The Portuguese Foundry Association (APF) was founded in 1964 and presently gathers companies, managers and workers at all levels in the foundry business and associated industries. It has about 120members scattered throughout the country and abroad. It’s only revenue is what is received from fees paid by the members and other services.
As the association is a technical-cultural body, it’s aim is to represent and defend the general interests of the foundry industry.

APF represents the Portuguese foundry in the top circles of the World Industry, as CAEF, EPDCC and EPU, where is represented by delegates named by the respective national groups and commissions.

“Fundição” is a quarterly technical and informative magazine edited by APF, and has a reputable prestige in the international circles.

The foundry sector in Portugal has developed to a higher concentration, decreasing the number of companies, it can be considered a competitive sector worldwide, and well equipped (at the en of XX century and beginning of XXI a great investments have been made in the sector to modernize and become more competitive, being at the level of modernization in Europe) to meet the challenges that arise.

However the world crisis, as been also felt in Portugal, which caused a marked loss of orders and exports, as well as the rising cost of energy and raw materials.