37 Years Keeping the Factory Alive

José Carlos Machado came to Adalberto very young. He was still studying electromechanics at night while working as an electrical assistant during the day. That was 37 years ago. Since then, he has watched the factory transform around him, from a world with almost no computers to one driven by automation, programming, and digital systems that didn't exist when he started.

"It was always my choice to stay at Adalberto. Not for lack of other options. But I feel motivated, satisfied, and happy working here."

The Curiosity That Started Everything

Maintenance was never a coincidence for José Machado. It was a calling, something that started before Adalberto, before the factory floor, before the first machine he ever fixed.

"From a very young age I had this thing , for maintenance, for repairs, for understanding how things worked. I started studying electromechanics at school. Then I came to Adalberto as an electrical assistant, still studying, working days and studying nights."

That curiosity never went away. If anything, it grew , because in maintenance, there is always something new to learn. New equipment, new systems, new problems that require knowledge that didn't exist the year before.

"When I started at Adalberto, none of this existed. Computers were just appearing. Automation and programming were far from anyone's mind. We had to keep acquiring knowledge, keep doing training, keep adapting. Every day there are new needs. Every day we learn something new. That's what has always motivated me about this profession, it's always something new."

3am. The Phone Rings.

In maintenance, the working day doesn't always end when you leave the factory. Machines break down at night. Production stops. And when it does, the phone rings, no matter the hour.

José Machado has been managing this reality for decades. So has his wife.

"My wife understands, we've been married 30 years and this has been happening for many of them. We've got used to it. Though she complains sometimes, of course."

The Biggest Enemy of Good Maintenance

Ask José Machado what the biggest enemy of good maintenance is and he doesn't hesitate, it's everything at once. The missing part that takes weeks to arrive from the original manufacturer abroad. The intervention that gets postponed because production can't stop. The investment that isn't available at the right moment.

"When we have a machine stopped and we've already identified the part it needs, but we can't get it, or it will take a long time to arrive from overseas, that's one of the hardest situations. And there are times when we flag that an intervention needs to happen, but for production reasons or budget reasons, it gets delayed. These are all problems. These and many others."

The Problem That Solved Itself Overnight

Every maintenance professional has a story about the fault that refused to reveal itself. José Machado has several.

"Many times we've stopped in front of a breakdown, particularly electrical, electronic, automation-related and we genuinely had no idea what was wrong. We tried everything. We called in external help. We contacted every source we had. And at a certain point, exhausted, we said: let's go home. Tomorrow is another day."

And then, somewhere between sleep and waking, the answer came.

"Curiously, during the night, an idea would come to me. And the next day, it worked. We always end up solving the problem, one way or another. Even when we don't know where to begin. By being persistent. By not giving up. That's how we've always got through."

Watching It All Grow

There is a particular kind of pride that comes from longevity, from having been present at the beginning of things.

"Almost every machine that is installed in this company, I witnessed its birth. Its construction. Its installation. I watched this place grow, with the pleasure of seeing things evolve, of adapting processes, of changing to stay competitive and stay at the front. That is an enormous joy. To have seen it and to know I was part of it."

Three generations of the founding family. A factory that has reinvented itself multiple times. And through all of it, the same man in maintenance, learning, adapting, and keeping everything running.

"I came here as an apprentice. When I was given the challenge of leading the maintenance department, it was a big responsibility. I told whoever offered it to me clearly: I'll go in with open arms and an open mind. But the moment I feel unhappy, the moment I feel this is harming me, I'll be the first to leave."

37 years later, he is still here. Still motivated. Still learning something new every day.

"What I always say is: I just want to have the health to keep going. And as long as I have that joy. I'll continue."

José Carlos Machado has worked at Adalberto Textile Solutions since 1987. He came as an apprentice electrician and stayed to lead the entire maintenance department. He plans to keep going.

Inside the Machines is a series of eight conversations with the people behind Adalberto Textile Solutions.

‍