Loulé’s only serious industrial plant has been fired up once more as demand for cement picks up for Cimpor.
The furnace, allowed to cool last September, is now operatimng again and the men have returned to work at the Algarve's only cement factory.
"The recovery of the domestic market recorded in the fourth quarter of 2016, together with the potential recovery of our export activity, justifies the decision to reactivate the Loulé production centre," explained Cimpor’s management.
The Loulé production centre has been operating for 43 years and is located at Cerro da Cabeça Alta, about seven kilometers from the city of Loulé and clearly visible from the Via do Infante motorway, should readers ever choose to use this expensive route.
Last year, demand for cement dropped to levels not seen since the 1970s so the furnace was switched off while existing stocks supplied catered a trickle of demand.
The Union said 57 workers were laid off but all of these are to be taken back on now the furnace is back in business.
The mayor of Loulé, Vitor Aleixo, said he viewed, "with great satisfaction the resumption of the manufacturing activity at the Cimpor unit in Loulé."
The mayor said this plant is the only "truly industrial" company in the municipality of Loulé and that "the return to work allows workers to face the future with more hope and confidence."
Cimpor is the Port of Faro’s only customer and all Cimpor's export activity halted during the six month lay-off.
While the port was inactive, Faro mayor Rogerio Bacalhau saw an opportunity to turn this commercial facility into a yet another marina, but this was not pursued.
Cimpor said it is committed to Faro port and will endeavour to export more to keep the stevedores working.
The decision to resume production in the Algarve is, according to Cimpor’s management, a "medium and long-term measure, based on the recovery of the national economy and the development of our export activity."
