AGO stands for “Another Great Opportunity” – a great chance. That was probably his first thought, when the Italian, Francesco Rampichini, discovered a new adhesive in 1911. With AGO adhesive, leather could be glued to leather for the first time, which revolutionized shoe manufacturing. Of course, Rampichini's adhesive has been further developed over the decades and is now a high-tech product that is also used at HAIX's headquarters in Bavaria, Germany.
The story of Rampichini’s Glue is representative of the HAIX philosophy: tradition and high-tech are not mutually exclusive. Even though the AGO style of manufacturing has been cultivated in the shoemaking industry for over a hundred years, HAIX takes it even further and combines it with the most modern, state of the art machines and materials to produce exceptionally innovative shoes. With the AGO design, it works like this: First, the shaft and lining (upper) are pulled over a last and pinched to the midsole. Then the sole is glued to the midsole and upper. The result is a light, stable and robust shoe. The glued sole is actually hollow and is then filled with Micro-Soft-Light foam to finish the process. The HAIX Micro-Soft-Light (MSL) System provides additional cushioning and excellent performance. The shock-absorbing foam, which is injected into the intermediate area between the shoe and sole, has a dual effect. On the one hand, it guarantees optimal cushioning and shock absorption, while on the other hand, it makes the sole heat and cold insulating. Other benefits of the MSL System is that it ensures that all cavities in the sole are filled, the weight of the boot is reduced, and the boot becomes 100% watertight. The majority of HAIX fire boots are produced with this method.
At the second HAIX production site in Croatia, where around 1,300 employees work in one of the most modern shoe manufacturing facilities in the world, there is another method of manufacturing: The shoe soles are directly injected with large, state-of-the-art DESMA machines. PU material is injected at high pressure into a closed mold along with the upper. The PU material expands, hardens, and fuses into one piece with the upper. This method guarantees a permanent attachment of the sole without the use of any adhesive. It is the highest quality method, and the strongest way, for attaching the sole to the upper. The sole is guaranteed to not separate from the upper since they are permanently fused together. This method also offers a waterproof seal. The HAIX Black Eagle and Airpower line uses this method of attachment, and is recommended for boots used by governmental organizations such as police and military.
Another innovation at HAIX ensures that feet stay cooler - the HAIX Sun-Reflect System. Sunlight is reflected through the direct incorporation of special color pigments into the leather during the tanning process. As a result, the shoes absorb up to 40 percent less sunlight than conventional boots and thus reduces the heating effect on boots from direct sunlight. This keeps your feet cooler, especially in sunnier climates. HAIX Sun-Reflect is only available in the black leather boots.
Innovations for high-tech shoes
HAIX boots are exposed to extreme situations every day. To ensure that they can always meet the high demands that are placed on them, HAIX not only uses the most modern machines, but has built a sole production that is unique in Europe. HAIX also develops numerous innovations in our in-house design lab - because HAIX boots are packed with an abundance of high-tech features.