Unilabor, Indústria de Artefatos de Ferro, Metais e Madeira LTDA., (‘Unilabor- Industry of Iron, Metal and Wooden Artifacts Ltd.’) was created accompanying the fundamental principles of a cooperative, in a profit-sharing system in which co-workers also took part in the business’ decision-making process. The mentor of the enterprise was the Dominican friar João Batista Pereira dos Santos, who was responsible for bringing together individuals from several professional fields, such as engineers and professionals from the tooling area.

Geraldo de Barros later joined the group. He was responsible for the design of the entire production line as well as for Unilabor’s visual identity system.

During its first stages, its products were produced in a fashion that was not very different from those made by hand, for the company sought to meet the orders of specific customers. It gradually gained a foothold in the sector and started moving away from hand-made production. It was then capable of building up its own stock of products, from which clients picked the ones that were available for sale.

During this new phase, the furniture’s design aimed at a modulation of the pieces with the objective of increasing the company’s production while lowering costs, through the use of industrial machinery. This line of furniture attempted to address, at the same time, the issues of form, function and production. In addition to the use of new materials, several unusual combinations were attempted such as steel with interwoven fibers.

During its golden years the company had several stores in São Paulo and one in Belo Horizonte, in the state of Minas Gerais.

This furniture mostly targeted the middle class public, for the wealthier classes preferred customized furniture while the company’s price policy prevented them from selling more affordable products.

Geraldo de Barros left Unilabor in 1964 due to ideological dissensions. The company ceased its activities in 1967.

Read more about this in:

Book:
SANTOS, M. C. L. Móvel Moderno no Brasil. São Paulo: Studio Nobel, 1995.