Barbot was born in Porto in 1920. About two years after the end of the | World War, Diogo Barbot opened a factory in Santo Ildefonso, Porto. One hundred and five years later, the small family-run company has given way to an international group with more than 350 employees worldwide, which invests more than €2M per year and has a global turnover of more than €60M. “In the more than 100 years of history, from where we went from being a local player to a multinational player, we have always sought a local approach, thinking global”, underlines Diogo Barbot, strategy director at the Barbot Group.

With a global dimension, the Portuguese business group has eight factories spread across five countries on two continents – Portugal, Spain, Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde – and sells to more than 26 countries. The investment in R&D and innovation practices are evident in a catalogue of 30 thousand colours, “the largest catalogue of colours in Portugal”, assures Diogo Barbot to Hipersuper, and in the more than four thousand formulas created. “There is no limit to our imagination and ambition”, assures Diogo Barbot.

Barbot is a century-old family-owned company, located in Greater Porto, which has grown and taken its products to different geographies and continents, but remains in its region. Is this connection also part of your success path?

In the more than 100 years of history, from where we have gone from being a local player to a multinational player, we have always sought a local approach, thinking global. We exist to offer coating products and services to our consumers that make them experience new emotions. We can only do this if we constantly seek to understand the needs of our customers, with active listening and an entrepreneurial spirit in wanting to innovate. That is why although we are in the process of expansion and internationalization, already operating in more than 26 countries, we will always ensure that in the markets where we operate. Our presence is very close to our partners, fostering the sharing of knowledge and adaptation to local needs. Cement where we are, seeking to grow to where we want to go. The focus on growth is also essential for the markets where we are already present because working methods, products and services from other regions can always serve as a learning experience for mature markets. Despite the increasing globalization of supply, despite the recent threats to multilateralism, the construction sector is the sector with the least digi-talization, so the adoption of new practices is slow. At Barbot, we are clear that our focus is to simplify the lives of our customers in the world of coatings, working with digital at the center of the process.

2020, the year in which the company celebrated its centenary, was marked by a pandemic. That year they launched the online store, communicating that it has never made so much sense to ‘move house without leaving home’. Was it the motto for the new approach and proximity to the customer?

As mentioned, being in contact with the customer and having digitalization at the center of our processes are two defining vectors of our way of acting. Therefore. When confronted, in full confinement, with the entire population locked at home, we realized early on that there was a great predisposition of the market to intervene in their housing. This fact culminated in the vision we have had at the Barbot brand for more than 20 years – that paint has the ability to move house without leaving home, but where there was great resistance in the market, either due to lack of time or financial availability. For us it has always been very natural to understand the importance of paint for the population in Portugal.

After the pandemic, external conflicts emerged, such as the war in Ukraine, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and even the attacks in the Red Sea. How are you facing and overcoming the issue of supply?

In each challenge we look for the opportunity, and rethinking our supply flows, privileging closer suppliers is one of these situations. Instead of looking for direct alternatives to the same raw material, we rewrite the problem presented, seeking to address the sustainability of our sector, developing products with the same services, but with different, more sustainable raw materials, and from partners located in countries with a more stable political and social situation.

Additionally, by choosing closer partners, we are decreasing the ecological footprint of product production due to transport. We have transformed a barrier into an opportunity, which requires a focus on innovation that translates into benefits for the end consumer.

By this, we do not mean that we exclude suppliers, but certain contexts make the feasibility of purchasing more difficult. I give the example of titanium dioxide, one of the main components of a paint formulation. More than 60% of the world’s production of this component is made in China. Without any prior warning, in 2024 the EU decreed an anti-dumping customs rate of x%, escalating the cost price of products from the entire paint industry. We want to work with all suppliers to allow us to develop the best product that meets the needs of consumers, but there is a cost limit that we can absorb without impacting the value chain.

Are sustainable policies transversal to the various areas of the company? How have you adapted Barbot to a more sustainable production and marketing? Is Barbot Nature an example of this?

Sustainability is one of our six values at the Barbot Group that goes beyond environmental sustainability. As we are a 100% family and Portuguese company, we do not suffer the pressure of having to deliver results in the very short term that put our future at risk, so we seek to be quick in action, ensuring the economic sustainability of the company for the next 100 years. In addition to the pillar of economic sustainability, we are concerned with the other two pillars of sustainability: social and environmental.

From a social point of view, we are proud to have a varied offer of brands that seek to respond to the technical challenges of various customers, always taking into account their financial capacity. The Barbot brand is a good example of this: it is the only brand in Portugal, available in all sales channels – resale, stores, mass market and online – and that offers from affordable products to the most technologically advanced. We are proud to say that we do not leave any citizen of the world out: everyone has the possibility to buy products with the Barbot name, brand and guarantee seal. After all, there are more than 1.7 million Portuguese who live in housing poverty. They also deserve to be able to have a recognized brand on their walls so that they feel at home.

Finally, environmental sustainability is transversal to our way of acting, both from a product point of view, such as in the launch of the first paint based on biomass products, Barbot Nature, but also in the production process where we seek solutions for the reuse of production derivatives.

What investments and/or sustainable products are you working on? Does the collaboration with Hygienic Pigging Systems come in this sense?

The main source of investment on the path to sustainability is related to all the efforts we put into the research and development of more sustainable products and processes, with a main focus on the circularity of materials and durability of our products, in order to reduce consumption. Sometimes, when we develop more innocuous solutions for the environment, we are faced with the need to change our production process.

The installation of the Hygienic Pigging System comes precisely in this sense. It is a cleaning system with compressed air and water from the piping for the circulation of raw materials and finished product throughout the circuit, which guarantees the total hygiene of our production system. This commitment follows the use of biocides that are more friendly to people and the environment, which means that we have to guarantee a sterile circuit.

