Investor Group Plans €100 Million Revival of Barreiro Carbon Fiber Plant
A group of national and international investors is moving to reactivate the former SGL/Fisipe factory in Barreiro, Portugal, with a planned investment of €100 million. The project aims to restore industrial activity to the site by focusing on the production of innovative, high-performance carbon fiber.
Led by José Pedro Rodrigues, Founder and CEO of Barreiro Bay Square, the strategy involves repositioning the facility to serve the European aerospace industry and the production of advanced materials. This strategic shift highlights an effort to diversify market reach and enhance Portugal’s footprint in high-tech manufacturing. The proposed operation is designed to be industrially sustainable and is expected to generate hundreds of recent jobs.
The facility’s history dates back to September 1973, when it was established through a partnership between CUF and Mitsubishi, serving as a pioneer in the production of acrylic fibers within Portugal. In 2012, the unit was acquired by SGL, a global leader in carbon fiber materials. However, the operation faced a steady decline in competitiveness over the following decade, primarily driven by aggressive competition from Asian markets.
Despite maintaining an installed capacity of 50,000 tons of fiber per year, the plant suffered successive financial losses. This led to a series of closures and downsizing efforts, starting with the shutdown of continuous filament production in 2018. The decline culminated in 2025 with the layoff of 190 workers, followed by an additional 60 redundancies in 2026, resulting in the definitive closure of the site.
The path to reactivation now depends on a critical regulatory hurdle: approval from the Administration of the Port of Lisbon. If the necessary authorizations are granted, the project is estimated to accept between three and five years to reach completion. The decision underscores the ongoing challenge of balancing legacy industrial infrastructure with the demands of modern, high-tech global supply chains.
