Our History

Start of the activity of loading hunting cartridges and competition in a warehouse transformed into a workshop for this purpose, near the railway station of Beja.

A new cycle of investments begins, motivated by the development of the business. The company acquires a pavilion in the street designed at Rua Dom Afonso III, already equipped with an apparatus for monitoring the cartridges—the Galeria de Tiro.

Cartridge loading is supplemented by the conversion of plastic into a component of the cartridge, the BUCHING. A 75-tonne injection machine and its moulds are purchased for the manufacture of the plastic buckets, the R20 and the R22.

In March, it was formed Cartuchos Sulbeja, Lda, a family company, constituted by the main partner – Francisco Vaz Inácio – his wife and his daughter.

In the same year, the company acquired three industrial pavilions (4,800 m2), located in the Beja Industrial Park, for the installation of the industrial part of its business, initially in two of them.

Installation of a line of transformation of lead bars into composite lead for hunting and shooting (activity that came to be disabled at the end of 10 years of activity because it is not considered strategic for the development of the company).

Installation of a new cartridge loading line consisting of the fastest machine on the market (7.500 cartridges per hour) and a fully automatic packaging machine.

Installation of a new plastic injection machine of 100 tonnes and their moulds for the manufacture of the R24 and R28 buchings, producing 5.500 buchings per hour.

The company already directly exports almost 1/4 of its turnover, more properly, 7% to Spain and 15% to Africa.

Replacement of the first plastic injection machine (75 tonnes) by a new one, also 100 tonnes, for the manufacture of our hunting and competition boats introduced into the cartridges. Both already manufacture 11,000 buchings per hour.

The New Arms Act, Law No. 5, 2006/23 of February, comes out. So far, we have had a history of more than 300,000 hunters; from here, the numbers are continuously decreasing to the present day, with about 120,000 holders of LUPA (Licence of Use and Weapon Door).

The company certifies its quality management system through ISO 9001:2000, obtaining the EIC and AENOR certificates.

As a way to be closer to its customers and to the great centre of Portugal, the company acquires Armourer Alvará for its store in Setúbal.

Start of the project for the mobilisation of the factory of the Beja Industrial Park to the existing Paiol, located in Monte do Tacão, Mértola.

The company closes its armoury in the historic centre and opens it near the factory in the Beja industrial park, a way to combine synergies and, clearly, improve in various aspects the service it provides to its customers.

With the departure of two of its founding partners, the company opened its capital abroad, receiving a new partner: Luís M. P. Gil Distribution. Keeping Ana Inácio as the best acquaintance with the roots of the company. Like this, a new phase in the company’s career begins, opening up other possibilities and future paths.

This year, the company’s most important equipment, the cartridge monitoring and shooting gallery, was also replaced.

This year was also marked by the aftermath of the pandemic. However, the company invested in its equipment, acquiring another bucha mould, the R23. Considering that, today, the powders are less and less voluminous, there was a need for a bucha with larger dimensions on its foot and, consequently, in its cup to contain at least 32g of lead and with the intended distribution.

Sulbeja Cartuchos is a pioneer in the process of collecting fired cartridges for reuse. Giving a second or new life to the cartridges, he created a new line called ECO Recycle, which helps the environment and returns to the recharge of old times!

The company Luís M.P.Gil Distribuição sells its stake to partner Ana Inácio and by mutual agreement, the license for the Setúbal store is transferred.