Metalgraphica Paulista celebrates 101 years and on the occasion of this anniversary receives a tribute at Latamcan. Company spokesman José Videla assures that CMP’s success is based on commitment to customers and continuous investment in technology. The company has always been at the forefront, pioneering standardization processes. Today, it is committed to high-precision lithographic printing for being up-to-date in quality, employee training, and sustainability. This Industry 4.0 has the Lata Digital project, capable of identifying each package with a unique QR code and all quality certifications up to date. Tradition and innovation in this company that faces market challenges with a close relationship with its partners.

• CMP – Companhia Metalgraphica Paulista has more than 100 years of experience. Could you share with us how the company started and what were the key factors that contributed to its success over the years?
CMP was founded in 1924 in the city of Andrelândia, in the state of Minas Gerais, at a time when Brazil was still taking its first steps towards industrialization. We started with a clear purpose: to offer metal packaging solutions that combined quality, durability, and innovation. The founder of CMP, Mr. Lincoln de Azevedo, also had a dairy farm at that time, and CMP began producing cans for packaging butter and other dairy products manufactured at that dairy.
What brought us here was the combination of three pillars: commitment to our customers, continuous investment in technology, and, above all, the talent and dedication of the people who are part of our history. CMP’s longevity is the result of a culture that values tradition but has never been afraid to reinvent itself.

• Over more than a century, the metal packaging industry has undergone significant changes. How did CMP – Companhia Metalgraphica Paulista adapt to those changes to stay at the forefront?
CMP began its journey producing packaging for dairy products and shortly after specialized in cans for edible oils, a line that lasted until the late 90s, when it began to focus on cans for the segment of paints, varnishes, and chemical products in general. Over time, we structured a broad portfolio of products such as 18L cans, 3.6L gallons, ¼ gallon, buckets, etc.
The industry has undergone profound transformations — from the automation of processes to the growing demand for sustainability. CMP has always been attentive to these changes. We invested in technologies such as high-precision lithographic printing and employed cutting-edge technology in various areas, such as quality control and production systems, which allows for cleaner and more efficient processes, with fast and quality deliveries. This adaptability is what keeps us at the forefront of the sector.

• How has the company incorporated new technologies and innovations into its production processes? Was there a key moment in CMP’s history that marked a major innovation?
Undoubtedly, an important milestone was in 2013 with the transfer of our headquarters to Cajamar/SP, a modern and sustainable building in several aspects, in a large area, where we adopted more technological and automated processes, with much greater efficiency than in our old headquarters in Mooca/SP.
Recently, we have made numerous improvements, with investments in Industry 4.0, compliance with NR12, and several other actions that allow our factories to raise the standards of quality, agility, and efficiency. Each innovation was designed to better serve our customers and reduce environmental impact, seeking to produce more and more with the lowest possible consumption of energy and raw materials.

• As a centennial company, you have certainly faced various challenges over time. What were some of the most significant challenges that CMP – Companhia Metalgraphica Paulista has overcome and how did it do it?
We have faced economic crises, regulatory changes, and transformations in consumer behavior. One of the biggest challenges was maintaining competitiveness during periods of instability in the steel market. We overcame this through strategic planning, diversification of the portfolio, and, mainly, maintaining a close relationship with our partners. Resilience is part of our DNA, which tirelessly seeks to deliver the best product for the customer and for the planet.
We invested heavily in the move to the new unit in Cajamar, acquired new, safer, faster, and more modern presses, new production lines for 18L, 5L, ¼ gallon, testing systems to ensure quality in all production lines, a new printing and sheet preparation system, an intense training program for all company employees, in addition to investments in information technology.

