Reguladora

Reguladora began on 15 February 1892 as A Boa Reguladora in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal. It was founded by João José de São Paulo, a watchmaker from Porto, and José Gomes da Costa Carvalho of Mouquim. The venture was created to develop watch manufacturing in Portugal and became an early domestic producer of mechanical timepieces. In May 1893, the company obtained a patent covering improvements to a standard mechanical movement and received a six-year privilege connected with that invention. It also opened its first workshop in Porto in 1893. The following year, the company won a gold medal at the agricultural and industrial exhibition of Vila Nova de Gaia. The early partnership changed after João José de São Paulo died on 11 July 1895. José Gomes da Costa Carvalho then invited his brother Lino de Carvalho, a watchmaker, to join the business. The brothers moved production to Vila Nova de Famalicão, a decision that helped reduce operating costs and created the basis for the company's long-term association with the town. The railway was important to the company's development because it supported the distribution of finished products and connected the factory with wider markets. Reguladora became more than a watch workshop. From 1903 it supplied electricity for street lighting in the village. In 1907 it built a steam power plant and became the concessionaire for supplying public and private lighting in Vila Nova de Famalicão. Its industrial activities also included mechanical carpentry and a sawmill. The factory expanded significantly in the early twentieth century: by 1914 it employed 220 workers and produced 6,408 timepieces per year. In 1923 the company received a gold medal at the international exhibition in Rio de Janeiro. That same year it built a new facility in Vila Nova de Famalicão. The building later became an important element of the town's industrial heritage. The company also created a workers' neighborhood, chapel and social center. These facilities reflected a paternalistic industrial model and anticipated similar employer-supported developments that became more common in Portugal during the 1950s and 1960s. The factory and associated structures helped make Reguladora a significant local institution as well as a manufacturer. Over time, the company developed a wide range of timekeeping products. It made alarm clocks, wall clocks, table clocks and column clocks, as well as wristwatches and pocket watches. Its activities also expanded into equipment such as electricity and water meters. The catalogue included named clock collections such as Atenas, Camberra, Monaco, Santa Comba, Batalha and Fátima, together with numerous wall-clock and wristwatch references. The corporate ownership structure changed in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. In 1992, Boa Reguladora became part of the Schlumberger group of companies. In 2001 it was acquired by Actaris. A later revival came in 2007, when three former employees restarted production under the name Regularfama in the old factory. The factory closed in 2012. The available reference does not document a subsequent operating company, current owner, or active official website, so the present commercial status of the Reguladora brand cannot be confirmed.

• 2012

  Factory closure

  [1]Reguladoraen.wikipedia.org

  The factory closes, ending the documented production operation.

• 2007

  Regularfama revival

  [1]Reguladoraen.wikipedia.org

  Three former employees revive watch production under the Regularfama name in the old factory.

• 2001

  Acquisition by Actaris

  [1]Reguladoraen.wikipedia.org

  The company is acquired by Actaris.

• 1992

  Integration into Schlumberger

  [1]Reguladoraen.wikipedia.org

  Boa Reguladora becomes part of the Schlumberger group.

• 1923

  Rio de Janeiro exhibition award and new factory

  [1]Reguladoraen.wikipedia.org

  The company wins a gold medal at an international exhibition in Rio de Janeiro and builds a new Vila Nova de Famalicão facility.

• 1914

  Manufacturing scale reaches 220 workers

  [1]Reguladoraen.wikipedia.org

  The factory employs 220 workers and produces 6,408 timepieces annually.

• 1907

  Steam power plant and lighting concession

  [1]Reguladoraen.wikipedia.org

  Reguladora builds its own steam power plant and receives the concession to supply public and private lighting in Vila Nova de Famalicão.

• 1903

  Electricity supplied for street lighting

  [1]Reguladoraen.wikipedia.org

  The company begins supplying electricity for street lighting in the local village.

• 1895

  Lino de Carvalho joins the business

  [1]Reguladoraen.wikipedia.org

  After João José de São Paulo's death, Lino de Carvalho joins his brother José as a partner.

