| 1894 | The T.&A. Bata Shoe Company is registered in Zlin, Czechoslovakia by the siblings Tomáš, Anna and AntonÃn Bata. Innovative from the beginning it departs from century old traditions of the one-man cobblers’ workshop. |
| 1895 | Antonin leaves the Company to join the army, his sister Anna follows shortly after to get married. Tomas Bata takes over the company leadership alone. |
| 1897 | Tomas introduces the ”Batovka”, the first fabric shoe and with it production mechanization. |
| 1905 | Production reaches 2,200 pairs per day, produced by 250 employees. Constant innovation of footwear to meet customers’ needs. T.Bata’s motto is “ Our customer is our Master” |
| 1909 | First export sales and first sales agencies in Germany, in the Balkans and in the Middle East. Bata shoes are of excellent quality and are available in more styles than had ever been offered before. Demand grows rapidly. |
| 1917 | Sales reach 2 million pairs per year produced by 5000 employees. Advanced production equipment is imported. As the Company prospers so do the communities where it operates. Bata creates stores, builds housing, schools and hospitals near factories. |
| 1922 | Following the first world war currencies are devalued and consumer purchasing power is at an all time low. Bata cuts shoe prices by 50%; stores are flooded with customers forcing the industry to follow the lead.
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| 1925 | The “Bata system” organizes operations in autonomous workshops with employee profit sharing introduced since 1923. Each one in the company is an entrepreneur. The Bata School of Work founded. It provides rigorous education and practical training to future Bata managers.
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| 1929 | Introduction of customs tariffs. Bata responds by building factories in Swiss, Germany, England, France, Yugoslavia, Poland, Holland, the USA and India By the early 1930s, Bata is the world’s leading footwear exporter. |
| 1932 | At the time of Tomas Bata’s tragic death in a plane crash the company intensifies diversification into the production of tires, aircrafts, bicycles, machineries. Still a young man, Thomas J Bata, his son, convenes the 1 st international congress of young Bata people. |
| 1939 | Bata operates 63 companies in various industries but footwear remains the core business with 60 million pairs sold per year in more than 30 countries. |
| 1940 | Part of the Company management under the leadership of Thomas J. Bata starts to operate from Batawa, near Toronto, Canada.
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| 1945 | All Bata companies in Eastern European countries are nationalized by communist governments. The Company starts rebuilding itself from the remaining entities located outside Eastern Europe. |
| 1960s | The Company’s headquarters are officially relocated in Toronto under the leadership of Thomas J Bata. The Company expands its international reach through new factories serving local markets. |
| 1970s | Private labels are created to be marketed to new customer segments: Bubblegummers, Power, Marie Claire, North Star. |
| 1980s | Retail excellence is becoming even more important. Bata develops a variety of retail concepts such as Bata city stores, large format stores and sport concept stores. |
| 1989 | Following the political changes the Bata Company is invited to return to the Czech Republic where the Company remains a symbol of national pride and achievement. |
| 1990s | Creativity, product innovation and research for higher quality levels lie at the core of Bata product development policy. The result is the international high standard Bata Premium collection. |
| 1995 | Partnerships develop in Eastern Europe. Bata stores reopen in Russia, Poland, Croatia, Slovenia. |
| 1999 | To adjust to the market evolution Bata undertakes a major reorientation from manufacturing to designing, marketing and distribution. |
| 2001 | Thomas G Bata, founder’s grandson becomes the Group’s chairman. A new international structure is implemented around 4 meaningful business units (MBUs) to give more focus to the business and gain synergies within each region, especially in sourcing and product development. |
| 2002 | As part of re-inventing its core competencies, Bata Shoe innovation Centres open around the world to focus on the development of shoes with exclusive comfort technology features and designs. |
| 2004 | New steps in China with the opening of the Bata procurement centre in Guanzhou and a distribution partnership for the opening of Bata retail stores. |
| 2006 | Start of the 262 acres Riverbank township construction to modernize the Batanagar factory complex, near Kolkata. It is expected to be completed by 2011 with 2500 modern housing for employees, a large hospital, a school, an IT park, a hotel and residential flats along the riverside.
Launch of the Branded Business Division to consolidate our existing worldwide branded business activities into a leading industrial and professional footwear company. |
