The importance of Eibar's arms industry and its transformation

The lower part of the City was characterised by the presence of several of Eibar's symbolic companies in the Urkizu area. We will just mention three of them that began manufacturing weapons and subsequently focussed on bicycle manufacturing for many years: GAC, BH and Orbea. Where we are standing now used to house the company called Orbea, founded in 1840 to manufacture weapons. It was the "flagship" of Eibar's industry and a real benchmark in terms of introducing new technology and withdrawing from weapon production to tackle other sectors. Back in 1906, the company was already working in the Urkizu neighbourhood, extending its premises in 1910 and 1916.

The worldwide economic depression that began in New York in 1929 also seriously affected Eibar. Difficulties to sell the town's weapons throughout the world since the end of World War I in 1918 were getting worse. Consequently, several companies began to diversify their production to minimise the crisis so the town would not depend exclusively on manufacturing firearms.

Badge showing Orbea's anagram when it was a weapons factory.

Beistegui Hermanos company, located in Urkusua park. © Eibar Municipal Archive.

In this way, companies such as Alfa, that began making sewing machines in 1925, and Beistegui Hermanos who began manufacturing bicycles in 1923, followed by Orbea in 1926 or GAC in 1927, assumed the risk of making other products whilst they maintained their presence in the firearms sector. The venture into the world of bicycles came about because the mechanical part of rifle production was fundamentally centred on the cannon, derived from its similarity with the bicycle frame, basically three tubes drilled inside and welded together, encouraging Eibar companies to begin to make bicycles. Women would play a decisive role in Eibar's industries before and after the war.

Eibar-1944-Fabricación de bicicletas-NODO

Eibar-1948-Fabricación de bicicletas y prueba ciclista-NODO

Right before the Civil War, Orbea was manufacturing presses, parallel lathes, milling machines, drills, threaders, etc. and then it began to manufacture bicycles. When war broke out, volunteers from Eibar travelled to Soraluze to supply guns and other weapons and a system for manufacturing tanks was organised at Orbea to stand up to the Nationalists. This actually involved covering trucks with metal plating, pompously known as 'armour'.

Tank manufactured at Orbea for the Markina front. © Basque Nationalism Archive. “Sabino Arana Foundation”.

On the other hand, Republicans came to Eibar from all over Euskadi to get weapons. A decree in 1936 regulated company ownership and the machinery was transferred to other places far from the front to be used in the war industries. In addition, many people from the city were transferred to places such as Deusto (Industrias de Guerra Guipuzcoanas), Buñol or Alberique to work in these industries.    

When the war was over, Orbea employed 1,000 workers and produced 50,000 bicycles a year. It began to expand. However, the company underwent a serious crisis in 1969 whilst employing 1,500 workers. The Orbea cooperative that emerged as its alternative management joined Mondragón Corporación Cooperativa (MCC) in 1971. In 1975, Orbea left its premises in Eibar and transferred its headquarters to Mallabia. It is currently a cutting-edge bicycle manufacturer with business all over the world.

Next we are going to head for Errebal to find out about the main targets of the fifteen bombing raids on Eibar during the war.

Main image:
General view of Eibar around 1914. The Orbea buildings can be seen in the lower part of the picture. © Eibar Municipal Archive. Author: Indalecio Ojanguren.