There are certainly many different ways to document a company's success. Sales, profits, the long history, or even the popularity and value of a brand are fixed indicators that we can all quickly understand. However, when a company communicates the number of employees and thus the number of families who receive a steady income through the company as an important indicator of its own success, it becomes clear that slightly different parameters are at work. If it is also firmly established that 10% of profits are invested in social projects in the sports or humanitarian field, from UNICEF to trail building, then it becomes clear that a company philosophy stands out from the usual practices.

Orbea is a cooperative. Approximately 400 employees of the Basque company are involved; they own the company. And only they do. To own shares, you must work for the company. The maximum salary for management may not exceed eight times a worker's salary, thus ensuring a solid foundation for the top management. While many investment models are geared toward short-term returns, Orbea's focus is on the long term. Of course, this doesn't mean that the company isn't interested in growth and profits; it's just that quarterly figures and short-term peaks don't have the same significance as they do for other companies.

Founded in 1840 by the three brothers Jaun Manuel, Casimiro, and Mateo Orbea in Eibar, the company's original purpose was quite different: to produce weapons, or more precisely, handguns. 80,000 revolvers left the factory in 1895, and the record sales during the Second World War was 725,000 weapons in 1916. However, from the mid-1920s onward, declining sales led to a shift in direction, and the acquired expertise in metalworking and pipes was transferred to the much more lucrative business areas of strollers and bicycles. In the Durango area, the production of bicycles and bicycle accessories has been common practice over the past century; countless companies and brands such as Zeus, GAC, BH, Ciclos Iberia, and Saeta are or were engaged in the manufacture of bicycles and bicycle accessories in the immediate vicinity. After the end of the Spanish Civil War, Orbea concentrated entirely on bicycle production. 1,000 employees built 50,000 bicycles a year in record years, and in the 1950s, successful licensed products such as the legendary Velosolex moped were added.

The decline in bicycle production, caused in part by affordable cars and the associated shift in mobility, caused the company to struggle, so much so that Esteban Orbea eventually wanted to close his company in the 1960s due to financial losses. But the employees had other, far more creative plans, and by the end of the decade, 100 of them were able to announce the takeover of the factory as a cooperative. The 1970s and 1980s were a huge challenge for the Basque region. Similar to the Ruhr region, large parts of the northern Spanish steel and shipbuilding industries were wound down, and the region had to cope with more than 100,000 unemployed. But politicians made the right decisions; within a few decades, the region around Bilbao transformed from a defunct steel producer into an innovative technology, finance, and service center. New company start-ups were supported thanks to tax advantages, and mechanical engineering and specialized companies gained momentum. Bilbao completely transformed its image as a dirty industrial city and, thanks in part to the Guggenheim Museum, became a vibrant, modern metropolis that today attracts visitors from all over the world.

At the beginning of the 1970s, Orbea joined the Mondragón Corporación Cooperativa, founded in 1956. Today, with 80,000 employees and more than €11 billion in revenue, it is the world's largest industrial cooperative and the seventh-largest company in Spain. This alliance enabled flexible solutions for affiliated cooperatives at the beginning of the economic crisis and continues to offer far-reaching advantages today. For example, Orbea has access to the University of Mondragón's in-house wind tunnel to develop models like the Orca Aero.

When it comes to the sporting side, Orbea also has a long history to offer. In its first catalog in 1931, one of the three models featured was a racing bike, the Bicicleta Modela Media Carrera. In 1935, at the start of the first Vuelta, almost half the riders were riding on Orbea bikes. The top-of-the-line Super Professional model, made from Reynolds tubing, met international standards; almost all components were manufactured in-house, with only tires being purchased. In the 1980s, the company celebrated numerous successes thanks to its strong professional team, including Pedro "Perico" Delgado's victory in the Vuelta. In 1985, one of Spain's first women's cycling teams was founded. At the end of the 1980s, the mountain bike boom in the surrounding mountainous region fell on fertile ground and led to a return to sporty models after years of producing a variety of everyday bikes.

Finally, in 2005, the Orbea team was founded with a UCI license as a Continental team, and in 2017 the Orbea-Fox Factory Team was founded in the MTB sector. In 2024, the cooperation with the Belgian team LOTTO-DSTNY began on the road, thus bringing together Basque cycling enthusiasm with Flanders' long-standing pro team sponsor.

Thanks to conscious decisions, Orbea has made enormous strides as a company in recent years and is currently one of the ten largest bicycle manufacturers in the world. This is also evident at its site in Mallabia. Due to space constraints, the production of the company's own OQUO wheels has been outsourced; they are laced in an external facility in the surrounding area, where high-tech machinery meets old-school craftsmanship.

Customization requires space, especially in the paint shop. Currently, approximately 30% of the high-end sporty models are customized, a service that is certainly unique in bicycle production in terms of scope and variety. While state-of-the-art painting robots efficiently handle standard paint jobs on the paint line, the customized frames and forks of the MYO series undergo a labor-intensive, multi-step painting process. State-of-the-art paint booths guarantee quality and environmentally friendly work, while skilled professionals at the paint sprayers ensure perfect color implementation.

Another extensive area of ​​the factory is dedicated to the development of future bicycle models. After various series of tests on the respective prototypes, the frames are finally manufactured in Asia and then shipped unpainted to Spain for painting and assembly. The company's own test laboratory not only continuously checks its own prototypes and products, but also all components installed on the bicycles, regardless of the supplier. This minimizes costly complaints and has earned an excellent reputation with its partners over the years by being able to communicate any occasional problems quickly and competently.

Each custom frame receives a serial product number, which, in addition to the paint finish, also records all other parameters, from handlebar width to stem and crank length. All necessary parts are then assembled on the assembly line before being painstakingly handcrafted to create your dream bike. Anyone who, like us at Mütze, assembles bikes from start to finish knows the vast number of individual parts involved in a complete build; this requires more than just logistical perfection. And we know how crucial proper assembly of all parts is for long-term enjoyment of a bike. 

Optimizing processes accompanies us all in our daily work; they help us and can support our work. However, it remains important for companies to create a pleasant and productive environment, which has to do with identification and many other components. Sustainability, the use of resources and our environment, and conscious consumption are extremely important for our future. The employees of Orbea, in their role as owners, have apparently recognized many of these things and drawn the right conclusions, positioning the company in a modern way with an eye for social responsibility. It's a great feeling to see that this very approach is so successful and is driving steady growth for a state-of-the-art bicycle company with a positive outlook on the future.

Orbea is doing a lot of things right right now. It's great to have us on board.

Thanks to Conchi, Sandra, Javier and Stuart for their time and insight.

Text: Carsten

Photos: (C) Kerstin