Between 1966 and 1969, several companies were acquired and set up in Portugal and abroad, some located in countries on the other side of the “Iron curtain” during the Cold War years. Important examples included Inacor - Indústria Transformadora de Agglomerados de Cortiça, S.A., dedicated to the production of expanded agglomerated cork products; Itexcork - Indústria de Transformação e Exportação de Cortiça, Lda.; and the founding of Corticeira Amorim Algarve, Lda., in Silves, dedicated to the production of black agglomerated cork used in thermal, acoustic and vibrational insulation. Corticeira Amorim uses the new companies to expand its industrial base, broaden its vertical integration strategy and reinforce its internationalisation strategy. A branch in Vienna (1967) - Gerhard Schiesser GmbH - is also opened during this period, which streamlines relations with Soviet bloc countries.
Corticeira Amorim records notable growth in the production of white agglomerated cork and granulated cork. It invests in innovative projects to incorporate these materials through the creation of a specific unit for the production of parquet, another unit for the production of decorative articles and another unit for solutions that incorporate technical mixtures of cork and rubber (CorkRubber). CorkRubber was successfully launched in 1973. In the Algarve, Corticeira Amorim Algarve, Lda. is responsible for the production of around 8% of the black agglomerated cork market.
Creation of an industrial unit dedicated to the production of granulated and agglomerated cork (a unit that later paved the way to the creation of Amorim Cork Composites). The goal was to use 70% of the waste resulting from the production of cork stoppers by Amorim & Irmãos, Lda. and transform it into granulated cork, and use this material to produce valuable pure and composite agglomerated cork products, thereby making it possible to produce a set of new cork-based applications.
Portugal consolidates its position as the world's biggest cork producer (raw material). At this time, about 80% of cork production is exported as raw material and is processed in other countries.