CompanhiaProgressoIndustrial(FábricaBangu)–1889

The Companhia Progresso Industrial, better known as the Bangu textile factory, was founded on February 6, 1889, as a result of the expansion of the textile industry in Rio de Janeiro between 1885 and 1895. It launched a full production capacity, ranging from thread to printed fabrics, and stemmed from an idea by Henrique Morgan Snell — a Brazilian and partner at Morgan Snell & Co., headquartered in London.

Manuel Antônio da Costa Pereira -- one of the company's partners -- recommended installing the factory in the then-distant and rural neighborhood of Bangu. Originally, a farm existed on the site, but, following the arrival of the Companhia Progresso Industrial, the rural area gave way to the emergence of a typical urban neighborhood of the time. The railway began serving the region in 1890, with the construction of the Bangu station, followed in 1892 by the Santa Cruz railway branch line.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white engraving. In the center, there is a large building with several windows and a sloped roof. To the left, there are two smaller buildings, possibly residences or storehouses. In front of the main building, there is an open area with people scattered across it. To the right, there is a tall tree and a small structure, perhaps a chapel or a barn. In the background, there is a hill with vegetation. In the lower left corner, it reads "Fazenda Bangu - Desenho aquarelado de Júlio Sena."

The emergence of the workers' village, along with the construction of schools and hospitals created to meet the workers' needs -- who were then able to settle close to their workplace -- contributed fundamentally to the urbanization and settlement of Bangu. For the businessmen, bringing the workers to the area surrounding the factory ensured control over their actions, and by allowing the creation of spaces for socializing and leisure, it granted their employees a certain freedom, without them ceasing to be under their regulating gaze.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a street with houses on either side and a church in the background. On the left side, there is a church with a tower and dome, while on the right are brick houses with sloped roofs. Trees line the street, and two people are near the houses on the right. In the background, there is a mountain covered with vegetation.

Among the forms of working-class sociability and leisure, soccer was a great success at Fábrica Bangu. In 1904, a group of workers, both English and Brazilian, founded the Bangu Athletic Club. Another team, also created in 1905 by workers from the factory, even competed in the 1924 Rio de Janeiro soccer championship - the Esperança Football Club.

Image description: This is a historic black-and-white photograph of a football stadium in front of a large industrial factory. From left to right, we see the football field with players in motion. At the center, there is a tall, rectangular industrial tower. In the background, there is an extensive factory with several windows and architectural details. The image was taken in 1889, as noted in the provided context.

The factory was known for the quality of its fabrics, made with cotton produced in Seridó and São Paulo, which was superior in quality to that produced in other cities. Fábrica Bangu developed several types of fabrics, among them satin. Due to their outstanding quality, the company's products were highly sought after by the city's fashion designers.

To promote the brand and its products, in the 1950s the factory began holding the Miss Elegante Bangu pageant, which offered grand prizes, such as trips to Paris. The parades were held at the Copacabana Palace hotel and were widely covered by the press, representing major social events in Rio de Janeiro due to the presence of great personalities of the time.

An extremely important undertaking for the development of the neighborhood of Bangu, but also for the city of Rio de Janeiro, in 2000 the factory building was granted heritage protection status by the Rio Instituto Rio Patrimônio da Humanidade (IRPH).

Over the decades, as textile activity slowed down, other businesses settled in the region and the factory's influence declined. In 2005, Companhia Progresso Industrial ended its operations in Bangu, and on its former site, Bangu Shopping was built, opening in 2007.

Image description: This is a photograph of a historic factory at night. On the left side, we see a tall smokestack and a building with a bell tower. The main factory, made of red bricks, has many illuminated arched windows. In front, there are large trees and parked cars. In the background, there is an industrial structure and a mountain.