A company with a past turned to the future.
Calheiros Embalagens started out as a small printing company. Over the years, and with the expansion of the business area, it has grown and today is seen as a top reference in the packaging sector.
The history of Calheiros Embalagens.
In 1968, João Carlos Gonçalves Calheiros started the activity of what today is Calheiros Embalagens. At that time, the business area was typography, with the main product being printed office supplies.
The start of cardboard packaging production.
The production of cardboard packaging began with the purchase of the first offset printing machine in 1972. Printing was done using only one colour.
In 1974, the entrepreneurial spirit that is part of Calheiros Embalagens' DNA led to the purchase of a second offset printing machine. At the same time, the firm Organização Gráfica Calheiros, Lda was set up.
Greater professionalization and sustained growth.
The first major expansion occurred in the early 1980s, more specifically in 1983. From a small space on Rua da Alegria, in Porto, Calheiros Embalagens moved to one with 1,000 m2, installing another single colour offset printer.
Growth also dictated a strategy to increase productivity, with the complement and updating of the technological process and a stronger focus on the training of the workforce. A system for collecting and compacting recyclable waste was also adopted.
The computerization of processes.
In the last two decades of the 20th century, the development of the printing area was naturally extended to other sections of Calheiros Embalagens.
In the graphic preparation - layout, photolithography, and engraving - complete automation was carried out with the computerization of the design, the creation of models, photocomposition, and high-precision engraving.
The finishing, cutting, and creasing section, the application of micro-corrugated cardboard, and the closing of boxes kept pace with the computerization process, with new technologies being applied to ensure higher levels of quality in the production of Calheiros Embalagens. In 1993, Calheiros Embalagens became the first company with autonomy in the manufacture of cutters with automatic blade bending.
In these 20 years, the production area was expanded to an area of 3,000 m2.
The Growing Environmental Concern.
The growth of Calheiros Embalagens only makes sense with an ever-present environmental concern. In this sense, the current business model is in line with a circular economy perspective. Examples of this circularity are ecodesign, which uses raw materials and more efficient technologies that allow for the reduction of resources to minimize environmental impacts and prevent pollution.
The company carries out an energy audit on an annual basis, identifying opportunities for reduction and more efficient use of gas and electricity.
Reduce the Environmental Footprint.
Circular Economy.
Constant investment.
The entry into the 21st century sees one of the largest investments in Calheiros Embalagens. The new 9000 m2 premises allow for the installation of new production units, increasing the company's response capacity. Large format box closing machines also allow for the response to new customer requests.
Constant innovation also led to the installation of a humidification system in the entire plant in order to maintain all the characteristics and quality of the boxes produced.
The desire to innovate was also the drive for the purchase of new production equipment over time, such as:
- a new cutter, for the simultaneous cutting of 2 reels;
- a printing machine with UV technology, increasing the range of possible finishes and the possibility of printing on a plastic base;
- a die-cutting machine fully automated at both ends and capable of mass packaging production;
- a new blade cutting and folding machine;
- a micro-corrugated and pasting machine;
- artificial vision for quality control;
- fully automatic packaging systems.
But innovation is not just about production. A cutting machine manufacturing workshop equipped with a new laser was created as a result of the increasing attention to detail.
The plotter for the execution of the models before production allows us to improve our computer modelling work and offer the client the visualization of the final work.
Investment puts us ahead.
Calheiros Embalagens, currently with an area of approximately 15,800 m2, wants to position itself as a top reference in packaging production. This ambition is achieved by constant investment, which has led us to be first:
- in CTP technology - computer to plate - eliminating films;
- to manufacture corrugated cardboard with pasted board in the same process;
- in producing a double wall board;
- in printing in the format 1200 x 1640 mm in the Iberian Peninsula.