Henrique Neto: interview

Post date: Jun 24, 2009 2:1:51 PM

We have video recorded a first interview with Henrique Neto, one of the most important actors in the emergence of the Portuguese mould industry, based in Marinha Grande (close to Leiria). The interview was recorded last 18th June 2009, in São Pedro de Moel, close to Marinha Grande, and allowed a deep discussion of the origins of the mold making industry in Portugal, and the key role of AHA (Anibal H Abrantes), the most important company in the beginning of the sector in Portugal, where Mr. Neto  entered in 1952, with 16 years old (as junior machinist in the shop floor), and later become head of designing, export manager and later general manager (1973). He left AHA in 1975, to found Iberomoldes (with three other partners, all of them previous subordinates in AHA), a company that later bought AHA (1985) and that also had a very important role in the development of the sector during the 80 and 90s.

He has been the first portuguese export manager selling moulds for plastics in USA, UK and otther countries, from 1961. This first interview with H. Neto covered the AHA period until the foundation of Iberomoldes.

This is a first of a group of interviews with original actors of the mould industry in Marinha Grande (Center region of Portugal), in order to complement a previous project that covered the origins of the industry in the Northern region of Portugal (click here for more details about this previous project)

Slideshow with photos from the session: click here.

Slideshow with photos from H. Neto archive: click here.