COMPANYHISTORIES

Spain

Companies based in Spain, and the events that shaped them.

33companies1896–2003founding years24still active5no longer operating
§ 01

Spain companies over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedFederico Paternina S.A.
1896
FoundedIberdrola, S.A.
1901
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyFord's Model T puts the automobile within reach of the middle class.
1913
TechnologyFord's moving assembly line transforms factory production.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1916
EconomyPiggly Wiggly opens the first self-service grocery store.
FoundedTelefónica S.A.
1924
1925
EconomyThe Grand Ole Opry begins broadcasting from Nashville.
1927
TechnologyThe Jazz Singer ushers in the era of sound films.
TechnologyLindbergh flies the Atlantic solo, and aviation captures the public.
FoundedFreixenet S.A.
1928
TechnologyPenicillin is discovered, opening the age of antibiotics.
FoundedMiquel y Costas Miquel S.A.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
1931
EconomyThe Empire State Building rises in just over a year.
1933
EconomyThe first drive-in movie theater opens in New Jersey.
1937
EconomyThe Golden Gate Bridge opens as the world's longest suspension span.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedEl Corte Inglés Group
1940
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedChupa Chups S.A.
1946
TechnologyENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic computer, is unveiled.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedAdolfo Dominguez S.A.
1952
FoundedDogi International Fabrics S.A.
1954
1955
EconomyMcDonald's franchising begins, remaking fast food.
EconomyDisneyland opens and invents the modern theme park.
FoundedSol Meliá S.A.FoundedTelevision Española, S.A.
1956
TechnologyThe first transatlantic telephone cable opens.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
EconomyThe first Walmart opens, built on everyday low prices.
FoundedVidrala S.A.
1965
FoundedGrupo Leche Pascual S.A.
1969
TechnologyARPANET, the internet's precursor, goes live.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
FoundedCortefiel S.A.
1980
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
TechnologyThe first US in-vitro fertilization baby is born.
FoundedUnión Fenosa, S.A.
1982
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedRepsol-YPF S.A.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
FoundedBanco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A.
1988
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
TechnologyLinux and open source challenge proprietary software.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1994
TechnologyE-commerce begins to disrupt retail.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
FoundedBanco Santander Central Hispano S.A.
1999
TechnologyNapster ignites the digital disruption of recorded music.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
TechnologyGPS opens to civilian use, turning location into a utility.
2002
EconomyThe euro enters circulation across the eurozone.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE INDUSTRIA →
Active · Spain
Founded by government decree: September 25, 1941 INI Group Employees: 198,748 Sales: 1.73 trillion pesetas (US$11.53…
Federico Paternina S.A. →
Active · founded 1896 · Spain
Federico Paternina S.A.
Iberdrola, S.A. →
Active · founded 1901 · Spain
Bilbao-based Iberdrola, S.A., with more than nine million customers worldwide, is the second largest electric utility…
Puig Beauty and Fashion Group S.L. →
Renamed · founded 1914 · Spain
Puig Beauty and Fashion Group S.L.
Telefónica S.A. →
Active · founded 1924 · Spain
Until the 1990s the government-controlled public company known since May 1988 as Telefónica de España, S.A.
Altadis S.A. →
Active · founded 1926 · Spain
Altadis S.A., formed from the 1999 merger of the French and Spanish state tobacco monopolies SEITA and Tabacalera, is…
Freixenet S.A. →
Defunct · founded 1928 · Spain
Freixenet S.A.
Compañia Española de Petróleos S.A. (Cepsa) →
Active · founded 1929 · Spain
Compañia Española de Petróleos S.A.
Miquel y Costas Miquel S.A. →
Active · founded 1929 · Spain
Miquel y Costas Miquel S.A.(MCM) is a manufacturer of specialty papers and one of only four cigarette paper…
El Corte Inglés Group →
Active · founded 1940 · Spain
El Corte Inglés, S.A.
Grupo Dragados SA →
Active · founded 1941 · Spain
Grupo Dragados SA is Spain's second-largest construction and engineering company; pending a merger with rival ACS…
Chupa Chups S.A. →
Defunct · founded 1946 · Spain
Spain's Chupa Chups S.A.
Grupo Lladró S.A. →
Active · founded 1951 · Spain
Grupo Lladró S.A.
Adolfo Dominguez S.A. →
Active · founded 1952 · Spain
Adolfo Dominguez S.A.
Grupo Ferrovial, S.A. →
Active · founded 1952 · Spain
Grupo Ferrovial, S.A.
Dogi International Fabrics S.A. →
Active · founded 1954 · Spain
Dogi International Fabrics S.A.
Campofrío Alimentación S.A →
Defunct · founded 1956 · Spain
Campofrío's new dominance of the European market encouraged the company to focus its future expansion efforts in…
Sol Meliá S.A. →
Renamed · founded 1956 · Spain
Sol Meliá S.A.
Television Española, S.A. →
Active · founded 1956 · Spain
State-owned Television Española, S.A.
Industria de Diseño Textil S.A. →
Active · founded 1963 · Spain
Industria de Diseño Textil S.A., also known as The Inditex Group, is one of the world's leading and fastest-growing…
Vidrala S.A. →
Active · founded 1965 · Spain
Vidrala S.A.
Grupo Eroski →
Active · founded 1969 · Spain
Grupo Eroski is the distribution arm and the largest part of Spain's powerful cooperative group Mondragon Corporacion…
Grupo Leche Pascual S.A. →
Renamed · founded 1969 · Spain
Despite the controversy at home, Pascual had in the meantime discovered a strong international market for its UHT…
Viscofan S.A. →
Active · founded 1975 · Spain
Viscofan S.A.
Cortefiel S.A. →
Renamed · founded 1980 · Spain
Spain's Cortefiel S.A.
Unión Fenosa, S.A. →
Defunct · founded 1982 · Spain
Unión Fenosa, S.A.
Repsol S.A. →
Active · founded 1987 · Spain
Repsol S.A.
Repsol-YPF S.A. →
Defunct · founded 1987 · Spain
Repsol-YPF S.A.
TelePizza S.A. →
Active · founded 1987 · Spain
Fast-growing TelePizza S.A.
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. →
Active · founded 1988 · Spain
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A.
Gas Natural SDG S.A. →
Active · founded 1992 · Spain
Spain's Gas Natural SDG S.A.
Banco Santander Central Hispano S.A. →
Active · founded 1999 · Spain
Banco Santander Central Hispano S.A.
Abertis Infraestructuras, S.A. →
Active · founded 2003 · Spain
Abertis Infraestructuras, S.A.
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