1999
First factory
Our first production unit opens in Paços de Ferreira, dedicated to hand upholstery and traditional made-to-order furniture.
25 years of craft
From a 1999 upholstery workshop to a 5,000 m² factory.
Founded in 1999 in Paços de Ferreira, Portugal's furniture capital, Fábrica do Sofá B.A. grew from a family upholstery workshop into a 5,000 m² factory in Freamunde, with two in-house brands — EBBA Sofa for upholstery, Madeira Negra for joinery — and clients across 12 markets, from the EU and the UK to North America and the Middle East.
2002
First retail store
The first Fábrica do Sofá store opens, creating a direct channel between the upholsterers' bench and the end client.
2010
Madeira Negra store
Launch of Madeira Negra, the group's bespoke joinery and furniture brand, built around complete interior projects.
2015
Factory expansion
Facilities are expanded and new cutting technology introduced, to meet growing demand for upholstery and furniture orders.
2024
New facilities
Move to the current industrial park in Freamunde: 5,000 m² with CNC cutting, sewing benches and dedicated upholstery lines.
2025
Elbra Group
Launch of the Elbra brand, positioning the group in the international luxury upholstery segment.
Founders
Brás Bessa Alves
A family-owned Portuguese company, founded and still run by the family since 1999. Upholsterers, seamstresses, cabinetmakers, design and quality control are all in-house — nothing we sell is subcontracted.
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