Adico

Portuguese metal furniture made in Avanca since 1920—from the café-born 5008 family to contemporary work by Pedro Sottomayor, Daciano da Costa and Kengo Kuma.

Founded
1920
Origin
Avanca, Estarreja, Portugal
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History

Adico is a Portuguese metal-furniture manufacturer founded in 1920 by Adelino Dias Costa. The company’s history began with iron furniture and developed into a factory in Avanca, in the municipality of Estarreja, where the business remains based. A surviving public record notes that the enterprise began in 1920 and was formally constituted in 1923.

During the 1930s Adico expanded into technically demanding hospital furniture while also developing metal tables and chairs for cafés, gardens and public terraces. From that outdoor line came the form now associated with the Portuguese chair: curved metal tubing, a compact seat and a silhouette that became familiar across the country’s cafés and public spaces.

The company grew into a substantial industrial employer and exporter during the middle decades of the twentieth century. Rather than turning its archive into a fixed heritage collection, Adico has continued to rework its metalworking language through new chairs, stools, tables, lounge furniture and storage, collaborating with Portuguese designers and architects.

Recent projects make that continuity explicit. Pedro Sottomayor’s Maria chair revisits the 5008 family in aluminium; André Pinto’s 5008-B extends it into a stool; Adico and Atelier Daciano da Costa reissued the 1983 Peninsular Chair; and Kengo Kuma developed the reduced, visually light 5008 Osaka for the Portugal Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka.

Dyke & Dean’s published catalogue reflects that breadth rather than presenting Adico as a single-chair brand. The current storefront snapshot contains 103 Adico product records across chairs, tables, stools, lounge furniture, benches, sofas, storage and model-specific accessories.

Design philosophy

Adico’s design language begins with metal tube and sheet: parts are bent, welded and finished to create furniture that is visually light, structurally direct and practical to repeat. The Portuguese chair is the clearest expression of this approach, but the same logic appears in folding chairs, stools, pedestal tables, daybeds and contemporary outdoor seating.

Material and performance vary by model. Current official specifications include steel and aluminium structures, epoxy-painted finishes, all-metal seats, maritime Okoumé plywood, Izombé wood slats and outdoor-rated upholstery. Stackability is also product-specific: the 5008-B is listed as stackable to four, while the aluminium Maria chair is listed as stackable to eight.

Manufacturing

Adico is headquartered and manufactures in Avanca, Estarreja, Portugal. Its identity is inseparable from local metalworking: the factory produces tubular-steel and aluminium furniture, applies model-specific epoxy finishes and combines metal frames with steel, wood or upholstered seating where specified.

Specifications differ by model. The official 5008-B specification offers steel, maritime Okoumé plywood or Izombé slats on a steel structure, while the Maria chair uses aluminium throughout. Outdoor suitability, dimensions and stacking limits are therefore stated on the individual product rather than generalised across the collection.

Why choose Adico

Adico offers an unusual combination of genuine industrial heritage and a large, configurable current range. The furniture suits customers who value recognisable Portuguese design, durable metal construction and the ability to specify colour, material and seating options rather than buying a single fixed finish.

Many models were developed for cafés, terraces, hotels and other high-use settings, but contract or outdoor suitability must still be confirmed per configuration. Dyke & Dean’s collection brings the heritage 5008 family together with tables, stools, lounge pieces and recent collaborations, allowing related pieces to be specified across a wider project.

Key products

5008 Portuguese Chair; 5008-B Stool; 5008-C Bench; 5028 Tables; Maria Chair; 5008 Osaka; Peninsular Chair; 403 and 404 Folding Chairs; Capa and Fika Lounge Chairs

Frequently asked questions

What is Adico known for?

Adico is known for Portuguese metal furniture, especially the curved tubular-metal café chair commonly called the Portuguese chair. Its current range also includes tables, stools, folding chairs, lounge furniture, storage and contemporary collaborations.

Who founded Adico, and when?

Adelino Dias Costa founded the enterprise in 1920. A public archival record notes that it began as a metal-furniture workshop and was formally constituted in 1923 before developing its factory in Avanca.

Where is Adico furniture made?

Adico is based in Avanca, Estarreja, Portugal, and its furniture is manufactured there. Materials and processes vary by model, so the individual product specification remains the authority for construction and finish.

What is the Adico 5008 Portuguese chair?

The 5008 is Adico’s best-known metal chair family and a familiar presence on Portuguese café terraces. Its rounded tubular arms, compact proportions and stackable construction turned an industrial outdoor chair into a widely recognised piece of Portuguese design.

How old is the Portuguese chair?

Adico developed its terrace-table and chair line during the 1930s, and the Portuguese chair emerged from that period. Dyke & Dean describes the current 5008 stacking version as being in production since 1950; the broader design family therefore predates the present product specification.

Are Adico chairs suitable for outdoor use?

Many are, but not every model or material combination should be treated the same. Adico lists the all-metal Maria chair and 5008-B as suitable for indoor and outdoor use; wood seats, upholstery and other finishes require the exact product specification.

What materials does Adico use?

Adico works primarily with steel and aluminium structures finished with epoxy paint. Depending on the model, seats and backs may be metal, maritime Okoumé plywood, Izombé wood slats or outdoor-rated fabric. Check the selected configuration rather than assuming one material across a model family.

Is Adico furniture stackable?

Many Adico chairs and stools stack, but the quantity is model-specific. The official 5008-B specification allows stacking to four, while the Maria chair stacks to eight. Tables, lounge pieces and upholstered configurations may have different storage requirements.