Esperanza y Cia

Esperanza y Cia, SA (Ecia) was a defense equipment manufacturer based in the city of Markina-Xemein in province of Vizcaya, Basque Country, Spain.

[5] In 1978, the company was the largest arms exporter in Spain, ahead of another Basque firm, Explosivos Alaveses [es].

At that time there were seven companies from Basque Country among the top ten Spanish weapons manufacturers.

[7] The arms industry entered a deep crisis in the 1980s, due to a decline in domestic and foreign demand.

Under the new name, Esperanza y Cia Explosives, entered into partnership with Unión Explosivos Río Tinto, which grew up to 40% of the shares, and managed to survive through projects like the Euromortar.

[citation needed] It did not help the situation of its main shareholder, ERT, which declared bankruptcy in 1992, as Esperanza Y Cia.

A small part of its research units were integrated into Alaveses Explosives-Expal [es], which would also cease to operate in 2004.

An ECIA Model 1927 machine gun, with a rate of fire of 180 rounds per minute, was displayed at the Expedition of War Material taken from the Enemy in San Sebastián.

[21] Larger mortar with a circular base, designed to be transported which mounted on a two-wheeled trailer.