Acquisition of the Swedish group, Wicanders - an important step in further diversification in the wall and floor coverings segment, with a vast distribution network, especially in the northern and central Europe countries. From this date and continuing throughout the 1990s, Corticeira Amorim expands worldwide. Examples include the incorporation of Amorim Cork América (1990), the opening of Amorim France (1991) and the acquisition of Carl Ed Meyer in Germany (1992).
At the end of the 1980s, Portugal is the country with the highest volume of cork processing and Corticeira Amorim is the world leader in the sector.
The group’s four biggest companies - Amorim & Irmãos, S.A., Corticeira Amorim Indústria, S.A., Ipocork - Indústria de Pavimentos e Decoração, S.A. and Champcork - Rolhas de Champanhe, S.A. - launch a tender offer for the acquisition of shares representing their share capital, on the Lisbon Stock Exchange. The operation makes it possible to finance a series of new businesses.
Corticeira Amorim wins the International Quality Trophy, that is disputed by companies from 140 countries.
«Quality is never an accident. It is the result of an intelligent effort»,
Américo Amorim
The Labcork - Laboratório Central do Grupo Amorim, S.A. is set up, as a result of the group’s strategy to differentiate itself from the competition on the basis of quality. With industrial units capable of producing all products derived from cork, Corticeira Amorim reinforces its Research & Development and quality control policies and skills. The activity developed by Labcork applies to all Group companies.
Agglomerated cork is increasingly used in the production of components for sophisticated equipment, such as automobiles, spacecraft and nuclear power plants. Floor and wall coverings and parquets are undergoing a period of permanent technical evolution.
Corticeira Amorim sets up the company, Champcork - Rolhas de Champanhe, S.A., that is focused on the production of stoppers for champagne and sparkling wines. Applying cutting-edge technology, Champcork - Rolhas de Champanhe, S.A. sells 80 million stoppers / year.
Cork was used in the space capsule that put the first Man on the Moon, in 1969: NASA’s Space Shuttle Programme. The ability to withstand high temperatures makes cork the ideal material for providing a thermal protection shield. In fact, only cork is able to leave the earth’s atmosphere and return, while maintaining its characteristics intact. Cork is the only organic material used in a space capsule.