AFAVIAS - Engineering and Construction, S.A.- better known by its trade name AFA- began implementing its Management System in 2005 and received the corresponding Certification in August of 2007. Since then, AFA has been developing a management model directed towards continuous improvement and higher levels of competitiveness in the market, which has served as a platform for achieving results that are important in the optimisation of its production processes.

This timely and strategic decision resulted, first of all, in AFA being the first Portuguese company to obtain the Certificate for Concrete Products and the first regional company to obtain the CE marking for bituminous mixtures. Secondly, it meant the consolidation of the Management System, with the scope of the Certification being extended to the manufacture of prefabricated and concrete products. These facts transmit a message to the market about the high levels of competitiveness that are an intrinsic part of AFA's organizational culture.

Based on a business-oriented and customer-centred management system founded on normative models, the requirements were established for the certification of Concrete Products.

Although the certification of Concrete Products is voluntary in nature, in practice, it has become mandatory, as only certified companies are qualified to supply concrete to contracts of Class 3 Inspection, which constitute a significant part of the market (see Art. 5 of Decree-Law no. 301/2007, of August 23).

The wide range of experience and all the know-how gained over the course of many years in a wide range of contract works in civil construction and public works executed by AFA, together with innovative principles of entrepreneurial management, based on a strong policy of human capital, were, naturally, the synergies that facilitated the realisation of this important objective, which was defined as part of the strategy for 2008.

Without a doubt, difficulties inherent in the process included features specific to the region, among which we mention the limited access to raw materials, the maritime surroundings, and the transition between norms, due to the fact that construction jobs are normally multi-annual projects extending across different referential norms.

Cement Products are regulated through standard NP EN 206-1:2007, which is an excellent platform for improving the image and transparency of the sector, as well as being an excellent guarantee of the quality of the types of concrete applied on job sites. Consequently, it is an added value in socio-economic terms.

The apposition of the CE marking is a legal requirement for products covered by European directives. The CE marking is evidence given by the manufacturer and the certifying entity that these products are in compliance with the provisions of the applicable Community directives, specifically as related to matters of safety, public health and consumer protection.

In the case of AFA, the CE marking includes concrete aggregates; loose aggregates for civil engineering and road construction works; aggregates for bituminous mixtures and surface applications on roads, airports and other areas of traffic; and concrete and asphalt products.

AFA believes that the creation of value generated by these processes, based on a systemic entrepreneurial approach, leverages competitive advantages in the important entrepreneurial differentiation at global levels, which is being influenced more and more by innovation.