According to the company located in Vila Nova de Famalicão, the slight growth in revenue last year followed a 15% increase in 2023 and was “achieved in a challenging context for the textile industry, which, despite being well-established in international markets, continues to face strong competition.”
In 2024, the group’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) were recorded at 13.6 million euros, equivalent to 14% of the period’s total revenue. This reflects “the company’s commitment to operational efficiency and the tailoring of its commercial offer.”
Spain, Canada, Germany, Italy, and France remained the five primary export destinations for the Riopele group last year.
“Although Spain held the leading position, it was Canada that stood out the most, a performance attributable not only to the high sustainability demands of clients but also to the collaborative efforts of the Research & Development and commercial teams, which contributed to the development of materials aligned with the specific expectations and needs of this market,” the company announced.
In 2025, Riopele foresees “a slight increase” in revenue, approaching “nearly 100 million euros.”
Among the priorities for this period, the textile company emphasizes the completion of investments supported by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) and the continuation of its training plan focusing on the technical areas of the industry and the development of management skills, in addition to “progress in commitments regarding sustainability and Industry 4.0.”
Quoted in a statement, Riopele’s president, José Alexandre Oliveira, expresses optimism about “the challenges in the sector,” highlighting “the most significant during this period as addressing the complex energy issues.”
To specifically address energy challenges, Riopele inaugurated a photovoltaic plant at its site B in 2024, a five-million-euro investment partially financed by the PRR.
Riopele emphasizes that this is “one of the largest rooftop photovoltaic parks installed in Portugal,” allowing it, “on certain days of the year, to achieve energy self-sufficiency peaks of about 80% at the company’s most energy-intensive unit.”
This project is accompanied by a future photovoltaic plant at site A, slated for completion in the second half of 2025.
“This investment represents another significant step forward in the production of renewable energy in the textile industry, contributing to accelerating the company’s decarbonization process while mitigating reliance on external factors and subsequent fluctuations in one of the main operational costs,” the statement reads.
Specializing in the production of fabrics for the fashion industry and covering stages from Research & Development (R&D) to spinning, dyeing, twisting, weaving, finishing, and tailoring (under the Riopele Fashion Solutions brand), Riopele employed 1,190 workers at the end of 2024, exporting 98% of its production to 30 countries and over 700 clients.
