Albino Maia, started the manual and handmade manufacture of brushes in an annex in his home, a place where he also served as an animal guard, in Arcozelo, place of the Grades Verdes, Vila Nova de Gaia.
One man, one company, one story, four generations...
In the early 1920s, Albino Maia, on his own initiative, began manufacturing brushes and paintbrushes in a small outbuilding in his house. The company was founded in 1926 and, over its 100 years of activity, we have managed to transform something as simple as a brush into a very technical and complex product.
For us, “brushes” is a long and proud tradition.
In summary, we have always based our activity on three fundamental points: in life, as a gift from God that we have to know how to deserve and preserve, with respect, for everything around us; Customers and Suppliers, who deserve all respect and whom we always treat with honesty, which infuses us in the defense of their interests, so that they can continue to trust us; in our Employees and Friends, who, with their knowledge and honesty, did everything and do in the sense of preserving the prestige that we enjoy today.
One generation, the pillar that consolidated the future...
After decades of building and dedication, the second generation has taken on the commitment to honor the history while preparing for the future. It was a period marked by courage, strategic vision, and an unwavering desire to grow the MAIA® Group with its own identity.
More than just continuing existing work, it brought modernization, innovation, and a new business dynamic. It invested in technology, strengthened processes, raised quality standards, and consolidated the company's market presence with determination and ambition.
The second generation left a profound mark: they transformed challenges into opportunities, maintained the values that define the MAIA® Group, and built solid foundations for the next stages. Their legacy remains alive in the company's culture — rigor, innovation, commitment, and entrepreneurial spirit.
It is this heritage that continues to drive the MAIA® Group towards the future.
CHRONOLOGICAL FRAMES
The history of Grupo MAIA ® combines determination, character and authenticity in these long 95 years
1924
1926
The company is born in Arcozelo, Vila Nova de Gaia, to expand the production of brushes and adding brushes and other accessory painting products.
1947
The growth in its turnover, with 20 employees, means that there is a mandatory need to expand, building new facilities, having been the first company to be incorporated in the parish of Gulpilhares, Vila Nova de Gaia.
1949
It starts the manufacture of brooms and brushes, thus diversifying the products manufactured in the conquest of new markets.
1950
The upward trend in sales demanded an increase in the workforce, reaching 60 employees. Allied to this growth, and since everything was manufactured manually, it acquires automatic equipment, Josef Baer, for mixing bristles and natural fibers used in the manufacture of its products.
1967
Until then being the method of manual manufacture, the company acquires its first automatic machine for the manufacture of brooms, brushes and brushes, being the first machine Zahoranskyin Portugal. In the following years it acquired four more machines and complementary equipment.
1977
The company undergoes changes in its corporate name and type of company, maintaining, company and capital, only family. The second generation, Fernando Maia gave a new dynamism to the activity developed and made the company a reference in the national brush industry.
1980
In the 1980s, there was a period of great difficulties caused by fierce competition and the high number of active employees. Honesty and transparency have been factors of trust with our employees and business partners.
1986
Given the market demand, combined with the experience acquired over the years, the production of technical and industrial brushes has successfully started.
1991
Death of the founding partner, Albino Maia.
1992
Reformulation of the entire layout of the company, from works to adapt facilities, purchase and replacement of productive and administrative equipment, reform of the company's staff, commercial management policy and even the introduction of new product ranges.
1997
The ambition and desire of many years combined with professional pride, leads us to the creation of an industry, MAIA – Indústria de Monofilamentos, with a historic investment, assembly of a complete line for the manufacture of PVC monofilaments, its main raw material.
2000
Born, MAIA – Indústria de Injecção de Termoplásticos, as a final investment complement in the plastics area, together with the acquisition of injection molds of innovative design.
2002
First participation in the exhibition hall, Exposalão - Batalha. In the following years, he participated in five annual national fairs (Exposalão, FIL and Exponor) and one international, Madrid - Spain.
2006
Third generation of the Maia family takes over, the Grupo MAIA ®, a new clarification of the objectives of the group of companies, led to their integration and merger in order to enhance the market competitiveness more strongly.
2009
Under the maxim «not a single market, not a single customer, not a single product», The Grupo MAIA ® develops a business verticalization strategy, with the aim of achieving leadership in technical and industrial products.
2017
Moving to new and modern facilities for the Industrial Zone of Ovar.
It concludes after long years in this activity, that, after all, our final product was only a raw material.
The most authentic thing was to have taught generations of men and women.
Founder, Albino Maia
(1906 – 1991)