• What is the philosophy or corporate culture that has guided CMP – Companhia Metalgraphica Paulista over these years? How has that culture been maintained across generations?
Our culture is based on well-defined objectives that are assimilated by all: the constant pursuit of quality in our packaging, which offers durability, resistance, and sustainability, in addition to a strong commitment to punctuality in deliveries and flexibility in both the productive and commercial areas, with a great focus on innovation.
An important milestone in strengthening our corporate culture was the creation of the innovation and sustainability, strategy, and information technology committees, with the aim of disseminating within the company the initiatives necessary to achieve success.
We believe that success is only sustainable when it is built with ethics, valuing people, and commitment to quality. This philosophy has been passed down from generation to generation, creating a strong and cohesive identity that guides us to this day.

• Over these more than 100 years, what role do you think CMP – Companhia Metalgraphica Paulista has played in the evolution and development of the metal packaging industry?
CMP has always been a protagonist. We were pioneers in various technical solutions in Brazil, contributed to the standardization of processes, and helped raise the level of demand in the market. More than supplying packaging, we helped shape the perception that packaging is an essential part of the product experience.
In recent times, CMP has invested increasingly in technological solutions related to artificial intelligence, online service, and personalized support through these technologies, all of which generate agility and quality in our products, which strongly contributes to the maintenance and reinforcement of the culture of the use of metal packaging.

• With more than a century of experience, how do you see the future of CMP – Companhia Metalgraphica Paulista and the metal packaging sector in general? What are the company’s goals and projects for the coming years?
The future is very challenging. We live in a very unstable market, with trade disputes and economic insecurities, but we believe that metal packaging has a strategic role in the general economy and, especially, in the circular economy.
Faced with these global realities and increasing market pressure, CMP has increasingly raised its investment goals in sustainability and in the development of intelligent solutions that integrate connectivity and traceability. An example is the Lata Digital project, which offers CMP customers the possibility of individually identifying each package by means of a unique QR code for each product, from its production to its disposal, thus improving the efficiency of its recycling.
More and more, we are going to seek innovation combined with environmental responsibility. The future needs to be responsible and efficient, both in production and in consumption.

• How has the company’s relationship with its customers and suppliers been over the years? What aspects does CMP value most in those relationships?
We have always guided our relationships by mutual trust and transparency. Many of our customers and suppliers have been with us for decades, which demonstrates the strength of these partnerships. We value constant dialogue, respect for deadlines, and the joint search for solutions that add value to the entire chain.
In the constant search to improve this relationship, CMP has recently invested increasingly in technological solutions related to artificial intelligence, online service, and personalized support, all of which generate greater agility and quality in the relationship with our customers and suppliers.

• What efforts has CMP – Companhia Metalgraphica Paulista made in terms of sustainability and corporate social responsibility? How do you see the future of these issues for the company?
We are proud of our initiatives. We reuse water in our processes, adopt thermal and acoustic insulation in our units, and constantly seek to reduce our carbon footprint. In the social sphere, we support socio-environmental projects. We believe that a company is only great when it grows together with society.
CMP has always been attentive to the growing market demand for practices aligned with ESG principles, making regulatory compliance a competitive differentiator. In line with these movements and anticipating market trends, we are the only manufacturer of steel packaging with four certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 22000, which reinforces our commitment to innovation and continuous improvement of our environmental and safety performance.
We have also invested heavily in training, equipment modernization, and strengthening the culture of prevention.
Since 2015, we have been part of the EcoVadis platform, a benchmark in Corporate Social Responsibility assessment, in which we achieved the Bronze rating, positioning ourselves among the 35% of the best companies evaluated.
We have also started our decarbonization journey, a topic of great relevance, which is already guiding us towards the energy transition movement. We are gradually replacing the consumption of energy from non-renewable sources with renewable sources, reinforcing our commitment to a more sustainable future.
These actions reflect the conviction that the future of packaging necessarily involves responsible, innovative action aligned with ESG values.

• Finally, what is the legacy that CMP – Companhia Metalgraphica Paulista hopes to leave in the industry and in the business community over these more than 100 years of existence?
We want to be remembered as a company that knew how to unite tradition and innovation, that respects its employees, customers, and the environment. Our legacy is that of a brand that helped build the history of the Brazilian metal packaging industry with ethics, excellence, and a vision for the future.