The hand tool sector has played a key part in 2006's constant growth at a national level, sales have risen 3.2%, with a positive change both in domestic sales as well as exports (2.3%).  Both areas have contributed to an improvement in the activity, even though the domestic market is the activity's main driving force with a greater weighting (67.5% of total sales).  To be more specific, total sales were 224 million euros; according to sources at Herramex 124 million euros are domestic sales and 100 million euros are exports.

The majority of member companies of Herramex, the manual tool exporters’ association which accounts for 90 per cent of manufacturers in the Spanish industry, are located in the Basque Country, accounting for 85 per cent of the national total.

Spain’s hand tool industry has a number of firms that are well known internationally and which have a long tradition of exporting to the most demanding countries. These firms also offer quality levels guaranteed by research and the use of the latest technology in product manufacture. 

Major names amongst the Basque firms in the industry include Eurotools, leader of the Spanish market with trade names such as Acesa, Irimo, Palmera and Irazola, which is part of the US Snap-on group, the world’s leading manufacturer of hand tools for professionals. The firm’s products are sold in one hundred countries. The new Irimo catalogue includes 650-plus new tool codes for the automotive professional and 100 new codes for tyre tools. Acesa is a major name in tools for the construction industry and Palmera is rapidly consolidating its position as leader in the industrial maintenance tool segment. Irazola is an acknowledged leading contender in the screwdriver market.

Another leading light is Super-Ego Tools, a member of the German Rothenberger group. Super-Ego has been making equipment and tools for pipes and tubing for plumbers, central heating and cooling fitters and technicians for the last 50 years. The company has a workforce of 320 employees and five production centres organised into thirteen minifactories, each one making a specific product.  

Corporación Patricio Echevarría (CPE), producer of the Bellota range of hand tools, concentrates largely on manual tools for the construction industry, gardening and industry in general. The group currently has nine factories, four in Europe (France, Denmark, the Basque Country and neighbouring Spanish region Navarra) and the rest in America (Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela and the US). This corporation has over 18,000 products that it distributes to 120 countries and looking to expand in countries such as Russia, India and China. 

Hand tool producer Ega Master sells 80 per cent of its production in 123 countries altogether. Thanks to its manufacturing methods the company has achieved annual turnover of more than 9 million euros with a workforce of just 39 people. Recently, it became the manufacturer offering the market the greatest range of adjustable keys in the world with 147 different references in all. 

Last revision: 30.10.2006