Maker record
Joal
Joal was a Spanish toy maker based in Ibi, Alicante, known for die-cast metal miniatures. The company began in 1949 and became especially associated with model vehicles, including construction machinery. Its early production also included toy sewing machines, irons and toy guns. Joal’s miniatures formed part of Ibi’s toy-making industry, where several manufacturers developed from the mid-twentieth century onward.
- Founded
- 1949
- Countries
- Spain
- Locations
- Ibi, Alicante, Spain
- Founders
- JosĂ© Boronat Bernabeu · Alejandro Beltrá SanchĂs
The story of Joal
Joal began making miniatures in Ibi, Alicante, in 1949. A specialist history of the maker describes JosĂ© Boronat Bernabeu and Alejandro Beltrá SanchĂs as its founders; both had worked at Payá Hermanos, another Ibi toy company. The first miniatures were made by melting zamak in a machine the founders built themselves.
Joal’s production developed from small metal toys, including guns, sewing machines and irons, into die-cast vehicle miniatures. The maker became associated with model construction machinery. The company’s legal form changed over time: it became Juguetes y Herrajes Joal, S.L. in 1957 and a public limited company in 1981. These legal changes mark changes in corporate form, not evidence of the brand’s end.
