How did the idea of creating Adelmac come about?
The idea of creating ADELMAC came from the need to represent the company Urnas Macedo Unipessoal, Lda, internationally. The commercial name of the company wasn’t recommended to deal with international clients because of the difficulty they would have to pronounce it and, with the support of Portugal 2020, namely in internationalization, the opportunity for creating a new brand came up, and we gave it the commercial name of ADELMAC.
What/who has inspired you for creating the brand?
The brand was born of an old desire to honor my great-grandfather, because our family dedication to this specific area began with him. He started “from zero” and succeeded, in my opinion, there’s nothing more inspiring than a story like this. This brand turns out to be a tribute to him. His name was Adelino Macedo and of that conjugation the name ADELMAC was born.
What do you remember from your great-grandfather as an entrepreneur?
I didn’t have the pleasure of living with my great-grandfather because, unfortunately, at the time of my birth he had already died. However, the stories, that have fascinated me since my childhood, remained and caught my attention to his life course, namely the fact that he came from a poor family. I remember perfectly well of hearing my grandmother telling that my great-grandfather asked for alms on the street with his father, because my great-great-grandfather was blind. Combining this with the adversities of that time, the fact that he managed to succeed and overcome this situation, with much work and dedication, makes me proud. He is remembered by many people as a person who has boost the market, as a superior genius, both in terms of product innovation and how to deal with the business. He was a person with a great social presence, who helped to inaugurate some of the most prestigious public spaces in our homeland, which are still part of people’s daily lives. I remember his name with affection and admiration.
Who have taught you the technical details of this area?
The technical knowledge of this area is still being taught to me and I count on the support of my father in this task. The whole technical part comes from him and the experience he has in this field. Some teachings have passed from generation to generation, until they are finally coming to me. My great-grandfather passed on to his children what he knew, among which was my grandfather, who, in turn, passed the teachings to my father. And now it’s my turn to learn.
How do you define the brand Adelmac?
Adelmac is a sophisticated and transparent brand that stands out for the quality of its products. For this, we are permanently betting on innovation.
How was the market reaction to Adelmac’s launch?
The reaction was positive. In this first phase, we are still making ourselves known, but people have welcomed our brand. We have a good image, a dynamic and versatile spirit. This is a very positive experience.
How was the first International Fair in which Adelmac was present, regarding to business return (contacts, new clients)?
Our first international fair was in Paris at the Le Bourget Exhibition Park, and we decided to bet on our traditional product, which turned out to be a very positive decision, given the people’s receptivity. The idea was to show something different to the French public and this goal was achieved because, in addition to adapting our products to the French market, we also wanted to bring something of our own, national, and with that, we managed to arouse people’s curiosity. Almost everyone who visited the fair heard about us, for the innovation and originality of our products. Of course, this was translated into contacts and potential new clients, but it is still a bit early to make a deeper analysis of the return of this fair.
By the available communication materials, we can see the concern with image and rigor in showing each detail. How do you think it will differentiate you in the market?
In the national market, few companies in our industry are concerned with image and rigor. Increasingly these aspects have to be integrated in the structural model of the company. We try to make the difference by showing we care. The image of a brand is fundamental to the concept that we want to transmit.
What else can make Adelmac a different brand within its sector? The values and principles?
The brand Adelmac was born from values such as transparency, hard work, winning spirit. We are a modern brand with traditional genesis. We´ll bet on innovation, we’ll launch new models; we’ll create an ecological line. In short, we’ll try to bring something new to a market that is still a bit traditional.
What are your objectives for 2018?
In 2018, we will continue with the strong commitment to internationalization. People are already getting to know ADELMAC and the objective is that they don’t forget about us. We have scheduled some international fairs for next year, but the main objective is to build new facilities, which should be ready by the summer 2018. This is the great turning point for the company and, with better conditions, we will be able to innovate even more and ally that with the experience in this sector, inherent to my family … I think ADELMAC has everything to succeed. In short, we will focus on internationalization, innovation and continuing the good work we have been doing.
How do you imagine Adelmac in 10 years?
10 years. That’s a long time! I prefer to think with my feet on the ground, but I have great plans for the future. There are some risks in our market and it’s hard to imagine how things will work in 10 years. The world is in constant evolution, what today is new, tomorrow is already obsolete. We’ll try to keep up with evolution or we´ll be left behind and that can’t happen. I can suggest you to follow our work, because we have a lot of news to launch over the next few years. ADELMAC is a brand with future and for the future.