A Romanian Jewish engineer and businessman, Martin Sain was a prominent figure in Portugal’s industrial development in the 20th century. A pioneer in crude oil refining in Portugal, he also left an important philanthropic legacy through the Raquel and Martin Sain Foundation, dedicated to the education, training and professional integration of blind and visually impaired people.
Born in Bucharest around 1885, Martin Sain lived in Paris before settling in Portugal. He belonged to a group of Romanian businessmen and engineers associated with the oil company Redeventza, which would play a role in his connection to the fuel industry.
After arriving in Portugal, Sain partnered with other businessmen, including his compatriot Sando Garrian, and took part in the creation of SACOR — Sociedade Anónima de Combustíveis e Óleos Refinados, founded on July 28, 1937.
Under Martin Sain’s leadership, the company took a pioneering position in Portugal’s fuel sector, covering different stages of the business, from importation and transportation to refining and distribution.
One of the decisive moments in his business career came when he obtained a concession from the government of António de Oliveira Salazar to build the country’s first major oil refinery in Cabo Ruivo, Lisbon. The facility was officially inaugurated in 1940 and became a strategic infrastructure for the development of Portugal’s energy sector.
Decades later, SACOR became part of the nationalization and merger processes that eventually led to the creation of Galp Energia, linking Martin Sain’s name to the history of Portugal’s petroleum industry.
A Legacy Beyond Business
Business was not, however, the only dimension of Martin Sain’s life. Together with his wife, Raquel Sain, he also became known for his philanthropic work.
On January 21, 1959, the couple legally established the Raquel and Martin Sain Foundation, a private social solidarity institution dedicated to the education, vocational rehabilitation and social and professional integration of blind people and those with severe visual impairment.
The creation of the foundation was a pioneering initiative at a time when people with visual disabilities faced significant barriers to independence and professional integration. The institution sought to create alternatives based on education, training and preparation for employment, contributing to greater participation in society.
Based on Rua João Saraiva in Lisbon, the Raquel and Martin Sain Foundation remains active, with programs aimed at training and empowering people with visual disabilities and helping them gain access to paid employment and greater independence.
A Memory Preserved
Martin Sain’s life and work were also recorded in the publication “Martin Sain: Evocation of a Life,” published in 1962, one year after his death.
Martin Sain died on February 2, 1961, at the age of 76, in Estoril. He is buried in the Jewish Cemetery of Lisbon.
