CTCV is a private non profitable organisation founded in 1987 by a common agreement between Industrial Federations and Governmental Agencies of the Ministry of Industry and Economy of Portugal. It was created to support the industry on a nationwide basis. Its main goals may be summarised as "to provide technical and technological support to industry; to promote the development and quality of industrial products and processes; to promote highly specialised training; to divulge scientific, technical and technological information; to carry through and dinamize R&D and technology transfer". It has close links with several Universities and Research Centers, both in Portugal and abroad.