by mcbrid » Thu Jan 01, 2015 2:30 pm
Eibar Factory - apparently is being/has been demolished.
There doesn't seem to be much in the way of pictures yet I know a few UK folks visited on the way to the Euro in Avignon
Anyway I found this interesting piece (translated roughly into English from the Wiki apparently into English) which gives an interesting insight into what went on towards the end.
Who is this mysterious Alpha/Alfa that is mentioned and then what did the factory in Orbar look like?
Lambretta Locomociones S. is a Spanish factory of motorcycles.
On 1953 is based on Guipuzcoan locality of Eibar ( Basque Country, Spain ) the company Lambretta Locomociones S. of the hand of Florencio Irigoyen Berrondo. This will be the third company of automotion that was created in Spain and that dedicated itself to the contrucción of motorcycles. Lambretta was dedicated, unlike the other existing ones, LUBE and Bultaco, to the segment of " wheel pequeña". This company would maintain its facilities in Eibar until 1984 and the following year was located in new facilities in Amurrio ( Biscay ) that stayed until 1989 that the mark disappeared definitively.
The works of building of factories began the 25 of May of 1953 and the 10 of June of the following year are inaugurated, this construction was of singular characteristics, as much in the building of factories as in the later building of offices.
The production began with two variants of the model " d", one simple and the one of luxury, denominated " Ld". In 1958 sends to model 175 TV that is first to escuter in incorporating Disk brake . In 1960 sends the family of models LI who would serve to him to resolve a crisis that had been developed from the Plan of National Stabilization of Minister Gual Villalbi two years before.
In 1967 reaches an agreement with the Japanese company Honda for the manufacture and import of Mopeds As a result of this agreement changes the denomination of the company Serveta Industrial S., escúteres Lambretta, metallic Honda mopeds and furniture .
In 1969 begins the manufacture of the models of Honda 50 PC and PS once overcome the problems of suppliers since it could not matter from Japan and Europe were very expensive to do it. The neighboring industry was used it auxiliary manufacture. The relations between Honda and Lambretta were deteriorated and in 1978 stopped making. In 1972 engages Jose Maria Garagorri who designs a moped and a minimotorcycle in the style of Honda Dax. Whereas the minimotorcycle was not gotten to commercialize the mopeds they did if it. Several models of mopeds are realized until in 1979 give ins its manufacture.
After many difficulties in January of 1979 appears a suspension of payments as a result of which the workers take control of part of the actions of the company, the following year Joint-stock company leaves the legal figure of and adopts the one of Labor Joint-stock company to perceive a better fiscal treatment and to be able to choose to different aid. Although the workers weigh the facilities the company Alpha, that had made the motors from the beginning, maintain the property of the patents. In 1984 the company closes, 44 workers maintains property than it is, Alpha continues being dreams of the patents and the tools and an industralist of outside buy the buildings and Alpha buys to Innocenti the world-wide rights on the Lambretta mark.
On 1985 is based the mark Orbar S. in that some workers of the old Lambretta participate, the Alfa company (puts the capital) and the company of metallic stampings Range, that soon would retire of the project. Orbar is located in Amurrio and begins to work in remove to the market escuter Amiga, triker Tron and a delivery van. The lack of a reliable technical office, the company had been customary to that from Italy the technical problems will be solved, and the amount of arisen problems causes that the viability of the project is put in doubt. Alpha takes control of all the actions in 1989 and closes the factory the following year.
The industrial buildings of Lambretta in Eibar
The orographic characteristics of Eibar have forced a peculiar development of the industrial architecture. The Lambretta company Locomotions constructed two contiguous buildings (that still are conserved), one dedicated to factories and another one to offices that have excellent characteristics.
The project was ordered to the architect Joaquin Domínguez Elósegui in 1953, which also realized modifications in the years 1956 and 1960 . The definition of the needs of the company as well as the influence of the constructions of Italian the automobile industry (the activities for Fiat of engineer Giacomo Matté) were used in an optimal advantage of the ground. The terrace of the construction was used like track of tests for Motorcycles where a terminal velocity of 50 could be reached Km/h.
The building emphasizes by its great size, is raised on an ample plinth covered of lajas of irregular stone. In him all the characteristics take body from the industrial architecture where the light search does that the great large windows take protagonism in the facades arriving to make disappear the wall, all this made in concrete. The straight profiles lose protagonism in the lintel where by means of a combination of curves they lodged the name of the company. The interior is diaphanous, making of the open space the major key for the installation would scheme of it necessary for the production.
Back-to-back to the great building of factories the office staff is located. This, projected next to the other, it was not constructed until 1956. Elosegui adopts the curved gusset that facilitates the adaptation of the facades and solves the ended up one raising constructive protagonism to give relevance to the mark. The curved gusset excels in height and the pinnacle is raised that gives base to the masts of the flags of the mark.
In the interior, in their four plants, the technical and administrative dependancies are located. The reception, that was designed to give image of the company, is from where they leave to the stairs and the elevator. The care of the design is seen in the nobility of the materials used for its decoration, materials as Marbles and traventinos noble Jaspers wood … give idea of the importance of this space. The first plant lodges the technical and administrative offices next to them office of the high direction (management and technical director) the curved zone reserve for the room of the advice. The other plants lodge archives and other services. The outer shell of this I build was in ladrilleta of seen face.