French company Soprema invests over €100 million in factories in Ribatejo
The manufacturer of waterproofing, thermal and acoustic insulation solutions says that the investment of "over €100 million" will be made in plants in Alpiarça and Almeirim.
The French group Soprema, which manufactures waterproofing, thermal and acoustic insulation solutions, will increase its investment in Portugal by more than €100 million, namely in the industrial unit in Alpiarça and in the construction of a new factory in Almeirim.
In a statement released on Monday, the French multinational announced a “new cycle of industrial investment in Portugal, (…) exceeding €100 million” in the Ribatejo region, “involving industrial infrastructure located in Alpiarça and Almeirim”.
“With this project, Soprema intends to increase its production capacity, support the growth of international markets and consolidate its position as a benchmark in technical solutions for construction”, it said in the same note.
On the other hand, the group added, “the geographical proximity between the two locations will allow for an integrated and efficient approach, in line with the company’s strategic objectives for southern Europe”.
The French giant is present in more than 90 countries and has a global turnover of more than €5 billion, according to official data.
In April, Soprema had already issued another statement announcing the construction of a second industrial unit in Portugal in the district of Santarém. As indicated at the time, it will be “dedicated to the production of thermal insulation materials”.
French investment on the rise
From aeronautics to automobiles, from distribution to banking, many large French groups are investing in Portugal. It is the third largest foreign direct investor and the largest foreign employer in the country, with more than 100,000 jobs. It is also one of the main trading partners.
According to the latest data published by the National Statistics Institute (INE), the French market surpassed Germany as the second largest destination for Portuguese exports in the second quarter of the year. In terms of imports, France is the third largest market supplying Portugal. These figures confirm the importance of relations with the second largest economy in the Eurozone.
Data for the first quarter of this year also show that French Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stock in Portugal currently stands at around €16.6 billion. Although investment growth has been slowing down – it is below the €17 billion of recent years – French companies continue to make large investments in the country, as was the case with the recent acquisition of Novobanco.
The French banking group BPCE will also set up the first Natixis brand competence centre in the Lisbon area, complementing the one it has had for several years in Porto. The new office will be located in Moscavide, next to Oriente station, and is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2026.
