António Dias Ramos founded ADIRA, located on Rua António Bessa Leite, in Porto. The company remained at these facilities for many years. Lathes and milling and planing machines were produced with just 5 employees, working in an area of 400m2.

The company expanded to include the manufacture of machinery for sheet metal work.
– First mechanical shears manufactured in Portugal.
– First hydraulic press brake manufactured in Portugal.
– Set up of the Studies Office.
– First participation in an international trade show and the start of exports.
– First fully hydraulic down-acting press brake.

Development and technological refinement of mechanical, hydraulic, electric and electronic machines.
– Beginning of partnership with the University of Porto's Faculty of Engineering.
– First hydraulic press brake with hydraulic synchronisation and numerical control.
– Beginning of exportation to England and Germany and Japan.

The era of digitalisation and large-scale exportation.
– Development of the first 2D and 3D graphic controllers.
– Beginning of exportation to the USA, Australia, and the Middle East.
– Safety certification for the machinery exported to France and Sweden.
– First steps towards automation: front feeders, sheet metal handling and storage systems.
– New OXISOL factory in Vila Nova de Gaia: oxy-fuel cutting and angle grinding; supplying frames.

Computer assistance and CE safety certification.
– Project for investment in innovation and modernisation: high-tech equipment, renovation of layouts, new internal organisation and the introduction of new CAD, CAM and intranet information technologies.
– First European producer to be certified to ISO 9000 and the first in the world to have CE certification for all its products.
– Press brakes with automatic bend allowance systems.
– Shears with anti-torsion system.
– Diversification of markets to include the Far East, Oceania and Spain.
– Acquisition of our main national competitor, Guifil, a company in São Mamede de Infesta.

Start of the new millennium with laser cutting machines, robots and automation. Consolidation of international presence.
– Introduction of CCL laser cutting machines and use of linear motors with DC SLAB laser resonators.
– Integration of automated sheet metal storage systems and expansion of the robotised bending cells.
– Opening of the first subsidiaries: ADIRA France, ADIRA UK and ADIRA Tech (USA).
– Strategy for gaining market share in Eastern European markets, Russia and Brazil.
– Development of a low-cost range – Guimadira.
– Sale of the company to António Cardoso Pinto.

When António Cardoso Pinto became the shareholder and chairman, ADIRA's involvement with the Dias Ramos family ended.
– Launch of new laser machine models: LE, LP and LF.
– Launch of the GreenBender, an internationally recognised and revolutionary hybrid press brake.

– ADIRA is bought by the SONAE Capital Group, currently its sole shareholder. With this acquisition and the development of each of the existing business areas, the Sonae Capital Group continues on its path towards achieving its strategic purpose and is positioned as a privileged vehicle for value creation, based on developing and leveraging Portuguese competitive advantages.

Shaping the Future. The start of a new business phase. ADIRA takes a more competitive and forward-looking stance, s investing in Additive Manufacturing and made-to-measure solutions for each customer. Offering a broader range of services and solutions, allied with digital transformation and restructuring, ADIRA is embracing the challenges of the future more efficiently and successfully.