Bonaplata Factory facts for kids
The Bonaplata Factory (1832-1838) was a very important factory in Spain. It was the first factory to successfully use steam engines to power textile machines. It was also the first place to make and fix cast-iron machines for the textile industry. The government even gave the factory special permission, showing they really wanted to support local manufacturing.
Many historians agree that this factory was a huge step forward for the cotton industry in Catalonia and for Spanish industry in general. Its creation helped bring a lot of money into the industry and sped up its growth.
Sadly, the factory was badly damaged by fire during riots in 1835. This eventually led to the company closing in 1838. However, the part of the factory that made metal parts (the foundry) recovered quickly. It continued to operate through different company changes and is now part of Alstom, a big international company.
How It Started
In 1828, King Ferdinand VII visited Barcelona. He wanted to get support from the local business owners. The finance minister, Luis López Ballesteros, also supported new businesses. Because of this, the government temporarily stopped imports of textiles that would compete with Spanish products.
Around the same time, Josep Bonaplata decided to start his own business. He had left his family's fabric printing business. He first tried using water power for looms in Sallent, but the river was not reliable.
So, Bonaplata and his friend Joan Vilaregut asked the king for permission to import textile machines from other countries. They received this permission in November 1829. In 1830, Bonaplata and Joan Rull went to England. They wanted to learn about and buy the newest equipment. They even had another Catalan person, Camps, work in an English factory to gain experience. England had recently allowed skilled workers to leave the country, which was key for the Bonaplata Factory. They planned to make a special spinning machine called the throstle frame under license.
Building the Factory
On September 30, 1831, Bonaplata started a company called Bonaplata, Rull, Vilaregut and Company. He partnered with his three brothers, Joan Vilaregut, and Joan Rull. Joan Rull was also an innovator who had introduced new printing methods in 1818. This company brought together important people from different parts of the industry.
On December 20, 1831, the government made a deal with the company. The company could import cast-iron, copper, coal, and even English yarn without paying taxes. They also had freedom from local rules and received money and land. In return, they had to make 200 mechanical looms and 40 spinning machines each year for cotton, linen, and wool. They also had to allow any manufacturer to learn about their steam technology for free. This was a way to share new technology across the country.
The factory was built inside the city walls of Barcelona, in the Raval neighborhood. The foundry started working in 1832. By 1833, the spinning, weaving, and printing parts of the factory were also running. By early 1835, the company had between 600 and 700 employees.
The Bonaplata Factory was special because it didn't just make cotton products. It also worked with iron and built machines. Having these facilities was as important as having a steam engine. The factory was meant to help other local industries get new equipment. This combination of making yarn and building machines made the factory a target for smaller businesses in the city in 1835. It was competing with them directly and also making the machines that allowed others to compete.
The factory's success encouraged other businesses. Within a year, five other factories in Barcelona started using steam engines. Another factory in Vilanova i La Geltrú, 60 kilometers south of Barcelona, also installed one. A new royal decree in April 1832 made it permanent that competing textile imports were banned. It also removed all limits on importing cotton machinery into Spain. This showed the government's strong support for the industry, even if it affected traditional hand spinners and weavers.
The Fire
The Bonaplata Factory was attacked and burned on the night of August 4 and 5, 1835. Several people defending the factory were killed. These riots happened because of a mix of political anger and hatred for new automated machines. There was a civil war happening over who should be king. There had also been a serious illness outbreak (cholera), more people were unemployed, and there were arguments about wages.
From late July, a popular revolt called the 1835 Anticlerical Riots took place. People attacked institutions like churches and steam factories, which they saw as symbols of their problems. Many convents were set on fire. The anger then spread to industry. Groups who disliked new machines, sometimes called Luddites, were blamed for burning the Bonaplata Factory and another factory in Gràcia.
The conflict at the Bonaplata factory was more violent than similar events in England. This was partly because hand spinning and weaving had been common in Catalonia for a long time. Also, the change to machines was very sudden in Spain, with only the most advanced equipment being imported. In England, the change to machines happened more slowly.
What Happened Next
The burning of the Bonaplata factory and the owners not getting paid back for their losses really hurt confidence. Other companies became more secretive about their new machines. However, between 1836 and 1840, many machines were still imported to Barcelona. This included 23 steam engines, 92 spinning machines, and 966 Jacquard looms. By 1840, Catalonia had steam engines with 201 horsepower. This grew to 2,000 horsepower by 1846 and 7,800 horsepower by 1860.
Soon after the fire, the company started to break up because of disagreements among the owners. It took over three years for the company to officially close. Bonaplata asked the Spanish government for money because he felt they didn't do enough to stop the riot. The government first tried to avoid responsibility but then asked parliament for permission to pay. In the end, Bonaplata did not receive any money.
The foundry part of the factory was not badly damaged in the fire and was soon working again. Valentín Esparó, who was a manager and then a shareholder at Bonaplata Factory, started a new company in 1838 to buy the foundry. He expanded the business to make machines for other industries. His company later merged with another in 1855 to form La Maquinista Terrestre y Marítima. This became Spain's largest machine manufacturer. Alstom bought it in 1998.
See also
In Spanish: El Vapor (fábrica) para niños
