FOUNDER'S MESSAGE

From its inception 50 years ago, Gralpe has been involved in the extraction, processing and marketing of granite for construction, landscape and streetscape works. In the beginning, the techniques used were very primitive compared to today, with quality depending greatly on the dedication and skills of its workforce. Over the years modern techniques have been introduced and the company has gained a reputation for quality and reliability in all its quarries and factories but it has retained the traditional skills in its workforce. As a result, many customers have remained with the company continuously from those early days.

In order to further grow the business and to include other partners, I founded Rogranit - Sociedade de Granitos do Norte, Lda - in 1978. This company has proved very effective in further developing the European market, all the time complimenting the work that Gralpe was already doing. However, with both companies working closely in parallel, it became clear that the structure would be much simplified by a merger which took place at the end of 2007.

More recently and due to changes in the marketplace, in 2001 I had the opportunity to purchase Grantax – Fornecedores de Granitos, Lda.
This posed a major challenge and only after consulting many trusted friends and in particular my wife, Laurentina, did I proceed. Grantax specialised in sawing and processing dimension stone and also had two excellent fine grained granite quarries so this company also had the potential to compliment Gralpe and Rogranit. As of 2014, all the companies are merged into one RG Rogranit Grantax – Granitos, Lda., greatly improving efficiency and performance. The new fully-developed company website will soon be available, combining the activities of all the operations.

A WORD OF APPRECIATION

I have a great many people to thank for their help and encouragement throughout these years. There have been obstacles to overcome and sacrifices needed. Throughout, friends and employees alike have provided so much support. I cannot list them all here, but I will not forget those to whom I owe so much and I thank them for everything. I trust they are all willing and happy to join "GRUPO FILINTO", a symbolic home for all those friends and colleagues who, directly or indirectly, have helped us to get to where we are now.

I am very fortunate that, at my advanced age, I can still enjoy participating in the company whilst endeavoring to pass on my principles, experience and knowledge to the next generation. It is a pleasure to see the progress they are making.

Filinto Moreira Monteiro

A NEW COMPANY

Combining the quarries, dimension stone production and crushed aggregates, the company embodies all the assets and personnel of R&G Rogranit Gralpe – Granitos, Lda. and Grantax - Fornecedores de Granito, Lda. It will remain an independent business owned by the Filinto family. Merging the two businesses will improve both the production management structure and its marketing ability.

OLD ROGRANIT GRALPE

R&G also came about from a merger, in this case between Gralpe, Sociedade Industrial de Granitos de Alpendorada, Lda. (05.05.1965) and Rogranit - Sociedade de Granitos do Norte (1978) at the end of 2007.

Both were founded by Mr. Filinto Moreira Monteiro, although initially with the participation of other partners from outside the family.

In Matosinhos, R&G had its main office and a warehouse to support export through the port of Leixões. Its quarries are located in Pedras Salgadas (Vila Pouca de Aguiar), Sátão, Roriz and Alpendorada (Marco de Canaveses). Alpendorada, close to the city of Porto, was the birthplace of the now fifty year old company. It is the location of large reserves of medium grain grey granite, in an area which has been worked for centuries and where is also good quality yellow granite.

The Alpendorada quarry of Gralpe was started by Oliveira Salazar's regime to extract the massive stones needed to build the beautiful bridge over the River Tâmega at Entre-os-Rios, designed by the Portuguese engineer and statesman Duarte Pacheco. After its construction, which took about 10 years, this quarry lay inactive until being acquired by Gralpe.

Also located in Alpendorada is R&G’s sawing and special finishing plant, where the company has the facilities to produce both large volumes of standard products or complex and detailed articles, including beautiful works of art.

Crushed granite aggregates for the Portuguese market are produced in both the Roriz and Alpendorada quarries, both stones recognised as of above-average quality.

On the river Douro, at Lugar de Boure, Castelo de Paiva, R&G owned (by concession) a large dock able to load seagoing vessels taking its products directly to its European customers. It also handles goods for other parties. The service provided at the dock is managed from within its own organization, but is supervised by an external company specialising in this activity.

At the time of the merger, R&G had about 140 employees, to which we can add about 50 subcontracted employees because they worked full time and always within the company’s facilities.

The annual export volume was around 95.000 tons and the domestic market was around 125.000 tons. The export market is principally European, though product has also been sent further afield, to the USA in particular. There are currently signs of growth in the Eastern European market.

OLD GRANTAX

Grantax (a company also founded in the 1960's) had its office and warehouse in another parish of Matosinhos. It was acquired in 2001 from a Norwegian multinational company. It has three quarries, in Alpendorada (medium grain grey granite) and in Marco de Canaveses quarries at Ariz and S. Lourenço do Douro. These last two extract delightful fine grain grey granite.

Both the production of cropped kerbs and setts and the sawing plant are in Lugar de Vila, Favões (Marco de Canaveses).

At the time of the merger, Grantax had about 80 employees (direct or subcontracted).

The annual export volume was around 80.000 tons to destinations very similar to R&G’s.

CONTACTS

If you wish to file a complaint or a report please, click here.

If you use our website, you implicitly accept our Privacy Policy ( view Policy ).

Please use the contacts listed below for other types of inquiries.

Main Office