CORK OAK STRIPPING
Cork planks are stripped from cork oak trees
Over the last 48 years MASILVA has established itself as a cork industry technological leader and its proprietary cork cleaning processes are recognized worldwide.
Manufacturing world-class cork stoppers for the wine industry and similar, using appropriate means and following social and commercial ethical standards, respecting the community, environment and sustainable development
Culture
Quality
Ambition
Confidence
Dedication
Innovation
Being a worldwide leading cork stopper manufacturer, promoting sustainable growth, both internally and externally, with the ability to inspire trust in the markets in order to perpetuate the use of cork stoppers as the sealant of choice
Customer satisfaction;
Engaging the employees and suppliers in achieving the company‘s goals, with a particular emphasis on ensuring food safety for end consumers;
Ensuring appropriate employee skills and effective internal communication;
Always working in accordance with the best cork industry practices in order to preserve the properties of cork as a natural product and for contact with food;
Manufacturing cork stoppers in compliance with legal, statutory, customer, and management system requirements;
Always looking for ways to reduce waste, optimise natural resources, improve operational efficiency, seeking innovative solutions;
Continuously improving the organisation, ensuring the communication model in the cork stopper production chain;
Contributing to increasing the forest area with responsible management through FSC® certification (FSC-C009204);
Continuously improving the organisation‘s environmental performance and preventing pollution.
In reply to concerns about global deforestation, the Forest Stweardship Council® was established to increase responsible management of forests worldwide. M. A. Silva - Cortiças, S.A. is certified under code number SA-COC-002297, for natural and colmated stoppers.
The Systecode Premium Certification has been awarded to MASILVA, according to the highest sector demands.
MASILVA is ISO9001 certified, recognizing the efforts made by the organization in assuring the standards of products and services, satisfaction of customers and continuous improvement. MASILVA is the first ever Portuguese cork company to obtain the ISO22000 certification in 2005, showing the market that it has implemented a food safety management system capable of providing safe high quality products.
The strategy and philosophy of MASILVA is to ensure quality from the forest to the final product. MASILVA works closely with contracted forest owners to monitor tree health and quality by testing samples before stripping. Our patented cork cleaning and disinfection systems reduce average TCA levels to below human detectable levels and our quality control team plays a key role in the organization to decide which cork lots are approved or rejected. The quality department´s efforts are backed by accurate protocols and state-of-the-art technology. Third party checks of our process and quality lead to predictable results and continuing performance.
Our organization meets or exceeds the quality standards defined by leading European institutions such as APCOR, C.E. Liège and Systecode. MASILVA produces and delivers the best natural cork stoppers available on the world market, creating the perfect cork stopper-wine. Our efforts encompass a combination of forest management and highly technological processes. In the framework of efforts for forest management and development of forests and sustainable products, MASILVA has several units certified according to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®).
Cork planks are stripped from cork oak trees
Planks are stored from 6 to 9
months on a concrete floor
Planks are sterilized and disinfected
through a vaporized pressure system
Stabilization period after vaporization
First sorting of planks for production
Planks are cut into strips
Punching of cork strips
Natural cork stoppers are
vaporized and sterilized
First moisture level definition
Cork granules are
vaporized and sterilized
Production of agglomerated bodies
Thinner strips of cork are
punched for disc purposes
Natural cork discs are
vaporized and sterilized
Assembly of agglomerated bodies
and discs with grade glue
Precise correction of corks sizes
Washing and sterilization
Final moisture definition
Cork sorting according to visual quality
Customized printing on stoppers
To facilitate the bottling process
According to specifications