Pirotecnia Igual: shows and own manufacturing

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ummer is a time for open-air dances, major festivals, correfocs, and firework displays. There isn't a town or city that doesn't dedicate one of its main festival days to a pyrotechnic show, emulating the grand firework displays of international events. And it's because, in our country, the pyrotechnic tradition and fireworks not only mean celebration but also business. A clear example is Pirotecnia Igual, a Catalan company that has been manufacturing and distributing professional pyrotechnic products worldwide since 1880. The company, which was founded on Font Honrada street in Barcelona, in the Montjuïc neighborhood, maintains the family tradition and is currently managed by the third and fourth generations. From their factories in Vila-Rodona (Alt Camp), Canyelles (Garraf) -the latter inaugurated in 1962- and San Antonio (Chile), they employ more than 70 people. However, they have "a significant floating workforce, which can mean hiring 100 more people for a specific event," as explained by Patxi Igual, general director of the pyrotechnic company.

But Pirotecnia Igual is not only dedicated to the manufacturing and distribution of pyrotechnic material; they also directly organize international pyrotechnic events that capture the attention of thousands of people. Who doesn't remember the firework display at the opening ceremony of the Barcelona Olympic Games on July 25, 1992?

For Patxi Igual, the fact that Pirotecnia Igual was in charge of the firework display for the Barcelona '92 Olympic Games "gave them images and a resume" and "was one of the great shows that put them in the spotlight." But their relationship with the city of Barcelona doesn't end there; almost since the first generation, they have been responsible for organizing the city's fireworks, which have evolved into the Piromusical de la Mercè, the anticipated grand finale of Barcelona's main festival, where an average of half a ton of gunpowder is used.

INTERNATIONAL SHOWS

Aside from this, the Catalan company is considered an international benchmark. It is the fifth company in the world in the manufacture of explosives and international tenders; and has been responsible, among others, for the fireworks of the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014, the first edition of the European Games held in Baku (Azerbaijan) in 2015, the pyrotechnics used in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2016, the renowned fireworks over the sea that close the year in Copacabana (Brazil) or Viña del Mar (Chile) and a host of other shows. "We do about fifty shows around the world simultaneously to celebrate the end of the year," says the general director of Pirotecnia Igual. In many international shows, they team up with the French Groupe F, which handles the setup, and Pirotecnia Igual provides the material, such as the shows at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 or the ceremonies of the London Olympic Games in 2012. "We manufacture almost 100% of the product for Groupe F; for the annual July 14th fireworks show at the Eiffel Tower, for example, we make the product to measure for them," explains Patxi Igual.

LATIN AMERICAN EXPANSION

Currently, the company's revenue is close to 70% from outside Spain (a fluctuating percentage depending on the year) and it has a plant in San Antonio (Chile) where it distributes and has assembly areas, and a factory in Liuyang (China). "70% of the market in this sector in Chile is ours," says Patxi Igual, who places special emphasis on the importance of the Latin American market, where they are already present in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, or Panama, and are about to enter Cuba with the same business model as hotel chains (an international partnership with the Cuban government, in this case with the Ministry of Culture).

But along the way, they have encountered some obstacles. The firecracker industry was one of those directly affected by the crisis a few years ago, although, since 2014, it has more than recovered. To all this, we must add the possible risks involved in belonging to a sector like this: for example, the explosion suffered by the company's factory in 1994 -where more than 20 tons of pyrotechnic material exploded without having to mourn any fatalities- or the explosion of a test booth in the same Canyelles warehouse in 2007 where an employee died. Apart from that, they also tried to open a branch in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), which did not work out. "Currently we want to do big shows in Latin America and Europe and we are starting to explore Africa, specifically countries like Angola and Tunisia and the north of the continent. It is an interesting market," explains the general director of Pirotecnia Igual.

COMPUTER CONTROL AND SMOKELESS PYROTECHNICS

With 137 years of history, the sector has changed a lot and innovation is a constant in its daily life. Today, the Catalan company has more than 1,500 different product references that can be grouped by families: aerial shells, Roman candles, volcanoes, fountains, flyers, aquatic shells, decorations, firecrackers, and waterfalls. Most of its products are intended for professional use, and they manufacture an average of half a ton of product daily.

Regarding large pyrotechnic events, there have also been significant innovations: the revolution of recent years has been the "digital shot." It has gone from firing fireworks with flares to using electric igniters and, finally, to controlling everything by computer, via GPS, radio, etc. "The sector is constantly evolving," they explain from the company. "Currently we are doing smokeless pyrotechnics, which means they are more expensive products aimed at clients who want quality," they clarify. Precisely, the fact that the material is manufactured in Catalonia makes it high-quality material with all guarantees, which increases the price. This means that, although Pirotecnia Igual has a specific market niche in our country with the correfocs, it is difficult for them to enter major festivals throughout Catalonia due to "price and bidding issues." "Few public proposals opt for quality and design," says Patxi Igual. For the company, however, the future is full of international challenges, constantly seeking new countries to operate in.

Featured image: Pyrotechnic show by the company Pirotecnia Igual. Photo by Robert Burch / Alamy Stock Photo