Can it be said that innovation is an integral part of the company’s DNA? And it presupposes a large investment in R&D…

Undoubtedly, innovation is not only a pillar of Barbot, but an ongoing practice that sets us apart in the market. A clear example of this was our decision to be the first in Portugal to invest in water-based paints, at a time when the sector was still operating mostly with solvent paints.

This paradigm shift was not easy. We faced a very demanding technical learning curve on our own, investing heavily in R&D to develop products that would guarantee the same quality, strength and finish as traditional paints, but with a significantly reduced environmental impact. We did it because we were convinced that it was the right way, not only in terms of sustainability, but also in terms of safety and comfort for our customers and applicators.

By leading this transformation, we pave the way for the sector and serve as a reference for other market operators, reinforcing our commitment to responsible innovation. This is just one of the many examples that demonstrate how Barbot not only follows trends, but often anticipates them, always seeking to develop solutions that reconcile performance, sustainability and innovation.

At Concreta 2024, they presented a new Artificial Intelligence tool. What does it mean for the company?

The presentation of our new Artificial Intelligence tool at Concreta 2024 represents a milestone in Barbot’s evolution and reinforces our ongoing commitment to innovation. This technological solution was developed to support customers and professionals in choosing the best painting and coating solutions, simplifying their experience and empowering them with our knowledge.

AI allows us to go beyond the traditional paint offering, providing intelligent recommendations based on specific space conditions, aesthetic preferences, and even forecasting consumption and budgets. In this way, we are able to make the process more intuitive, accessible and informed, allowing our customers to make choices with greater confidence and accuracy.

More than a technological advance, this innovation reinforces Barbot’s positioning as a brand that combines tradition and modernity, anticipating the needs of the market and raising the standards of quality and service in the sector. It is another step on the path of digitalization and personalization, ensuring that each customer has access to the best solutions in a simple and effective way.

Is Barbot the only company in the world to offer artificial intelligence decorators? How did this project come about and how is lA shaping Barbot’s products?

Barbot sees Artificial Intelligence as a strategic instrument to create real value and not just as a technological trend. Our AI decorator is an example of this – a tool with an innovative architecture, developed to provide concrete answers to the needs of our customers, and not just to be present in the digital world.

But this is just the beginning. We have a wide range of tools developed by our technical workshop in the pipeline, which we will gradually introduce to the market. These solutions will complement our customers’ experience, helping them not only in the choice of colors and products, but also in the optimization of the painting and coating processes. AI will continue to play a central role in Barbot’s innovation, allowing us to further personalize our solutions, predict consumer trends, and improve the efficiency of our products and services. Our commitment is clear: to develop technology that really makes a difference in the lives of our customers and professionals in the sector.

How is Barbot’s physical expansion in Portugal being worked on, both in stores and in production units?

Barbot’s physical expansion in Portugal has been done in a strategic and sustained way, both in strengthening the store network and in modernizing production capacity. Our goal is to get closer to customers, providing them with an increasingly specialized service and differentiating experiences.

A clear example of this approach is the new store in Loulé, which opened at the end of 2024, which brings an innovative concept. More than a point of sale, this store represents a true space for experience and experimentation, where customers can explore colors, textures and coating solutions with the support of experts. We also highlight the product test area, which allows professionals and individuals to try our paints and coatings directly before application.

At an international level, what numbers does exports represent and in how many markets are they already in? In the internationalization plan, are there new markets in sight or is the focus on growing where they are?

Regarding the volume of exports, 2024 recorded a volume of 4.5M euros. Barbot has been consolidating its international presence, and is currently present in several European and African markets. Our internationalization strategy has led us to establish operations in countries such as Spain, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Guinea, Angola, Cape Verde and Mozambique and we have several partners in other African countries.

With regard to our internationalization plan, Barbot maintains a dynamic posture and attentive to growth opportunities. We are committed to strengthening our position in the markets where we already operate, ensuring that we offer quality products and differentiated services. At the same time, we continuously evaluate new markets that synergistically align with our sustainable growth strategy.

How far can innovation and trends take in 2025 and beyond? What are you working on?

Innovation at Barbot has always been based on the idea that paints have to incorporate more value and perform functions that go beyond simple painting. The future of paints involves incorporating materials that can generate energy from sunlight, or regenerative paints, which can repair small cracks by themselves.
There is no limit to our imagination and ambition.

The company completed its first century in the market. How are you working with it and the new generation, so that they contribute to its existence in the next century?

Barbot has completed its first century in the market thanks to a culture of innovation, resilience and commitment to quality. But our vision is not just to celebrate the past, it’s to ensure that we continue to grow and evolve for the next 100 years. How? Continuous innovation. Innovation has always been a fundamental pillar of Barbot and will continue to be as we have already detailed.

Sustainability and environmental responsibility. The Barbot of the future will be more sustainable. We are working to reduce the ecological footprint of our products and production processes, with water-based inks, formulations with less environmental impact and greener packaging. Sustainability is not a trend, it is a responsibility that we assume for the next generations.

Training and involvement of the new generation. Barbot’s future is about people. We are investing in the continuous training of our team, renewing and preparing a new generation to lead the company with the same innovative spirit that brought us here. We value internal knowledge and encourage the sharing of experiences between generations.

Digital transformation and proximity to the customer. We are building a company that is increasingly digital, interactive and connected with customers. Tools such as Artificial Intelligence applied to the choice of paints and the personalization of the consumer experience are just the beginning of a new era. We want to be where our customers are and give them more autonomy and knowledge in their journey with Barbot.

Expansion and strategic internationalization. Sustainable growth involves strengthening our presence in the markets where we already operate and exploring new opportunities. Barbot will continue to focus on proximity to customers, both nationally and internationally, through new stores and innovative solutions.