The history of Groundforce Portugal as an independent entity goes back to 1982, the year in which TAP?s Ground Operations Department (DOT) was made independent. Later, in 1989, as the result of a reorganisation process, the DOT was named Directorate-General for Ground Operations (DGOT). As part of a strategy of expansion and provision of services to third parties in the following decade, TAP Handling division was created in 1992. In April 2003, TAP SGPS and TAP SA approved the separation of the handling business unit, giving rise to a new company called SPdH ? Serviços Portugueses de Handling, S.A., succeeding TAP in respect of its land operations. SPdH?Serviços Portugueses de Handling, S.A. began activity on the 1st of October 2003, assuming the position of a major player in the panorama of civil aviation in Portugal , specifically for the quality of the handling service it provides to TAP Air Portugal and to the main airlines which fly to Portuguese airports. Also in 2003, an agreement was reached between SPdH and Portugália Airlines, through which the second largest Portuguese airline took a 6% shareholding in SPdH?s capital. Meanwhile the privatisation process of SPdH was begun through the sell-off of 50.1% of its capital via an International Open Tender which allowed the Globália Group to enter the shareholder structure. In 2005, with the new shareholder structure in place resulting from TAP?s history, Portugália?s dynamism and the dimension of the Globália Group, a new company was born: Groundforce Portugal. In 2006 Groundforce continued a process of growth, the modernisation of equipments and processes, pursuing the drive in favour of human capital and the realisation of projects related with improving working conditions. In March of 2008, a trust of three banks (BIG, Banif and Invest) acquires the position withheld by Globalia, in a strategy of Customer Service Improvement, and satisfaction of all the Stakeholders. Pursuing the path for Excellency, based on a consistent key processes structure, Groundforce aims to become a modern and sustainable company, offering its daily contribute to a supported development.