Founded in 1904, CIFIAL has more than a century of industrial knowledge and experience.
A permanent investment in product and process engineering, together with the use of design as a strategic tool, justify the recognition received through winning a number of international awards.
The constant concern with anticipating market trends reflects our potential to export countries with demanding standards.
Everything we are comes from our unending desire to innovate, from product design and production, through incorporated technologies, attractive and functional design, to the sustainability of all the processes involved right up to the final product.

1904
In 1904 the Centro Industrial de Ferragens, Lda, CIF was founded, owned by Alberto Costa Reis, and was nicknamed O Biscatão (The Big Oddjob).
At that time the factory used rudimentary tools to produce latches, locks, hinges, safes and a number of metal objects.

40s
The period running up to the Second World War was a time of serious financial difficulty for the company. Going bankrupt, CIF was taken over by Banco Borges & Irmão.
In 1944, the company was acquired from the bank by José Marques, and CIFIAL was born. He was the son of a carpenter, whose origins were so humble that he did not even attend primary school. But he inherited his work ethic, discipline and honour from his father, and this led to him working on a lathe at Biscatão from 1920 to 1922.

60s
With great intelligence and uncommon acumen, José Marques developed and modernised the factory, creating the conditions for its progress and preparing the way for the future: internationalisation.
A new stage in the modernisation process was under way.
The first steps in the company’s automation were taken.
In June 1961, a new edition of the "History of Industry in Portugal" is published, focusing on the history of CIFIAL, describing its first 50 years of existence.

Throughout the text there is an explanation of how CIF becomes CIFIAL:
"As fechaduras que mais brado deram no nosso país foram as americanas de fabrico «Yall». Trata-se duma fechadura de técnica avançada e que por tal facto se reproduziu em muitos pontos da Europa e nomeadamente em Portugal onde com outros aperfeiçoamentos se fabricam em grandes quantidades. O Centro Industrial de Ferragens, Lda., de Rio Meão, fazendo uso das próprias iniciais da firma, CIF, a que juntou o nome das fechaduras «Yall», criou a marca CIFIAL porque são conhecidas as suas fechaduras e que tanta reputação lhe haviam de angariar."
Leia já o texto na íntegra clicando na imagem abaixo:

70s
The company faced serious problems in the wake of the Colonial War. Investment in equipment coincided with a climate of political, economic and social instability that was generated by the loss of the former colonies and a sharp decline in the domestic market.
It was crucial to seek out more demanding markets.
Contacts with customers in the US confirmed expectations. CIFIAL confidently moved into this new market.

80s
With the development of locks with innovative features based on CIFIAL's high quality standards, the company established a strong relationship with its new American customers.
A renowned American company ordered a range of taps for its "Broadway Collection" brand.
Cifial gained confidence and launched other products, and began to win over the American market, with the CIFIAL brand name finally appearing on taps.

90s
The company’s internalisation was consolidated with the opening of subsidiaries in the UK, USA and Spain.
The company held firm to its strong tradition as a hardware manufacturer and began producing modern locks, translated into access control systems, with the launch of the Cifitrónica brand.
Driven by the growth in the American market, Cifial established a new business area, the Original Equipment Manufacturer. This momentum was supported with the installation of a new foundry, complete with new grinding and polishing robots.
It was also during this decade that the Group bought a stake in Aquatis and acquired the OLIVA and LUSEPI brands, with the aim of becoming a leader in the integrated bathroom solutions sector.
Before the end of the decade, CIFIAL S.G.P.S., S.A. was created, organising the Group into legally independent units by business area.

00s
This decade has witnessed a wholesale restructuring of the business, accompanied by a change in its corporate image to identify each area of activity - Complete Bath Solutions and Integrated Door Systems.
This led to the birth of CIFIAL, SA, which was the result of the integration of Cifial’s tap unit with the Oliva and Lusepi brands.
The company also acquired all the share capital of Aquatis, which it renamed CIFIAL - Indústria Cerâmica, SA.
Its product designs are recognised internationally, with the brand winning several awards. In addition to its many product design awards, the company won the DME Award for the use of design as a strategic management tool.

2012
At the end of the first decade of the new millennium the world economy is devastated by a deep crisis, emerged in the United States, considered the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
Since the 80's of the previous century, CIFIAL has increasingly based an important part of its business in the American market. The crisis that hit this market had an immediate and profound impact on the company.
To keep the company afloat it underwent a financial restructuring process in 2012, resulting in FR - Fundo Capital de Risco, SA, acquiring a 90% stake in CIFIAL S.G.P.S., S.A.

2014
CIFIAL celebrated its 110 year anniversary.
CIFIAL's Museum is renovated, displaying in chronological order some of the key moments in the company's century-old history. The space includes some of the objects and machinery preserved over the years, as well as the various CIFIAL's award-winning products.

2019
After more than a decade of great resilience, CIFIAL was taken over by the KINLONG multinational company. By the start of 2022 the Group has more than 13.000 employees, with and industrial area of more than 600.000 m2 and operates in more than 100 countries.

2020
Encouraged by its new leadership, CIFIAL has renovated its showrooms and restructured its teams to prepare the brand for the huge challenges that lie ahead.
The global pandemic is not enough to stop CIFIAL, and in 2021 new tap and sanitaryware ranges were launched. Still in 2021 CIFIAL renews its well-recognised sanitaryware collections, A1 and Block, with rimless format.
At the same time, CIFIAL demonstrated its concern for the environment by developing improvements in water consumption at both businesses.
The corporate image follows the brand’s new direction. It is simpler and features the artists, craftsmen, history and, most importantly, the experience behind the company.
A legacy in the art of know-how, since 1904.

Vision
Make the bathroom a space that generates good
feelings and inspires at the beginning of each day.



Mission
To offer bath solutions with the best value
proposition in the various market segments.



Values
Sustainability;
Honesty;
Integrity;
Respect.