The Portuguese Footwear Technological Centre (Centro Tecnológico do Calçado de Portugal) (CTCP) is a private non-profit organisation, founded in 1986, between the Portuguese Footwear, Components, Leather Goods Manufacturers’ Association (APICCAPS) and two other government Institutes from the Ministry of Industries, (IAPMEI e INETI), from the incorporation of APICCAPS’ Quality Control Laboratory created in 1981. Today, over 350 private companies are associate members of the Portuguese Footwear Technological Centre.
CTCP (Portuguese Footwear Technological Centre) has the mission to technically and technologically support companies within the footwear cluster, promote human resource training in businesses and endow new human resources for the cluster, promote the improvement of product quality and industrial processes, prepare and divulge technical information along the industry, and conduct and streamline research, development and demonstration courses of action.
Following its statutory objectives and in accordance with the strategical priorities within the Footwear Cluster, CTCP actively and continuously intends to:
- Perform activities of individualised technical assistance for businesses within the cluster, consonant with the best state-of-the-art practices available and the needs, resources, capabilities and expertise within each company;
- Implement training and technical training and qualification activities within the human resources scope, especially managers, middle management and technical teams, through short and medium period training courses and internships in CTCP according to the specific needs of each company;
- Conduct research about innovation and proceed to technological monitoring on companies and markets; materials, products and processes; business models; management processes; marketing and communication processes; normalisation; industrial property; environment and consumer protection; social responsibility and sustainability; etc.
- Run informational and knowledge transfer activities for companies;
- Direct technological research and development, elevating the renowned state-of-the-art status, which has been absorbed by the cluster and launching new projects susceptible to generating new excellence paradigms and new growth opportunities in the value chain.
These activities are grouped into 4 multi-annual action programmes that correspond to the 4 Great Hubs or Skills Centres: Technical and Laboratory Assistance Programme; Technical Training and Qualification Programme; Technological Surveillance and Innovation Studies; and Investigation and Technological Development Programme.
The main areas where CTCP acts include: Laboratory Tests; investigation and innovation projects, training and qualification; managing systems consulting, investment projects, work safety services, product certification, industrial property, design, multimedia, and software development, information and communication, FabLab, environment and digital production.
CTCP is recognised by specialised and competent organisms in several areas, namely:
- The Laboratory tests (São João da Madeira) credited by IPAC, according to the norm NP EN ISO IEC 17025;
- Consulting organism for Benchmarking projects approved by IAPMEI;
- Training entity equivalent to certified by ANQ - National Agency for the Qualification;
- Credited entity by COMPETE for the execution of Innovation grant, Circular Economy grant, Industry4.0 grant, I&DT grant;
- Organism for the metrological verification of planimetric machinery by IPQ;
- Work Safety Service credited by ACT - Authority for work conditions;
- GAPI – The Office for the Support of Industrial property credited by INPI;
- Quality Control Laboratory recognised by several national and foreign companies (Inditex, Decathlon, Birkenstock, Rockport, Lambert, NEXT, Sonae, Van Bommel, Best Shoe, QVC, etc.);
- Technological Interface Centre recognised by ANI.