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History of the El Casco Brand

In 1920 two employees of firearms company Orbea S.R.C. decided to form their own company to produce high quality revolvers. In doing so, Juan Solozabel Mendive and Juan Olave Bilbao laid the foundations for what would become one of the world's leading producers of finely crafted luxury goods. The company's first products were an extensive range of 32 and 38 calibre revolvers, manufactuered under three different trademarks: El Casco (The Helmet), Duque (The Duke) and Tegon (The Badger). In order to produce these revolvers, which quickly become known for their 'extra' quality, the founders invested in machinery including drills, bores, lathes, milling machines, presses, reamers, printers, polishers and galvanic baths.

During the Depression Era of 1929 the company considered diversifying into additional products. The concept was to manufacture products comprised of interchangeable pieces, using rivets for assembly. This would ensure that the products could be serviced even after decades of use. This commitment to quality and craftsmanship, quaint by today's standards of disposable products and built-in obsolescence, is a defining and enduring feature of the El Casco brand.

As part of their diversification, the founders - joined in 1928 by D. Federico Gabilondo Zubiaurre - began to manufacture stationery and desk top accessories. In 1934 they began production of the distinctive M-5 stapler, which is still one of the company's best selling products some 70 years later.

The company factory was completely destroying by bombing during the Spanish Civil War. A new facility was built in Eibar and expanded in 1947 and again in 1970. Accessories such as pencil sharpeners, tape dispensers and paperweights were added to the product line between 1936 and 1976.

In 1976 the company commissioned a professional designer, Guillermo Capdevilla, to develop a line in plastic products. While this range won important design awards, the products were not as successful with the public as they were perceived to be less reliable than the metal products. In a decision which has helped defined the unique character of El Casco in the modern era, the company focused on its classic metal products. They added new finishes and began to package all items in stylish black gift boxes.

Since 1993 the company has been adding new luxury items to achieve the largest and finest range of classic desk accessories in the world. Over 70 years of evolution, the company philosophy and core values have remained strong: high achievement, quality, reliability and design.

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The El Casco manufacturing process