Bata Shoe Company

The Bata Shoe Organization was founded in 1894 by Czech businessman Tomas Bata in the city of Zlin, what was then Czechoslovakia. Coming from a family of shoemakers with a long heritage of eight generations and over three hundred years, Tomas Bata capitalized on knowledge, expertise and skills to propel his newly founded company forward. The introduction of factory automation, long distance retailing and modernized shoe making ensured the profitability of the company from the very beginning. It is now the world’s largest manufacturer and marketer of footwear operating across the globe.