Vila Nova de Famalicão remains the largest exporting municipality in the North Region and the third largest nationwide. In 2025, the municipality recorded exports worth around €2.679 billion, maintaining a consistent position compared to the previous year, according to the latest macroeconomic data released by the National Statistics Institute (INE).
During this period, only Lisbon and Palmela, reinforcing its position as one of the municipalities with the highest export capacity in Portugal, once again surpassed Famalicão. This performance confirms the municipality's relevance in the structural indicators of the economy, namely in international trade, the trade balance and the Gross Value Added (GVA) of the manufacturing industries, reflecting the strong productive capacity, high incorporation of added value and external competitiveness of its business fabric.
The economic relevance of the territory is even more evident when analysing the trade balance. In 2025, the municipality had a surplus of 952.8 million euros, the second best national record, only behind Setúbal. This result reflects the robustness of the local business fabric, which exports significantly more than it needs to import.
The industrial dimension of the municipality is also evidenced by the GVA of the manufacturing industries. In 2024, Famalicão generated around €1.373 billion in industrial GVA, ranking second nationally, behind Lisbon, which confirms the high capacity for wealth creation associated with industrial activity in the territory.
‘This is a recurring trend that reflects the municipality's entrepreneurial dynamism, which contributes significantly to the national economy,’ emphasises the Mayor, Mário Passos. The Mayor also points out that this economic dynamism has been accompanied by structural developments in the area of innovation and science, in line with the municipal strategy ‘From Made IN to Created IN’.
In recent years, the annual number of researchers in the municipality has more than doubled, from 296 to 769. In the same period, annual expenditure on research and development increased from €21.9 million to €63.5 million, reflecting the growing commitment of Famalicão companies to creating value through knowledge and technology. ‘The creation of value and the attraction and retention of talent put us at the forefront of productivity, generating skilled employment and, above all, better living conditions for the people of Famalicão,’ adds the mayor.
With around 136,000 inhabitants, Famalicão has an economic influence that matches its population size, establishing itself as the main industrial economy in the north of the country. This performance is based on a diverse, competitive business fabric that is strongly oriented towards international markets. The municipality is home to several industrial clusters that are strategic for the national economy, particularly in the textile and clothing, agri-food, automotive, rubber and plastics, and civil construction sectors, which reinforce its export and innovation vocation.
