CENTRO EMPRESARIAL DA FEIRA IS EQUATING NEW INVESTMENTS TO REPEAT THE BUSINESS MODEL

After 1.5 million euros in the acquisition of the property and another five million in its recovery and requalification, Centro Empresarial da Feira (CEF) started its activity in late 2017 and has an occupancy rate of 90%. "We are adapting new areas as they are requested, but we are preparing to invest another two to three million euros", announces, in an interview, Hugo Pinto, director general of CEF.

"We are considering new investments to repeat the business model used at Centro Empresarial da Feira"

CEF - Centro Empresarial da Feira was created after the acquisition, in 2017, by the Tagar group, of the facilities of the company Rhode, which was, at the time, the largest national shoe company and had entered into the insolvency process. Using the facilities of the former Rhode factory, with an area of approximately 55,500 m2, we have created a modern and dynamic business center which is currently with an 85/90% occupancy rate. We have already captured more than 55 companies, which have created more than 350 jobs, which represents a huge, recognized and prestigious contribution to the economic development of Santa Maria da Feira. The project was developed taking into account a differentiated service in terms of 'fit out' and support services, as well as the functionality of the facilities themselves. Initially, it was complicated, because the facilities were damaged and the project development was complex, we had to build new infrastructures and new streets. The initial partners believed in the project and, step by step, we had transformed CEF into what it is today, modern, functional, attractive, despite the full execution of the project will only end next year.

It is a set of factors that makes a project like this successful. We are committed to have a business center with several skills, a place for offices and services and the rest for logistics and industry. The industrial renting / logistics market is quite different from the rest of the market, as it requires us the ability to make 'made-to-measure suits', and each company has its own needs, it requires great dynamics and specific networking. In the field of the office renting, we offer a rent and service format in which the amount paid monthly includes administrative support, reception / dispatch of orders and mail, internet, energy consumption budget, meeting / training rooms. This solution allows companies to focus on their 'core', allowing a solution according to the company's needs, reducing or increasing the space and its operating costs.

We are considering new investments to replicate the business model used in CEF, some of them are already in an advanced state of negotiation. Despite the current scenario requires some consideration in this type of investments. We have had many contacts with multinational companies, which want to have a plan B and C regarding the constraints of the Asian market, and Portugal has the conditions to be an alternative to these new needs.

Fortunately, well. Some companies suspended the activity during the state of emergency, but all returned to work and we managed to close some more contracts with new partners. I also note that there is still fear in what is happening, but I see resilience and expansion plans in most companies present in the business center. I give the example of 'CrucialMed', whose business volume has multiplied since the beginning of the pandemic.

We have reference projects worldwide (Porto Office Park and Lionesa, among others), the evolution in this sector was very large and the Metropolitan Area of Porto followed the evolution and market needs.

A dynamic project, a cohesive team, a 'networking' adjusted to the target client and permanent attention to the needs of our partners, as their growth and success is our main goal.