; over the years the enterprise has grown to became finally one of the world’s leading manufacturer of metalworking technologies. Next milestones came in the seventies with the development of the electrically controlled pipe-bending machine and one decade later, in the eighties- with the introdution of the first computer controlled machine(CNC).Being already almost sixty years on the markets AMOB has nowadays its delegations and commercial facilities in many countries, such as UK, Russia, Spain and France, not to mention a worldwide network of over 70 agencies and technical centers. With its long years of experience AMOB counts today among the most important global players in its branch, provides specialised equipment for leading industrial players worldwide, mainly for the tube and pipe bending industry, supplying the global market with high quality machinery and tooling for tube and pipe bending, section bending and swaging purposes– it ranges from simple, manual appliances to complex, fully electric CNC powered systems. It also designs, develops, retails and services a variety of products including automobile and shipping, aeronautics and construction, as well as chemistry and agriculture machinery. All of the AMOB products designed by a team of highly-skilled engineers offer competitive solutions without compromising on quality. In the meantime AMOB has grown investing in new technologies and innovative solutions. The headquarters of the company, with round 18000m² is equipped with the highest technological production machinery including CNC machining centres, lathes and milling machines, as well as sheet metal cutting and bending machinery for guaranteed high fabrication standards. AMOB CNC bendig machines have the ability to connect to the internet, enabling constant software support and possible updates. Moreover, the internet connection allows the engineers to dial remotely into the bending machine and resolve any technical issue that can arise. All of the machines are designed and fabricated in house under one roof, which makes it possible to respond to the difficulties, deal with the problems and reduce the costs. As already mentioned, AMOB is strongly interested in encouraging and supporting innovations, one of the main and most important tasks in the company planning, it invests all the time in its productive capacity, the last investment of the year 2019 being the acquisition of four milling machines and two CNC lathes. For the future the company plans also investments in new technologies, aplliances and equipment facilities. The plan includes also constant evolution - continuous internal and external training of its staff, both experienced operators and apprentices with no prior knowledge - this being already now one of the main characteristics of the enterprise and key idea to guarantee success.
Strategic potential – customers and partners
AMOB is being just as passionate about market demand and development of the own products as it is about the client relationships. In the words of Manuel António Barros “ the most important are always the people, the business is here just to serve them.“ All the time AMOB works to strengthen skills and interactions with key suppliers in order to build sustainable partnerships; being obliged to quality the company chooses to work with well-proven partners. Among the main regular suppliers you can find companies like: DMG Mori, JMM Gonçalves Lda., Ferromar S.A., Rolmetais, IMS, Tintas Kar, Oscacer, Gavex, Ferpinta, RTSMAIS, Romafe, Igus, Fluidráulica, Hydac, O Feliz, Ramada Aços, Universal AFIR, Siemens, Galp Energia. Each client is a new challenge and is treated with the maximum engagement and care. AMOB‘s aim is to develop and expand its offer based on customer’s perspective and the usage of the latest technologies and accuracy help to guarantee this success. The partnering with customers has never been more important than it is today. It is finally the dialogue that leads to innovative solutions.
Engagement in social projects
AMOB takes the team spirit seriously, promoting the mental well-being and good relationship between the employees – in this way the employees‘ satisfaction reflects the success of the company.The enterprise joins different local activities that revert to local social causes like the world day of friendship, football day and solidarity day (“AMOB SOLIDÁRIA”). With the donations raised on such events like the Amob Solidarity Day or similar, the company supports the less privileged ones – here we can mention the assistance it gives to the Associação Nariz Vermelho (Association Red Nose Operation), a private social solidarity institution whose mission is to bring joy to the hospitalized children, their families and health professionals. Acting as the so called Smile Partner (Parceiro Sorriso) AMOB is also trying to bring happiness to sick children in the most difficult times.
Awards and achievements
Even though the company has been honoured on the national and international level gettig many different awards, the most important prize to show the world is always the success of its customers in their own sectors of operations.Sometimes there are these very products of AMOB that allow its clients to compete with the best market players and distinguish themselves from the possible rivals.To see it happen is the greatest gift and the most significant award. As the late founder of the company António Barros once said: “One day I will have friends in the four corners of the world, friends that the others tend to call customers”; the phrase may be seen as a kind of motto and the company‘s attitude towards the world and its business relations.
