Students from University of Aveiro visited furniture company and training centre

Within the scope of the course unit promoted in the University of Aveiro, Product Design within Circular Economy, a visit was organized on the 5th December the town of Rebordosa, in the north of Portugal. Rebordosa is inserted on the municipality of Paredes, a well-known cluster of furniture production in Portugal.

The first part of the visit included a lunch and reception at the CFPIMM – Vocational Training Centre of Wood and Furniture Industries. Director Albano Rodrigues welcomed the students reinforcing the importance of professional training, but also emphasizing the value posed in Designers as developers of furniture solutions. Clara Ferraz, Coordinator of Formative Activities, gave a guided tour to the instalations, from classrooms to workshops, where students got in contact with the students and trainers, and the different courses and equipments available.

The visit ensued with a trip to the furniture company Wewood – Portuguese Joinery, expert in solid wood furniture. In there the students had access to the industrial facilities, where they understood the production process, including not only the automatized process using CNC machinery but also visiting the workshop for the handcraft work by specialized workers. Understanding the process behind some of the company’s most iconic furniture pieces allowed to relate the final price not only to the materials applied but also to the entire development needed behind each one.