History
    ....................................................



Time Line
........................................................................







1907 It all began on a now-distant 3 April1907, when Robert Fraser, a Scotsman who had come from Argentina, Joined an English group and began to build the Fabrica Brasileira de Alpargatas e Calçados (the Brazilian Espadrille and Footwear Factory) in Mooca in the city of São Paulo. In the following year the factory began producing Roda espadrilles, oilclothand tarpaulins. The success of these products was immediate. The espadrilles were perfect for use when picking coffee because they did not damage the beans and the tarpaulins were used in the coffee drying yards. In 1909 the company changed its name to São Paulo Alpargatas Company S.A.
Top
'10 The First World War begins and the company faces difficulties as a result of the conflict. To further aggravate the situation Spanish flu grips the city of São Paulo confining half the workers in the factory to their beds.
Top
'20 At the end of the decade there is turbulence as over-production of coffee and the collapse of the New York Stock Exchange forces the company to halt production of espadrilles, one of the cheapest types of footwear in the country.
Top
'30 Periods of instability and violence shake the country. Getulio Vargas takes over the reins of a provisional Government. Companies sink deep into debt but Alpargatas, whose shareholders make a bold move, manages to prosper. Throughout this whole period the company receives the support of its employees, who fight for its survival.

 

Top
'40 The company starts making espadrilles again and adopts its definitive name, São Paulo Alpargatas S.A. In 1941 it takes an important decision as far as its employees are concerned when it starts paying a Christmas bonus. Soon after it began to allow them to have Sundays and public holidays off, long before these benefits became law. ln1942 Brazil enters the Second World War. Food and petrol are scarce and society goes through a period of great difficulty, but the company somehow manages to grow in the midst of all this turmoil. When the war ends Alpargatas launches Coringa denim with which Brazil produces its first pair of jeans, called Rodeio.

Top
'50 Brazll loses the Soccer World Cup in its own Maracanã Stadium, but gains a denim of extremely high quality which is the origin of Far West pants. The Roda espadrilles and Locomotiva tarpaulin jingles can be heard on every street corner. This makes everyone believe the Company is American because at that time only American companies produced such well-made publicity. Whilst the radio divulges company products, salespeople have a “hard slog” reaching the remotest and smallest stores in the farthest flung corners of the country. In 1955 the market is introduced to the brightly colored Sempreviva canvas for use in commercial and residential awnings. The following year Juscelino Kubitschek, determined to see the country progress 50 years in just 5, assumes power. Laborers wearing Sete Vidas shoes on their
feet open up new roads and build Brasilia In 1958, in Sweden, Brazil becomes the Soccer World Champions and Alpargatas sponsors live transmissions of the games on Bandeirantes Radio. 
Top
'60 Havaianas sandals are launched in 1962 and are so successful that everyone copies them. But the copies are "fajuto" (phoney) as the advertising warns and this new word, which is on everyone's lips, gains an entry in the Aurélio Dictionary as a word synonymous with poor quality. In 1965 the company launches the Topeka brand of pants and in 1967 Madrigal bedspreads. In 1968, a year before man goes to the moon, Alpargatas creates its corporate logo – a triangle reminiscent of the initial "A" in Alpargatas and which also gives the idea of movement.
Top
'70 Brazll becomes the three-time winner of the Soccer World Championship and the company begins a publicity campaign with a social message, like the one which is used in State schools and has the theme "Children with shoes are healthy children". In 1972, for
the first time, young people are able to get hold of old-looking blue faded pants called US Top. The company opens factories from the north of the country to the south and jumps with both feet into the promising sporting articles sector with the launch in 1975 of the Topper brand and the purchase in 1979 of Rainha.
Top
'80
In 1982, to commemorate 75 years of existence Alpargatas buys Jeaneration. The following year it launches its Samoa and Top Plus brands.
Top
'90 In 1995, the company registers the American brand, Timberland, a specialist in action sportswear and the outdoorwear market in 1996, the company acquires the licence to manufacture and sell Mizuno. Leader in the production of sandals, tarpaulin and sports shoes Alpargatas rounds out the decade with a record – 100 million pairs of Havaianas sold.
Top
2000 In 2000: The company breaks a new record of sales of Havaianas sandals and is considered by Exame magazine one of “100 Best Companies to Work For”. There is an enhancement of investment on Human Resources, through the literacy and capability programs, incentives for invention and innovation, promotion of diversity, and improvement of security and health. Export is considered in the Strategic Planning and Alpargatas sets its brands on the best sales places of the world.
In 2001: Alpargatas launches the Walking and Learning  
Program, aiming to offer their employees, who had to abandon   the school, the chance to study again. The company innovates and launches the prize “More, Better, and Faster”, in recognition to the best carriers. The Rainha System Interaction XXI that makes impact turn into impulse is set in the market. The Ergonomic Alpargatas Program is launched in partnership with the University of Santa Catarina to analyze and adequate job positions.
Conga shoes is re-launched, remodeled and fashion, and with a brand new revolutionary system of Rainha: the DPT (Digital Personal Trainer), which brings altogether chronometer, watch and speedometer in a single tennis shoes. Mizuno wins the most important international prize of propaganda, the Golden Lion, in Cannes, with the ads of Stones series. Havaianas completes 40 years, participates in an exhibition about Latin America at Galleries Lafayette and shakes the Brazilian cheerers with two new models: Havaianas Cup and Havaianas Penta. The first football shoe to incorporate the wave technology of impact reduction, the Mizuno Wave Cup Rivaldo is wore by the lineman, who makes 5 goals and helps Brazil to conquer the first cup of the millennium.
The ultra-marathoner supported by Mizuno, Walmir Nunes, breaks the Brazilian, South American, and the Americas records of 24 hours of defiance, after running 170 miles in a windy and rainy weather and temperature of 2ºC, in Taiwan, China. And the Havaianas goes to: Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Paul Newman, and other movie stars in the Oscar. Alpargatas adheres the Level 1 of the São Paulo Stock Exchange (Bovespa), in order to reach the best corporate governance practices and launches the TOP 6, the biggest managerial development program of the company’s history. Pelé becomes Topper ambassador and the world’s best soccer ball is launched: the KV. Locomotiva is honored by the Ministry of Health, for taking part in the National Campaign against AIDS and other Sexual Transmissible Diseases. Alpargatas Institute, with the mission of improving the education of children and teens, from 7 to 17 years old, via sports is created.
Rainha presents the System 3000 and Conga launches the Barbie tennis shoes. The movie stars nominees to the Oscar win, by the second successive year, a pair of Real Havaianas. The Havaianas H. Stern, with a rubber strip, recovered with golden feather and diamonds is the new sensation of the jewelry. Havaianas shines in the showcases of the world and takes a whole block of Printemps, one of the most fancy addresses in Paris. The Top 4 prize is launched, in recognition to the best suppliers; Mizuno athletes win 41 medals in the Olympic Games of Athens, including the Brazilian first bronze medal of the judo fighter Leandro Guilheiro. Rainha athletes Giovane and the couple of Beach Volleyball Ricardo and Emanuel won the gold medal in their respective modalities in the Olympic Games. Adriana Behar and Shelda assure the silver medal in the Greek Beach Volleyball. Topper supports five women soccer players of the Brazilian Official Team, which is the Olympic vice-championship.
In 2005: The Quality Policy is launched; Vision, Mission, and Values of Alpargatas are disseminated; the implementation of SAP, an integrated system of administration, which is fundamental for the accomplishment of the Strategic Planning, starts. Timberland opens 3 new stores in São Paulo and Havaianas dominates the celebration of the Brazilian Year in France.
Top