ABOUT
The origins of Aleluia Cerâmicas date back to 1905 when it was founded by the Aleluia family. Nowadays, after more than one hundred years of activity.
Aleluia Cerâmicas is a technologically advanced company, dedicated exclusively to the production and decoration of wall and floor ceramic tiles, being a world reference in ceramics tiles.
Aleluia Cerâmicas is present in the five continents, in more than 60 countries around the globe with a network of more than 100 distributors and 700 retailers and with around 4500 sales points exporting more than 70% of its production.
HISTORY
FOUNDATION
1905, It is founded with the designation of the Santos Mártires Factory by João Aleluia, located in Largo dos Santos Mártires, initially dedicated to the production of domestic dishes.
The manufacture of semi-industrial façade tiles (regular repetition of one or several tiles to form patterns) allows the use of new business opportunities, along with the expansion of the city of Aveiro being the most marked the city's trait, shaping the urban environment and dignifying the anonymous tile façades.
WINDMILL
1909, Until the acquisition of the windmill the factory had no driving force. Later on, on the Gafanha road, a mill would be installed, which operated with the water currents of the Aveiro lagoon to grind the glaze, helping the precarious efficiency of the wind engine.
However, the manufacture extends to the fancy dishes (imitations of the old Chinese, and Japanese) and to the tile. In 1909 new and several improvements were introduced; the grinding of the glass started to be made in a windmill.
NEW INSTALLATIONS
1917, The change involved a real transformation of the company. From a small workshop, Aleluia Factory would become a modern enterprise, producing domestic and decorative pottery and wall tiles.
ALELUIA DESIGNATION
1922 In 1922, at the Rio de Janeiro Exhibition, the Aleluia Factory conquered, along with Jerónimo Pereira Campos, Filhos, the diploma of honor.
MACHINES FAURE FROM LIMOGES
1927, The manufacture of tiles by drying process was adopted and the first series of machines Faure de Limoges was installed for the preparation of white clays and four years after the first mechanical press.
FIRST MECHANICAL PRESS
1932, At the forefront of its time, new and modern equipment is acquired, and the first mechanical press is installed.
OLARIAS AVEIRENSE LDA. ACQUISITION
1942, Acquired the Company Olarias Aveirense Lda. Turning it into the Gercar Factory (dedicated almost exclusively to the production of sanitary ware, reserving for Aleluia the most artistic side of decorative faience, tiles and panels. Acquired new and modern equipment and expand the facilities, betting on the tiles, becoming in this sector one of the strongest competitors of the market.
SOCIAL IMPACT
1955, Created a school of drawing and painting, and a school for adults who did not have … class. The illiteracy was extinguished among the workers. The meals were distributed by the workers at cost proportional to the salary and gratuitously for the lower income.
It allowed the granting of loans for the construction of own housing, without interest and in modest monthly payments. Prior to the Social Security, workers were already granted free medical care and sickness benefits. The company now has an important and growing concentration of workers, having in 1955 more than 400 workers.
ALELUIA CERÂMICAS COMÉRCIO E INDÚSTRIA SA
1973, The growth of the company was favorable but difficulties resulting from this investment led the brothers to sell the factory to a limited company: Aleluia - Cerâmica, Comércio e Indústria, S.A.
FACILITIES CHANGING
1984, Changed definitively to the facilities of Quinta do Simão.
PRODUCTIVE RECONVERSION
In 1999, the manufacturing unit was reconverted in order to produce wall and floor tiles, with a greater production capacity.
NEW HEADQUARTERS BUILDING
2003, A new and modern Administrative-Social building and Showroom is built in the Quinta do Simão unit.
ALELUIA'S CENTENARY
2005, Commemoration of the Aleluia's centenary with the presence of the President of the Republic, Dr. Jorge Sampaio.
FUSION ALELUIA, APOLO, VIUVA LAMEGO AND KERATEC
2006, Aleluia Cerâmicas results of the merge of The merger of several Portuguese companies, which own some of the main ceramic brands - Aleluia, Ceramic, Apolo and Viúva Lamego.
DIGITAL EQUIPMENT / NEW LOGISTICS CENTER
2007, First Portuguese ceramic company to acquire digital printing equipment. In July of the same year, the Logistics Center of Aleluia Cerâmicas was inaugurated in Gafanha da Encarnação, Ílhavo, the largest in the country, with a storage capacity of 3 million square meters in covered area.
PRODUCTIVE EXPANSION
2016, Due to the increasing demand and internationalization of the brand, the production capacity of Aleluia is expanded, with 6 production lines.
INFORMATION
LOGISTICS CENTER
The logistic centre of Aleluia Cerâmicas has a storage capacity of about 3 million sqm, with a covered area of 18,000 sqm, 12 meters high and equipped with the latest technologies that allow the movement of products with high accuracy and ease.
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Research & Development is a strategic pillar of leadership where Aleluia Cerâmicas has invested over 15 million euros in the past few years, translated into equipment with the latest generation technology at several levels (presses, ovens.
Glazing production lines, automated movement means, electronic selection of tiles, digital printing equipment) to ensure high competitiveness and high quality of manufactured products with an excellent responsiveness to the changing consumer preferences.
QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENT
The integration of environmental concepts with Aleluia’s normal functioning has revealed itself to be a factor in competitiveness, be it in the saving of he environment, in the quality of the productive process or in the decrease of the environmental impact.
The investments made in the Quality and Environment area are reflected in the obtainment of the following certifications:
- Aleluia Cerâmicas, S.A. – The production unit of Ílhavo have a quality guarantee system implemented in accordance with the standard NP EN ISO 9001:2008 attributed by the certifying entity APCER – Portuguese Association of Certification;
- Aleluia Cerâmicas, S.A. – Industrial Unit in Ílhavo is granted with the Certification of its Environmental Management System in conformity with the Norms NP EN ISO 14001: 2004, certified by APCER – Portuguese Association for Certification.
- Aleluia Cerâmicas, S.A. – Possess another certification, in relation to their floor tile products, in the area of NF-UPEC by CSTB – Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment – France.
TEAM
MANAGEMENT
We are a company made up of excellent employees that in several areas contribute to find the best solutions for our customers.
- Rodolfo Abrantes (General Manager)
- Luís Ascenso (Commercial Director)
- Élio Fernandes (Marketing Director)
- Cristina Rosete (Research & Development Director)
- António Lamas (Operations Director)
- Luís Brandão (Human Resources Director)
- Madalena Félix (Legal Director)
- Elmano Castilho (Quality & Environment Director)
- Carla Godinho (Finance & Administration Director)
- Paulo Rocha (Information Systems & Technology Director)
INDUSTRIAL UNITS
Composed of 5 units, the Aleluia Cerâmicas has in its portfolio 3 different product typologies: wall tiles, wall and floor porcelain tiles and glazed floor tiles; extruded tiles and hand painted tiles as well as special customized projects.
ESGUEIRA UNIT
Specialized in the production of glazed porcelain tiles has a total área of 26,642 sqm, 2 production lines and 2 digital print machines.
ÍLHAVO UNIT
Specialized in the production of wall and floor tiles has a total área of 26,540 sqm, 3 production lines and 4 digital print machines.
VAGOS UNIT
Specialized in the production of wall and floor extruded tiles has a total área of 6,840 sqm and 1 production line.
HAND PAINTING
Aleluia keeps on perpetuating the tiles’ art tradition , combining the traditional technique of hand painting with new glazing techniques, paintings and formats. It offers innovative solutions for the areas of Fine Arts, Architecture & Design.
