Celebrating our 50th anniversary
FAL, which includes the companies Calzados Fal (Chiruca) and Fal Seguridad, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2015.
For this reason, the President of the Government of La Rioja, Mr. Jose Ignacio Ceniceros, visited our facilities in Arnedo (La Rioja) and unveiled the plaque commemorating these 50 years. In addition, a small ceremony was held for the workers in recognition of their work over the years, and a book has been published that traces the history of the company from its beginnings to the present day.
Calzados FAL was founded in 1965 by Manuel Abad Sáenz, who passed away last October. He, together with his sons, who currently run the company, have managed to consolidate it as a reference company in the manufacture and marketing of footwear, both in Spain and abroad.
In these 50 years we have gone from working just 10 people in a small warehouse and basically manufacturing youth, children’s and nautical shoes, to producing in a production plant of more than 14,000 m2, and 140 people, creating the Fal Seguridad® brand and buying the Chiruca® brand.
Calzados FAL was founded on 5 April 1965 in the Rioja town of Arnedo, which has an important business fabric related to the footwear sector. The origins of the company are similar to those of other firms that have made footwear manufacturing the economic engine of Arnedo, and can be traced back to the initiative of local workers, who started their own industrial adventure practically from scratch.
In 1987, Calzados FAL began to manufacture and market boots under licence of the CHIRUCA brand. After a great investment, technological and commercial effort, we launched our first collection of mountain boots under the CHIRUCA brand, becoming the benchmark for this type of footwear. In 2003, we reached an agreement with the owner of the CHIRUCA brand, so that the trademark became our property.
Successive improvements in design and materials have led our brand to lead the segment of boots and sports footwear specialised in trekking, high mountain and adventure. In the last 15 years we have managed to position ourselves at the head of the sector in Spain and export it to the five continents.
1995 was another of the company’s milestones. On that date, Calzados FAL gave a definitive boost to its products with the signing of a contract with the company W. L. Gore y Asociados, which made it possible to incorporate the world-renowned Gore-Tex® membrane into the company’s boots. L. Gore y Asociados, which made it possible to incorporate the world-renowned Gore-Tex® membrane into the boots of the Riojan manufacturer, which has revolutionized the textile panorama thanks to its unique waterproof and breathable properties.
The year 1998 marked another turning point for the company, as up to that time Fal had been manufacturing boots for outdoor activities and professional footwear. From this last year onwards, the Safety line was broken up with the creation of the new company FAL Calzados de Seguridad, S.A., as a result of the high level of specialization achieved in this market segment.
FAL Calzados de Seguridad, S.A. is a leading company in the manufacture and marketing of professional, work and safety footwear. The shoes and boots manufactured by the company enjoy a high prestige in countries on five continents, as they stand out for their high level of quality and for their commitment to research and technology. This commitment, carried out in close collaboration with prestigious technological institutes, has resulted in pioneering, innovative products for State Security Forces and Corps, Civil Guard, Police, Firefighters and also construction, food processing, automotive… all branches of professional footwear that are subject to the strictest regulations when it comes to their manufacture. These restrictive regulations were the reason for the internal division that took place within the company, and which created the Fal Seguridad brand as a result of the high level of specialization.
Together, the two companies in the FAL group – Chiruca® and Fal Seguridad® – make up a business reference for the footwear sector in La Rioja, the second largest Spanish autonomous community in terms of production volume.
After 50 years and thanks to the effort and hard work of many people, today FAL markets two leading brands in each of its markets: Chiruca for sports and outdoor footwear, and Fal Seguridad for the world of professional safety.
