Liu Jianlong (L), equipment manager of China's Hengtong Group in Portugal, discusses technical issues with Alcobre's Chief Operating Officer Carlos Granja in the factory of Alcobre in Ovar, Portugal, Oct. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Portugal's oldest cable manufacturer Alcobre celebrated its 115th anniversary and inaugurated a new production unit on Thursday.

Standing before the newly expanded facilities, Chief Operating Officer Carlos Granja was filled with emotion: "I have worked in this factory for more than 30 years, and I am grateful to Hengtong for bringing it new vitality."

Founded in 1910, Alcobre mainly produces low-voltage cables and is one of the pillar enterprises in Ovar, a city in northern Portugal. In 2016, it was fully acquired by China's Hengtong Group. Since then, with the injection of Chinese management and technology, the century-old factory has been revitalized.

According to Huang Chao, general manager of Hengtong Portugal, Alcobre's operations have achieved continuous and steady growth since the acquisition: total revenue has tripled and net profit has more than doubled.

This year, the company also launched a new production line for OPGW (Optical Ground Wire), laying a foundation for its expansion into the medium- and high-voltage power market.

Granja expressed full recognition and appreciation for Hengtong's arrival. "At the time of the acquisition, there were still some doubts," he told Xinhua. "But after years of working together, the Chinese staff have impressed the whole factory with their strength and diligence. The initial doubts have long since vanished, and today we are working very happily together."

Felipe Silva, nearly 60, is one of Granja's longtime colleagues and the factory's most senior product design engineer, with over 40 years of service at Alcobre.

"Since Hengtong took over the factory, I have been constantly exposed to new products and technologies from China," Silva said. "It makes my work increasingly interesting -- it feels wonderful."

Silva especially enjoys discussing technical issues with Liu Jianlong, the group's equipment manager in Portugal. Pointing to the factory's newly introduced wire-drawing machine, they noted: "The old machine had been running for more than 30 years. Although still usable, its efficiency was far inferior to this new model."

According to Liu, the new wire-drawing machine uses advanced technology and processes, with a high degree of automation. Its production efficiency is more than three times that of the old equipment, while energy consumption has been reduced by over 20 percent.

"It greatly reduces the labor intensity of workers, and has impressed everyone with Chinese technology," Liu added.

Over the nearly 10 years since the acquisition, the number of local employees at the factory has increased by 25 percent, significantly boosting local employment. Leveraging its global operations, Hengtong has also provided broader career development opportunities for local staff.

Huang said the company plans to add nearly 100 new local jobs and achieve another fourfold increase in output value by 2030.

Chinese Ambassador to Portugal Zhao Bentang said Hengtong's investment in Portugal has not only contributed to local economic development and job creation, but also promoted the upgrading of the country's cable and fiber-optic industries, injecting fresh vitality into China-Portugal economic and trade relations.

Zhao's opinion was echoed by Portugal's Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida, who said: "This investment is very welcome because it comes from a company strongly committed to innovation."

"We highly value investments that add value, create more wealth, more jobs, and better wages. This is the type of investment we truly appreciate, and in this case it is very welcome," said the minister. 

This photo taken on July 21, 2025 shows a view of Hengtong Group's Alcobre cable plant in Ovar, Portugal. [Photo/Xinhua]