Headquarters Buenos Aires Founded 1925 | Ceased operations 1953 Type of business Private | |
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Industry Automotive industry / Defense Key people Carlos Ballester, Eugenio Molina | ||
Hispano-Argentina was an Argentinian automotive and engineering company that manufactured vehicles, aircraft, machinery, weaponry and parts for public works.
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Organisations:History
In 1925, Carlos Ballester obtained a license to represent the Hispano-Suiza brand in Argentina. At first, vehicles were to be imported and later built domestically. A few years earlier, Ballester and his associate Eugenio Molina built a plant for the production of automatic weaponry. To unify production, a 5,000 m2 plant was built with the highest technology available at the time. It was built at 250 Campichuelo in the Caballito neighbourhood ((Spanish) barrio) of Buenos Aires. Thus Hispano Argentina Fábrica de Automóviles S.A. (HAFDASA) was devoted to the production of Hispano-Suiza vehicles and motors, and also parts and replacements for this and other automotive, truck, and bus marques.
At the beginning, they dedicated themselves to manufacturing trucks and tractors for civilian and military use. They also produced diesel and gasoline motors for vehicles and fixed installations, of different power, produced completely in Argentina. In their final years, they created various automobile prototypes, and started the production of a small microcar just before World War Two interrupted its manufacture. However, the firm passed into history known for its firearms.
In addition to the .45 ACP caliber pistol that made it famous, Ballester Molina also produced .22 caliber pistols and rifles in various calibers. Exact figures do not exist, but it is estimated that Hafdasa produced more than 100,000 arms, and between 80,000 and 90,000 .45 caliber pistols.
For economic reasons, the firm declared bankruptcy in the early 1950s and closed definitively in 1953.