A SHARED HISTORY
1910. MUELLES y ACEROS EGUZKIA established in Zumarraga by Dionisio Larrinaga, born in Amorebieta.
1923. Larrinaga brothers establish LARRINAGA Y CÍA in Bilbao, incorporate Muelles y Aceros Eguzkia into it, and move to Amorebieta.
1927. Belausteguigoitia family buys the company, that starts calling itself IZAR.
1920-1930s. Manufacture of carriage leaf springs.
1940s. Carbon steel drill bit manufacturing.
1950s. Leaf springs for Renault’s Cuatro-Cuatro model, Seat 600… Increasing demand for endless milling cutters with ground profiles. Taps in Matrix machines and taper shanks in Thompson.
1950s. First beside-the¬-machine quality controls.
1960s. High economic activity period, reaching 825 employees.
1963. Bodeux System: Method & time control.
1969. Beginning of the international expansion, thanks to the very first export customer (Beltracy).
1970. First participation in an international fair (Cologne).
1970s. 1,100 employees and 50,000 drill bits per day.
1977. Processes made automatic. Grounding & milling machines introduced, highly improving drill bits quality.
1980s. Deep crisis of the company: lower orders for automotive sector, floods, strikes…
1988. It becomes part of Mineo group, with the name IZAR TOOLS & MACHINES.
1988. Drill bit and leaf spring (Izar Suspensiones: Acenor) manufacturing divided.
1991. It becomes IZARBARRI S.L.
1993. After some new bankruptcy threats, it reorganizes as IZARBARRI S.A.L., a Social Economy company.
1998. After a re-founding process, the company reconstitutes itself as HERRAMIENTAS DE AMOREBIETA S.A.L.
1998. Launching of the new Izar Point product program, oriented to contruction. 65,000 drill bits manufactured per day with a reduced staff of 129 people.
1999. Black & Decker award for the quality and performance of our tools.
2000. ISO 9001 certification obtained.
2000. Cobalt high performance drill bits and sinterized powder steel (PMX) end mills introduced.
2001. TK 5133-662 certification by the German VPA Institute. EUSKALIT recognition certificate for advancing towards Excellence.
2005. Land bought in Boroa (Amorebieta) for the new factory. Adjusted production new lay-out study made for the new facilities.
2006. Recognition Certificate for commitment with Company Social Responsibility. New Izartool product range launched, oriented to the most demanding industrial sector. Beginning of the works for the new Boroa facilities.
2006. Izartool solid carbide end mills launched. Beginning of the new factory works.
2007. Recognition by Ferronoticias magazine, as the most innovating quality company in the cutting tool sector.
2007. Multi STAINLESS Ref. 1021 drill bit launched.
2008. Successful move to the new Boroa factory finished, beginning a new adjusted production lay-out.
Inauguration of the new facilities with a wide institutional and social representation, headed by the Basque president, along with this organization people, plus customers and suppliers.
New corporate name: IZAR CUTTING TOOLS S.A.L. New corporate logo.
2009. ISO 14.001 environmental certification obtained.
2009. New special drill bits for wear-resistant materials, such as hardox, in cooperation with a Swedish university.
2010. Celebration of the company’s Centenary with institutional presence (Basque Industry Minister Bernabé Unda, Mayor of Amorebieta David Latxaga) and party-lunch for employees and families. Commemorative exhibition and book.
2011. Order processing made automatic, thanks to three new intelligent warehouses.
Carlos Pujana, general manager of IZAR, gets “Euskal Manager” recognition as the best Basque entrepreneur of the year.
Presidency of HSS Forum, High Speed Steel Investigation Forum, that gathers the biggest HSS tools or HSS material manufacturers in the world.
2012. Mari Feli Arrizabalaga, member of the IZAR Board of Directors, obtains AED (Biscay Businesswomen Asociation) award, for her commitment and her achievements as a businesswoman.
2013. ONIX quality DIY trademark launched, obtaining the award for the best product design in Ferroforma Bilbao show.
2013. 1st Aecoc award for manufacturers, thanks to hardware & DIY distributors votes, recognizing IZAR as the best supplier in this area in Spain.
IZAR as example of good practice to introduce in Europe, in a study sponsored by European Parliament, about employees participation into the company.
2014. EISEN 2014 CSR Award to the best responsible company in Eisenwarenmesse Cologne Fair (Germany), recognizing IZAR achievements in CSR area. Example of a succesful export company according to ICEX.
2014. Launch of PMX manufactured drill bits. New solid carbide end mill program, with Alcro-Pro coating.
2016. Lantegi Batuak recognices IZAR for its contribution to the labour intregration of people with intellectual disabilitiy in the labour market.
2016. IZAR among the best 12 corporate projects in Biscay territory entre los 12 mejores proyectos empresariales de Bizkaia.
2017. Korta award to the co-responsability example between company and employees for .
2016. IZAR nº1 in Aside´s supplier ranking as voted by its associates.
2018. IZAR celebrates 20 years as Labour Limited Company.
2018. IZAR opens first two stores in China. Social Economy World Forum's visit. "Hidden Champions" in Biscay award.
2019. Zirgari award to the gender equality in the industrial sector. 50th anniversary of the internalization of the company, with an event with worldwide customers, an open house day and the visit of the Basque Prime Minister Iñigo Urkullu.
2020. New Ev-Pack and Olatu (Pick-Pack design award finalist) packagings. Open despite the Covid for being an esential service. "Together we can".
2021. IZAR awarded as SME of the year in the Biscay province.