The story of Gratnells in Portugal begins with a large-scale challenge: the transition of factory facilities from the UK to Portugal. At this time of profound transformation — with spaces, teams, and procedures to be built — the company was seeking a partner to ensure strict compliance with national occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation.
Furthermore, from day one, there was a need to build a safety culture that was robust and structurally committed to the well-being of all workers. It was at this foundational moment that the fruitful partnership with Centralmed emerged.
Founded in the UK, and with a presence in the United States and Portugal, Gratnells is dedicated to plastic transformation and specializes in the production of office furniture. With about 60 employees, the company recently decided to establish new facilities in Portugal, initiating a strategic transition in its manufacturing operation.
Indeed, at this implementation stage, Gratnells did not have its own safety policies — only some procedures inherited from the former tenants of the facilities. Additionally, it faced an extra challenge: adapting to a new legal and cultural framework, ensuring worker protection from the start of operations.
In the search for an experienced and multidisciplinary partner in the OHS field, Gratnells chose Centralmed. And it quickly became clear that this collaboration would go far beyond mere legal compliance policies.
Thus, after this first stage — the systematic assessment of OHS requirements to be considered in this corporate reality —, the actions of Centralmed specialists extended to multiple areas:
We needed added value in occupational health and safety services to assist us in the transition of factories from the UK to Portugal. We are talking about new facilities, new workers, and new laws to comply with. (...) Therefore, we experienced great difficulty in adapting and aligning British policies with Portuguese ones, which hindered closer monitoring of the workers.
In this regard, Augusta Guedes and Nicole Rebelo highlight the flexibility and adaptability of the Centralmed team to the company’s actual priorities, in a demanding and constantly changing scenario.
The biggest obstacle, according to the company, was starting operations without consolidated procedures. There was some skepticism among the workers. However, Centralmed’s close and structured approach helped overcome this scenario, contributing to a more reliable, productive, and cohesive work environment.
Since the beginning of the partnership, Gratnells has experienced significant optimization in OHS management. With Centralmed’s support, it became possible to conduct a thorough diagnosis of the company’s needs and structure internal procedures, based on Portuguese legislation and industry best practices.
Among the main results achieved, we can highlight:
The Gratnells team highlights in this regard: “It was a relief to streamline all the bureaucracy and information needed through Centralmed. We truly felt that the administrative workload was lifted from us. In essence, this partnership was like a breath of fresh air for our company.”
Furthermore, it highlights the clear evolution of worker engagement with OHS topics. The increasing participation in training and questionnaires related to this vital area indeed demonstrates that the safety culture is taking root.
If, like Gratnells, you are looking for an OHS company guided by criteria of rigor and excellence, then explore the wide range of services that Centralmed has to offer. Count on the proximity, professionalism, and experience of our team!