Ameixial welcomes new business hub and incubator
A new business hub and incubator has opened in the small inland village of Ameixial in Loulé in a bid to breathe new life into an area which has seen population numbers dwindle over the past decades.
The new facility, housed in the village’s former cork factory, is already home to two businesses in the process of setting up operations.
Located around one kilometre from the village centre, the new infrastructure includes six warehouses of around 125 square metres each, four of which are occupied by ‘Meus Móveis, Lda.’, a carpentry company, and ‘DNAS, Sociedade Apícola’, a beekeeping business. Both were selected through a public call for projects. The space also offers offices for incubation and co-working and boasts a range of technological equipment, including electric vehicle charging points and solar panels.
The €1.3 million project, officially titled ‘Espaço de Incubação e Acolhimento de Atividades Económicas do Ameixial’ (Economic Activities Incubation and Reception Space of Ameixial) and led by the municipal council of Loulé, aims to boost local economic activity.
“The interior faces problems which we all know about, and which are targeted with investments of this kind,” said Loulé mayor Vítor Aleixo, cited in a press release, speaking of the “extreme importance” of bringing economic activity and young entrepreneurs to parishes such as Ameixial. “The potential is enormous,” added Aleixo.
Businesses are exempt from paying rent during their first year at the business hub, with low rental fees promised for subsequent years.
There are still two vacant warehouses available for businesspeople who present projects that fit in with the council’s goal to bolster the economic development of Loulé’s inland areas.
According to the local authority, the new facility not only aims to promote innovation through the use of technology and best practices, but also seeks to create direct and indirect employment, as well as attract new residents to the parish.
Young entrepreneur Isa Lourenço, co-founder of Meus Móveis, highlighted the “excellent conditions and affordable prices” of the space, which she says is particularly attractive for those starting their businesses. Isa and her business partner, Tiago Custódio, a carpenter with over 15 years of experience, will use the facilities as the assembling location for their products and hope to expand their reach across the Algarve and Lower Alentejo regions, with plans for future growth all the way to Portugal’s northern region.
“This space is a great asset for local entrepreneurs, especially for those of us from Ameixial. It helps us create jobs, bring families here, and develop the local economy,” says Isa.
Meanwhile, ‘DNAS, Sociedade Apícola,’ an established player in the beekeeping industry with 20 years of experience, is relocating its operations to Ameixial. The company, led by Aurélio Cavaco, is looking to expand its operations, including pollination services for almond orchards in Alentejo, as well as avocado groves and berry greenhouses. Additionally, the company plans to focus on products from the Algarve’s mountainous regions, such as honey and pollen, which have seen increasing demand.
By moving its facilities from the town of Loulé to Ameixial, DNAS will be closer to beekeeping areas in the nearby hills, such as Cavalos and Vermelhos. Cited in the council press release, Aurélio hopes the move will help the company become a national leader in its sector and expand its customer base to large retail chains. “If this goes as planned, we will have to have at least four or five people working here,” the entrepreneur said.
Aside from the new business hub, the municipal council of Loulé says it is also working on other initiatives to combat demographic depopulation, including the creation of public housing. As part of its Local Housing Strategy, the town has already rehabilitated two homes for affordable rental, with four additional homes currently under renovation in Ameixial.
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