Founded in 1874, Pyrkal (Greek: Πυρκάλ) is one of the oldest defense industries in Greece and the main producer of ammunition and explosives in the country. Throughout its history, it has been one of the largest Greek companies, in fact, a reflection of the history of Greek Industry itself. Moreover, since its foundation, it has been a crucial supplier during all the military conflicts the nation faced, and historically a well-established exporter to five continents. Establishment and development The company "Elliniko Pyritidopoieio A.E." (Greek Powder, Chemical, and Industrial products) was founded in 1874, and "Maltsiniotis Brothers" (Cartridges and metal products) in 1887. The merger of the two companies in 1908 was done to overcome an odd competition between the two for ammunition orders by the Greek state. Thus, a new company was formed, named "Etairia (Ellinikou) Pyritidopoieiou kai Kalykopoieiou" with the initials EEPK or EPK (ΕΠΚ) - the acronym Pyrkal used later; internationally it has been known as "Greek Powder and Cartridge Company" (GPCC) in English, and "Poudrerie et Cartoucherie Hellenique" (PCH) in French. Starting with the production of 6.5×54mm Mannlicher–Schönauer for the Mannlicher–Schönauer, and in addition to ammunition and explosives, the company has been engaged in a variety of additional activities including arms manufacture (which included own development of the advanced EPK machine gun type immediately before Greece's entrance to World War II), construction of machinery (including Diesel engines), vehicle bodies, tools, factory infrastructure, boilers, aircraft (as it undertook constructions for the AEKKEA-RAAB company) etc. Part of the Bodossakis "empire"; events up to, during and after WWII From 1934 the company was controlled by Prodromos Bodosakis-Athanasiadis, one of the most important figures in 20th-century Greek industrial history. Pyrkal eventually became part of a huge industrial empire created by the Bodosakis in Greece and Cyprus, involved in mining operations (with several companies, holding the dominant position in Greece), textiles, chemicals and fertilizers, beverages, glass manufacturing, engineering & construction, as well as services (shipping, insurances etc.). In 1936-37 during the Spanish Civil War German arms were supplied to the Spanish Republicans from Rheinmetall-Borsig, then controlled by Hermann Göring, even though German forces were fighting with the Spanish Nationalists. Arms shipped to Greece with a Greek end-user certificate were split by Bodosakis, with arms for the Republicans transferred to ships supposedly sailing to Mexico. But the Nationalists got the best and latest weapons while the Republicans got the oldest and least serviceable.