On November 23rd, the Lighting Living Lab participated in the event “The Future of Portuguese Metalworking Industry,” organized by INFORMESP, which took place at the Águeda Arts Center.
The session began with the opening remarks from Mr. Jorge Almeida, Mayor of Águeda, Dr. Fernando Castro, President of the Board of INFORMESP and AIDA CCI, and Dr. João Neves, Secretary of State for Economy.
Over the next three hours, we had the opportunity to hear from business owners about the reality of the markets in which they operate. The following companies were present: SIROCO, EPEDAL, RENAULT CACIA, BRESIMAR, BOSCH TERMOTECNOLOGIA, MIRANDA & IRMÃO, the association ANEME, and INESCTECT, who shared their experiences, challenges, and even some plans for the future. The COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine were unanimous as factors that have greatly affected global markets.
During the remainder of the session, we also had the opportunity to hear from economist Eng. Luís Mira Amaral on “energy costs and the future of metalworking,” and the session ended with economist Dr. Eduardo Catroga and the Board of INFORMESP.
This event served as an opportunity to listen to testimonies and gain knowledge about the daily challenges faced by companies, and how energy and its management play an essential role in their sustainability.