Dikar inaugurates its modern production plant in Arrasate, embarking on a new phase

DIKAR has unveiled its new plant in Arrasate with an institutional ceremony attended by Marisol Garmendia, delegate of the Spanish Government in the Basque Autonomous Community; Iñigo Ucín, president of the MONDRAGON Corporation; and Inmaculada Riera i Reñé, Director General of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, to name a few.

DIKAR has opened a new chapter with its new production plant, which it has named Reload. In addition to being an obvious nod to the action of reloading a weapon, and to  DIKAR's main activity, Reload is also a way to be inspired to overcome new challenges, seeking excellence through the fusion of innovation and know-how, in order to redefine the rules of sport hunting and remain a benchmark in the firearms sector.

Former head office of Fagor Garagarza

The new production plant is located in the Garagarza neighbourhood in Arrasate-Mondragón (Gipuzkoa), the former headquarters of Fagor Garagarza. A place of enormous symbolism for the Corporation and which has recovered its industrial pulse thanks to DIKAR. The 26,000 square metre site has been fully refurbished and the result is a modern production plant that will allow them to continue growing.

Esther Korta, CEO of Dikar S. Coop. was grateful and proud of the company's track record: "The truth is that during our history we have managed to compete among the biggest in the hunting market, alongside legendary brands. We have changed our production model to a modern and efficient industrial model, with an excellent product based on quality and service". DIKAR currently employs almost 400 people at its four sites in Spain, the United States, Portugal and France.

The CEO also highlighted the value of the cooperative model, "a socio-entrepreneurial reality of the future committed to its environment and which generates homogeneous wealth in the territory". She also highlighted the value of hunting in the natural balance of ecosystems, and encouraged the authorities to "adopt courageous decisions based on proven scientific criteria that favour the development of this type of activity".

DIKAR is both a manufacturer and distributor, with BPI Outdoors, and brands such as Bergara, CVA, Quake, Powerbelt, Durasight and Columbus. It is a technology-based company that has been able to innovate, diversify its products, services and market, and grow thanks to the work of all the people who make up the cooperative.

Iñigo Ucín, President of MONDRAGON, highlighted DIKAR as an example for the cooperative movement: "Rebirth and adaptation will be the keys to building the future, as Don José María Arizmendiarrieta, the driving force behind the Mondragon cooperative movement, used to say. DIKAR has recovered a plant of enormous symbolism, and has built a modern facility, with cutting-edge technology that will generate wealth in the surrounding area".

The Director of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, Inmaculada Riera i Reñé, praised the work being done in the industrial field by MONDRAGON and cooperatives such as DIKAR. "I would like to congratulate DIKAR on its excellence, its capacity for innovation, its commitment and its international project. You are an example for the Spanish industrial sector", she added.

Finally, Marisol Garmendia, delegate of the Spanish Government in the Basque Country, addressed those present and congratulated each and every one of the people who make up the DIKAR collective: "You have been able to set this great project in motion, to open facilities of high technological value, generating quality employment that is committed to local society".

Commercial event

The official inauguration of the new facilities was also the occasion for a large commercial event with the sales network in the United States and the rest of the world, as well as with the network of US distributors. The day started early, with a visit to the production plant, a factory tour that allowed visitors to see the different areas of the new facility, such as the bunker and showroom. This was a previously marked out tour that allowed a first contact with the new space and the applied technology. The event's organisers arranged for different groups, four in all, to get a first-hand look at the new production plant.

After the different visits, the network of sales representatives and distributors were able to attend a brief discussion, with the participation of Dakota Russell and Guillermo Martínez, sales managers of the Bergara brand in the United States and the rest of the world respectively; and Jason Sebo, salesman for the CVA brand. During their speeches, the three salesmen stressed that the new production plant will be synonymous with growth, since, according to Guillermo Martínez, DIKAR now has more capacity and a better production system: "Before, some parts were made off-site, but now we have centralised everything. It used to take us three months to make a rifle, now it takes 15 days". Jason, pointed out that this increased production flow will mean that products will reach the US more quickly, allowing for vertical integration.

All the people present at the event also took part in the grand opening where a stage was set up for the occasion. There was no shortage of ingredients for this type of event: music, 'txalaparta', lights, videos and cocktails served with game meat pintxos, all of which decorated an opening that was celebrated by the entire DIKAR collective. In addition to the official launch day, the people who came from all over the world participated in the visits and meetings held during their stay in the Basque Country.