• 1894

  Gold medal at Vila Nova de Gaia exhibition

  [1]Reguladoraen.wikipedia.org

  Reguladora receives a gold medal at the agricultural and industrial exhibition of Vila Nova de Gaia.

• 1893

  Mechanical movement patent and first Porto workshop

  [1]Reguladoraen.wikipedia.org

  The company obtains a patent for improvements to a standard mechanical movement and opens its first workshop in Porto.

• 1892

  A Boa Reguladora is founded

  [1]Reguladoraen.wikipedia.org

  João José de São Paulo and José Gomes da Costa Carvalho establish the company on 15 February in Vila Nova de Famalicão.

A heritage Portuguese timekeeping manufacturer positioned around domestic watchmaking, mechanical craftsmanship and a long industrial history rooted in Vila Nova de Famalicão.

• Clock

  Column clocks

  Reguladora's column-clock range formed part of its traditional architectural and domestic timekeeping catalogue. Models identified in the reference material include Atenas, Camberra, Monaco and Santa Comba. These products represent the company's emphasis on locally manufactured mechanical and decorative clocks rather than only personal watches.

• Clock

  Table clocks

  The table-clock range included Batalha, Batalha Flores, Batalha Romano, Évora, Fátima, Floral, Funchal, Leiria, Mini Batalha Mecânico, Polo, Mini Batalha, Mini Sintra, Tomar, Viena Romano and Vigo. The breadth of the range indicates a focus on ornamental and household clocks in several sizes and styles.

• Clock

  Wall clocks

  Reguladora produced a large selection of wall clocks, including BR6, Bragança, Cascais, Cavalinho, Coimbra, COP326 through COP330, Corunha, CP26, Douro Carrilhão, Estoril, Gótico, Madrid Árabe, Madrid Romano, Mindelo, Óbidos, Oito, Oslo Árabe, Oslo Romano, Paris, QR3355 and QR3356. The range covered conventional, decorative and chime-oriented designs.

• Watch

  Wristwatches and pocket watches

  The wristwatch catalogue included references such as Turbilhão 8C2022, 4422CH, 8C2031, 4415, 8C2048, 8C2023A, 8C2040, 8C2041, 8C2021, 8C2140, 8C2043, 8C2039, 8C301B, 8C224, 8C186 Preto, 8C186 Branco, 8C242, 91916, 8C243 and 90216. The listed T01482 was a pocket-watch model. The available source does not provide complete specifications or launch dates for these references.

• Measurement equipment

  Utility meters

  In addition to clocks and watches, the company expanded into equipment including electricity and water meters. These products connected Reguladora's precision-manufacturing capabilities with municipal and utility applications.

• 2007

  Restarting production under RegularfamaStrategy

  Background

  Following the company's ownership changes, three former employees sought to preserve the manufacturing operation and its association with the historic factory.

  Action taken

  They revived the business under the Regularfama name and resumed watch production in the old factory.

  Aftermath

  The revived operation continued until the factory closed in 2012.

  Source

• 2001

  Acquisition by ActarisM&A

  Background

  Reguladora was already part of the Schlumberger group when a further ownership change occurred.

  Action taken

  Actaris acquired the company.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition preceded the 2007 revival of watch production by former employees under the Regularfama name.

  Source

• 1992

  Joining the Schlumberger groupM&A

  Background

  After a century of independent industrial history, Boa Reguladora entered a larger corporate group.

  Action taken

  The company became part of Schlumberger.

  Aftermath

  The ownership change marked a new phase in the company's corporate history; the available source does not provide further operational details.

  Source

• 1907

  Expansion into electricity supplyStrategy

  Background

  Reguladora had developed industrial capabilities beyond watchmaking and built a steam power plant to support local electricity provision.

  Action taken

  The company became the concessionaire for public and private lighting in Vila Nova de Famalicão.

  Aftermath

  The move broadened the company's role in the local economy and linked its manufacturing operation with municipal infrastructure.

  Source

1. 1Reguladoraen.wikipedia.org