How DRT Group Kept Deliveries Flowing After Storm Kristin's Destruction

Storm Kristin’s Wreckage and How DRT Group Maintained Client Commitments

In the early hours of 28 January, Storm Kristin tore through Portugal’s Leiria region, leaving two production units of DRT Group in ruins. The injection mould specialist, which supplies the automotive industry, lost roofs and saw moisture quickly oxidise critical equipment. Production halted overnight, threatening international contracts built over decades.

Yet co-founder and managing partner Sónia Calado reports that, despite a four‑week stoppage, the company did not miss a single delivery. With temporary covers in place, teams worked 24‑hour shifts to meet commitments. “We are rebuilding with the same long‑term logic we have always used,” Calado told Forbes Portugal, “not sacrificing what is structural for future competitiveness.”

The group’s ability to absorb the shock owes something to diversification. Founded in 1994 by Calado and her husband Valdemar Duarte, DRT has grown from pure mould making into micro‑injection, injection moulding and, more recently, a painting unit located in Palmela – well away from the storm’s path. That geographic spread meant the entire operation was never halted at once.

DRT had already invested €15 million in a new industrial unit during the pandemic, betting on a market leap that never came because of the Ukraine war and fierce Asian competition. Now the focus is on rebuilding the storm‑hit facilities while holding onto the full‑service capability – from product design to finished painted parts – that sets it apart.

Behind the Recovery: Pricing Pressure from Asia and Gendered Leadership

The Operational Response to Storm Kristin

The speed of DRT’s recovery illustrates more than heroic effort. The company had to improvise: makeshift roofing, extended shifts and a frantic scramble to keep supply lines open. Calado’s assertion that no delivery was missed is a remarkable claim for a site that was essentially roofless for weeks. If verified by clients, it signals that mid‑sized manufacturers can preserve trust through extreme contingency measures, especially when they have some production dispersed outside the disaster zone.

Asia’s Price Undercutting: ‘Impossible to Compete’

Even as the physical damage is being repaired, a more persistent threat looms. Calado says Chinese competitors can land product in Europe at prices below her raw‑material costs. “It is impossible to compete like this,” she told the magazine. The post‑pandemic return to price‑first buying has undone any loyalty built during supply‑chain disruptions. For DRT, the answer is a bundled offering – design, prototyping, mould, injection and painting – that turns the firm into a preferred supplier for clients who value integration over the lowest sticker price. Whether that can offset the Asian cost gap indefinitely is uncertain, especially if EU trade defences stay weak.

Leadership Without Gender Boundaries

The feature also spotlights Calado’s path in a male‑dominated industry. She says her leadership draws on sharper intuition and a “greater sensitivity for reading people” – traits she believes complement her husband’s style in their shared management of the group. The division of roles has been strict enough that for years work was not brought home; the storm broke that rule, and she acknowledges the strain of being both spouse and business partner. The broader message is that resilience in crisis is not gender‑specific, but the ability to motivate teams through disaster is a leadership quality that every manufacturer now needs.

What Other Manufacturers Can Learn from DRT’s Crisis and Competitive Strategy

• Disaster recovery must include provisional production continuity. DRT used temporary roofing and 24/7 shifts to keep output; even makeshift solutions can preserve client trust when a fixed plant is unavailable for weeks.
• Geographic and product diversification create buffers. Having a painting unit in Palmela – outside the storm’s path – prevented a total shutdown, while building micro‑injection and painting capabilities over time meant clients could still be served through a full‑service package even when the core mould shop was damaged.
• For European suppliers facing Asian pricing, bundling services is the only sustainable defence. Calado’s raw‑material costs alone exceed some Chinese finished‑goods prices. DRT’s “closed pack” – design, mould, injection, painting – is its differentiator. Manufacturers should audit their own value‑add chain to find bundle‑able capabilities that make price comparison harder for buyers.
• Active membership in industry associations can amplify advocacy. Calado’s roles at AIP, NERLEI, Mulher Líder and Mobinov give her a platform to push for policies that support domestic manufacturing; companies facing unfair trade practices should channel their experience through such forums rather than fighting in isolation.
• Resilience in leadership is demonstrated by how roles are respected in a crisis. The Calado‑Duarte partnership shows that a clear split of responsibilities can survive extreme stress, but only if the couple or co‑leaders consciously re‑establish boundaries once the emergency passes.