Alpargatas Argentina
Encyclopedia
Alpargatas Argentinais the leading textile manufacturer in Argentina
, as well as a major local distributor and exporter.
-soled canvas footwear favored by laborers for their comfort, durability and low cost). These shoes' Spanish-language name, Alpargatas, inspired the company's name, Sociedad Anónima Fábrica Argentina de Alpargatas, upon its incorporation in 1885.
Demand for the unassuming footwear grew with the wave of immigration in Argentina during the 1880s, and by 1890, Alpargatas had established a facility in neighboring Uruguay
. The fast-growing textile industry led to its diversification into yarn
in 1892, and by 1907, a facility was opened in São Paulo
, Brazil
. The company's growth allowed it to develop larger facilities in 1928 occupying a city block in Buenos Aires
' southside Barracas section. This facility began making vulcanized rubber sole shoes in the 1930s under the supervision of engineer Luis Pastorino.
Alpargatas relocated its manufacturing facilities to the southern suburb of Florencio Varela
in 1950. This new, 70,000 m² (740,000 ft²) facility allowed it to diversify its product line, leading to the launching of Flecha, its casual footwear brand, in 1962. The establishment of a cotton gin
in Sáenz Peña
, a town in northern Argentina, allowed Alpargatas to manufacture denim
in 1968, allowing it to take advantage to fashion trends in that direction, and a new plant in Aguilares, Tucumán
allowed it to create its Pampero children's footwear line in 1972.
The company's 1975 launch of an athletic shoe
line created what became perhaps its most durable brand name in Argentina: Topper
. A new plant in Catamarca
led to another commercial success, the Palette home fabrics line, and in 1978, Alpargatas bought a 50% stake in the Banco Francés
, a small financial institution which had grown from 15 to 62 branches when Alpargatas sold its stake to local venture capital
ist Eduardo Constantini
in 1991.
Alpargatas began making PVC
-soled footwear in 1983, and in 1987, it secured the country's sole license to manufacture Nike shoes. The growing incidence of imports
in the local apparel and footwear market during the 1990s prompted the company to open its first factory outlet stores in 1995, and in 1998, it established Dialog, a logistics
company, for its transport and warehousing needs.
The company's São Paulo facilities were acquired by Brazilian investors in the 1980s, and in 2008, this entity, Alpargatas S.A.
or SPASA, bought a 35% stake in Alpargatas Argentina.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, as well as a major local distributor and exporter.
Overview
The shoe-making expertise of Juan Echegaray, a Basque Argentine immigrant, and the textile engineering background of Robert Fraser, a Scottish Argentine immigrant, created a partnership in 1883 for the manufacture of espadrilles (juteJute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
-soled canvas footwear favored by laborers for their comfort, durability and low cost). These shoes' Spanish-language name, Alpargatas, inspired the company's name, Sociedad Anónima Fábrica Argentina de Alpargatas, upon its incorporation in 1885.
Demand for the unassuming footwear grew with the wave of immigration in Argentina during the 1880s, and by 1890, Alpargatas had established a facility in neighboring Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. The fast-growing textile industry led to its diversification into yarn
Yarn
Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and ropemaking. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or...
in 1892, and by 1907, a facility was opened in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. The company's growth allowed it to develop larger facilities in 1928 occupying a city block in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
' southside Barracas section. This facility began making vulcanized rubber sole shoes in the 1930s under the supervision of engineer Luis Pastorino.
Alpargatas relocated its manufacturing facilities to the southern suburb of Florencio Varela
Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires
Florencio Varela is a city in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Florencio Varela Partido. It forms part of the Greater Buenos Aires urban agglomeration....
in 1950. This new, 70,000 m² (740,000 ft²) facility allowed it to diversify its product line, leading to the launching of Flecha, its casual footwear brand, in 1962. The establishment of a cotton gin
Cotton gin
A cotton gin is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, a job formerly performed painstakingly by hand...
in Sáenz Peña
Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña
Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña is a city in the . It is the second largest in the province. It is located west-northwest of the provincial capital Resistencia, on the main rail and road route across northern Argentina to Salta...
, a town in northern Argentina, allowed Alpargatas to manufacture denim
Denim
Denim is a rugged cotton twill textile, in which the weft passes under two or more warp threads. This produces the familiar diagonal ribbing identifiable on the reverse of the fabric, which distinguishes denim from cotton duck. Denim has been in American usage since the late 18th century...
in 1968, allowing it to take advantage to fashion trends in that direction, and a new plant in Aguilares, Tucumán
Aguilares, Tucumán
Aguilares is a city in the south of the Tucumán Province, Argentina. It is largest urban area in the Rio Chico Department, as well as the department seat....
allowed it to create its Pampero children's footwear line in 1972.
The company's 1975 launch of an athletic shoe
Athletic shoe
Athletic shoe is a generic name for the footwear primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise but in recent years has come to be used for casual everyday activities....
line created what became perhaps its most durable brand name in Argentina: Topper
Topper (sports)
Topper is a sportswear brand owned by Alpargatas Group, with business in South America and Asia. Its products range from footwear and clothing to underwear, sport bags, balls, and equipment in general for football, basketball, volleyball, rugby union and tennis.In Brazil, Topper supplies athletic...
. A new plant in Catamarca
Catamarca
Catamarca may refer to:*San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, Argentina*Catamarca Province, Argentina...
led to another commercial success, the Palette home fabrics line, and in 1978, Alpargatas bought a 50% stake in the Banco Francés
BBVA Banco Francés
BBVA Banco Francés is a financial institution in Argentina.-History:Founded on October 14, 1886, in Buenos Aires as Banco Francés del Río de la Plata , it is the oldest private bank in Argentina...
, a small financial institution which had grown from 15 to 62 branches when Alpargatas sold its stake to local venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
ist Eduardo Constantini
Eduardo Constantini
Eduardo Francisco Costantini is an Argentine real estate developer, businessman, philanthropist and head of the venture capital firm Consultatio, based in Buenos Aires.-Life and times:...
in 1991.
Alpargatas began making PVC
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride is a plastic.PVC may also refer to:*Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor*Peripheral venous catheter, a small, flexible tube placed into a peripheral vein in order to administer medication or fluids...
-soled footwear in 1983, and in 1987, it secured the country's sole license to manufacture Nike shoes. The growing incidence of imports
Foreign trade of Argentina
-Modern history:Agriculturally productive and thinly populated, Argentina recorded trade surpluses for most of the period between 1900 and 1948, including a cumulative US$1 billion during World War I and US$1.7 billion during World War II. Record taxes on grain exports imposed by the...
in the local apparel and footwear market during the 1990s prompted the company to open its first factory outlet stores in 1995, and in 1998, it established Dialog, a logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
company, for its transport and warehousing needs.
The company's São Paulo facilities were acquired by Brazilian investors in the 1980s, and in 2008, this entity, Alpargatas S.A.
Alpargatas S.A.
Alpargatas or São Paulo Alpargatas is the largest Brazilian manufacturing company of footwear, the company also manufactures clothing and sporting goods and canvas and operates in retail sector through MEGGASHOP, a reatil chain that sells all brands produced by Alpargatas...
or SPASA, bought a 35% stake in Alpargatas Argentina.