OrthoLite Factory in Spain Expands European Production Capacity

OrthoLite exists to serve and resource our family of 500+ global footwear brand partners. As the business of footwear manufacturing continues to dynamically change and demand continues to grow for specialized, sustainable innovations, our commitment to build and deliver solutions expands. 

We look to Spain for the most recent example of how we continue to invest in solutions for our brand partners. In 2021, we quadrupled capacity for European Union (EU) footwear production in our new facility in Almansa, Spain, in the province of Albacete.

After two years operating in a 750-square-meter facility nearby, OrthoLite moved to the 3,000-square-meter footprint, which provides greater capacity and specialization for the EU-based partners we serve with our OrthoLite insoles.

“Our Spain factory is a crucial European hub for our EU-based partners,” explains CB Tuite, Chief Sales Officer for OrthoLite. “As production demand continues to grow in Europe, we can maintain exceptional levels of customer service, advancing technologies, and responsiveness as suppliers.”

The location is deliberate as part of OrthoLite’s vertical integration strategy. Vertical integration allows OrthoLite to assert near total control over our own supply chain and production, which in turn amplifies our agility and reliability for our brand partners and their T1 factory partners. The Spain location is especially relevant for speed to market. From Spain, we can deliver to any point in Europe within two to four days.

Meet the Town and the People Behind the OrthoLite Insole Factory in Spain

One of our guiding principles is to honor the people who share their work lives and expertise with OrthoLite, a.k.a.: our team. We value our team for more than simply “getting the job done.” We respect the craftsmanship, the precision, and the knowledge our colleagues bring to the table every day. To honor and to listen to every team member is an ethos embedded in this company since we made our first insole 25 years ago.

We’re proud to employ 40 exceptionally talented people in Almansa. Given the history of the region, our Spanish team has shoemaking in their blood–figuratively-speaking, of course!

Almansa is known as the shoemaking capital of Spain, with 400 years of history in the artistry and trade of footwear. From artisan shops to high volume, high-tech production, footwear remains a driving economy and soul of this charming town. 

The OrthoLite facility draws on that heritage of craftsmanship while building on its reputation for technical development. “Our Almansa team are leather production specialists, and they’re actively implementing new branding techniques for leather and other luxury materials,” said Tuite.

The facility primarily serves “Made in the EU production” targeting the work, outdoor, fashion, dress, comfort casual, athletic, and luxury footwear brands with top quality insoles as well as leather and other technical insole products, including:

• Leather and textile lamination
• Heel cups, wedges, and both molded and die cut insoles
• Artisan leather insoles for premium fashion brands
• OrthoLite ESD Shield®, the world’s first and only mechanically-bonded electrostatic discharge protection insole technology, and
• OrthoLite O-Therm™, the first and only aerogel-infused, open-cell PU foam cold block solution that can be applied not only as an insole but also a strobel layer or lining.

Expect even higher levels of brand-ready customization as the Spanish team incorporates a host of new technologies to meet the increased demand for technical designs and materials in sustainable shoes. These include new equipment and software technology to elevate speed and quality control through improved molding techniques and capabilities. 

Bienvenidos, amigos y zapateros. Nosotros estamos aquí para servir.

(Welcome, friends and shoemakers. We are here to serve.)