Pont, Aurell and Armengol

An innovative and long-standing textile company: from steam-powered factory to automobile component company

From March, 20 2014 to June, 21 2015

The exhibition tells the story of the Terrassa-based company Pont, Aurell y Armengol, founded in 1908, and its generations with the ability to innovate and adapt in order to address changing economic and business contexts at all times. The exhibition presents the track record, production, technological innovation and decisive moments of the company.

The track record is characterised by an exploration of the company's origins and current situation; the production of check-patterned woollen fabric to make slippers was its star product. The experience of this stage proved decisive in radically refocusing the manufacturing of non-woven technical fabrics, specifically punched fabrics for automobile upholstery, producing carpets, boot liners and inserts for cars. SEAT was one of its first clients, and it produced the punched inserts for the headliner of the SEAT 600.

 The exhibition includes items from the company, from a "rat trap" (the machine used to separate and shake off the short fibres), to the wooden box used to carry the reels produced by the spinning machine, and the bell (1850) that announced the workers arrival and departure time, as well as documents and sample fabrics in addition to the checked slippers themselves. These are objects that have been a part of the company for years: scales, clocking-on machine, thread counter, and trophies awarded to its workers as part of its social project.

Another space contains a minimalist representation of the current process of manufacturing non-woven punched fabrics for the motor industry, with a section allowing visitors to touch, experiment and learn. The audiovisuals provide an insight into the company's story: showing its origins, the process of production and the design projects developed there.