ANIL History
The Portuguese Textile Industry is directly associated with the Portuguese remarkable History, the first official document is dated from 1573 and it was ordered by the King, in a way to recognize the textile industry as an important role player as it is today.
ANIL has in its possession a sort of official documents, a triptych, paints and books that evidenced the importance of the Portuguese Textile Industry to Portugal and its people during the Portuguese classic history.
The first Industrial Wool Association emerged in 1820, known as “Grémio da Covilhã”, Covilhã was a city with a considerable number of factories. This “Grémio” was headquartered in Lisbon. It was succeeded in 1889 by the Industrial and Commercial Association of Covilhã, who’s first Board President Director was Comendador José Maria da Silva Campos Melo, an industrialist and philanthropist, who greatly promoted modernization of the wool industry and created the first Industrial School in Portugal, where, for the next 80 years, technicians for this industry were trained.
This association lasted until 1936, when, after long conversations with the government and acceptance of the conditions demanded by the industrialists, after the demands accepted, it became a Federation, along with its respective “Grémios”.
The National Federation of Wool Industries, had has President for 33 years Dr. João Ubach Chaves, who brought important values, created the Welfare Fund for the Wool Industry with special benefits, ordered the construction of a housing development for the industry workers. The total cost of the investment, in 1949, was over 125,000.00 Euros, coming totally from his own funds.
With the end of the corporate system after the 1974 Portuguese Revolution, ANIL was founded, and Comendador Paulo Nina de Oliveira was elected President, who had a notable impact.
Some important remarks in modern ANIL history achieved by the Comendador Paulo Nina de Oliveira are:
- Affiliation in Interlaine (1980)
- Affiliation in IWTO (1981)
- Affiliation in FITVEP (Portuguese Federation for Textile and Clothing Industry) (1986)
- Portuguese Wool Industry Reorganization (1987)
- Formal protocol with AICEP for the development of textile design, fabrics and yarns (1989)
- Foundation of CITEVE in Vila Nova de Famalicão and Covilhã (1990)
- Foundation of CILAN (1992) known as MODATEX (2011)
- Construction of ANIL headquarters Congress and Exhibition Centre (1992)
He was succeeded in 1995 by Dr. Joaquim Mota Veiga, member of the Board since 1979 and influential Vice President of Anil from 1986 to 1995, marked by his untiring fight against unrestrained globalization of world trade. He was remarkable man and represented ANIL as Board Member7 years, Board Vice-President for 9 years and Board President for 6 years.
Elected ANIL Board President for the first time in 2003, Engineer José Alberto V. Robalo Da Fonseca is the actual Board President of ANIL, he is member of CITEVE Administration Council and MODATEX, he was for 8 years President of FITVEP and actually he his Vice-President. With singular charismatic characteristics he promotes a fair and regulated trade for all Industries and in particular for Textile and Clothing Industry.
