Our Founders
The story of ALMETCO begins with the pioneering vision of the Nevárez-Vela brothers, who marked the beginning of the aluminum industry in Puerto Rico. Their legacy lives on today in every project, client and piece of metal we serve.
Our Story
From Puerto Rico’s first aluminum window factory to the Caribbean’s leading metal service center.
Don Mario (left) and Don Guillermo Nevárez-Vela (right) pose next to one of their first prototypes: the first aluminum window manufactured in Puerto Rico.
Our Trajectory
1950's
Original catalog of Ventanas Nevárez (left) and the Spanish patent (right) that granted the Nevárez-Vela brothers exclusive rights to their design.
Origins
The story dates back to the end of World War II, when brothers Mario and Guillermo Nevárez-Vela founded Ventanas Nevárez, the first window factory in Puerto Rico, located on highway #21 in Rio Piedras.
1960's
Cover of the product catalog developed through the ALCOA partnership, showcasing the variety and quality achieved thanks to this agreement.
ALCOA Partnership
Shortly after, they obtained the first and only agency granted by Aluminum Corporation of America (ALCOA) outside the continental U.S., allowing them access to high-quality material.
1990's
Milestone letters: (right) notice of the acquisition of Aluminum Sales Corporation; (left) letter from the Metal Service Center Institute (MSCI) recognizing the company’s membership and contribution.
Shift to a Metal Service Center
In the 1990s, following an economic downturn in construction, the company shifted its focus from manufacturing windows into a metal service center—purchasing and processing aluminum and stainless steel to supply semi-finished products.
2000's
Promotional material developed with CIMA Communications during ALMETCO’s relaunch, positioning the company as the most complete metal service center in the island and beyond.
Evolution & Expansion
At the start of the new millennium, under the leadership of the second generation, the company adopted the name Aluminum and Metal Services Corporation (ALMETCO), cementing its transformation into the most comprehensive metal service center in the Caribbean.
2025+
Current image of ALMETCO’s headquarters in Río Piedras, the same site where Ventanas Nevárez was founded and where the company continues to lead from today.
Present Day
Today, under its third generation of leadership, ALMETCO marks 75 years of history, serving clients across Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Central America, and the U.S. East Coast.