Logo

Bata Shoes (in Czech Baťa, also Baťovy závody) is a large, family owned shoe company. It is currently headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and operates 4 business units worldwide – Bata Europe, Bata Asia Pacific-Africa, Bata Latin America and Bata North America. It has retail presence in over 50 countries, production facilities in 26 countries. In its history the company has sold 14 billion pairs of shoes. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A shoe is an item of footwear worn on the foot or feet of a human, dog, cat, horse, or doll. ... Lausanne (pronounced ) is a city in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva (French: Lac Léman), and facing Évian-les-Bains (France) and with the Jura mountains to its north. ... Drawing of a self-service store. ...

Foundation, Tomáš Baťa

The company was founded in 1894 in Zlín (then Austro-Hungarian Empire, today the Czech Republic) by Tomáš Baťa (pron. toh-mahsh bah-tyah) whose family had been cobblers for generations. A large order from the army, military shoes and rising demand for them, during World War I started rapid growth and small manufacture turned into modern industrial concern, one of the first mass producers of shoes. 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Coordinates: Country Czech Republic Region (kraj) Zlín (Zlínský) District (okres) Zlín First documented 1332 Area    - town 118. ... Official languages Latin, German, Hungarian Established church Roman Catholic Capital & Largest City Vienna pop. ... Tomáš BaÅ¥a (born April 3, 1876 in Zlín, Moravia - July 12, 1932) was the founder of Bata Shoe Organization, one of the worlds biggest multinational retailer, manufacturer and distributor of footwear and accessories. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ...

Tomáš Baťa was recognised for his social conscience, establishing housing, cinemas and advancement programmes for his employees. The phrase "work collectively, live individually" is one of his sayings. Baťa recognised the potential of large-scale production, and was often called the "Henry Ford of eastern Europe." He saw technology as a means of progress, and wanted to make the shoes as cheaply as possible so that the greatest number of people could access them. Henry Ford (1919) Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was the founder of the Ford Motor Company and father of modern assembly lines used in mass production. ...

In 1932 Tomáš Baťa died in a plane crash at the Zlín airport (attempting to take-off under bad weather conditions) and his half-brother Jan Antonín Baťa became head of the company. Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ... Jan Antonín BaÅ¥a (also Jan Antonín Bata) was the brother of Tomáš BaÅ¥a. ...

At the time of Tomáš' death, the Baťa company employed 16,560 people, maintained 1,645 shops and 25 enterprises. Most of what Tomáš had build was centralized in Bohemia-Moravia (15,770 employees, 1,500 shops, 25 enterprises) and Slovakia ( 250 employees and 2 enterprises). The total international contribution to the Baťa organization at the time of Tomas' death consisted of 20 international enterprises, 132 shops, and 790 employees.

Jan Antonín Baťa

Under Jan Antonín Baťa the company grew quickly, continued its expansion throughout Europe, North America, Asia, and North Africa. Zlín accomodated the largest part of the company, with manufacturing and headquarters. World map showing the location of Europe. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ...  Northern Africa (UN subregion)  geographic North Africa, including the UN subregion North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, generally divided politically from Sub-Saharan Africa. ...

Apart from shoes, Baťa also diversified into other areas (tyres, toys, plastic fibres, etc.).

Thirties and forties

Jan Baťa expanded the Bohemian and Moravian part of the business, more than doubling its size to 38,000 employees, 2,200 shops, and 70 enterprises. In Slovakia, he grew the business from 250 employees to 12,340 and 8 enterprises.

In the face of a worldwide depression, Jan Baťa (through his vision and skill) expanded the company more than sixfolds its original size throughout Czechoslovakia and the world. From the time of his brother's death in 1932 to 1942, he grew the Baťa organization to 105,770 employees.

During the 30's imports from Czechoslovakia ultimately became too expensive due to the economic crisis in Europe at the time. Jan Antonín also established subsidiaries in several foreign countries (for example in Brazil, Britain and Canada).

Bata-villes

Company policy was to set up villages around the factories for the workers and to supply schools and welfare.

These villages include Batadorp in the Netherlands, Baťovany (present-day Partizánske) and Svit in Slovakia, Baťov (nowadays Bahňák, part of Otrokovice) in the Czech Republic, Borovo-Bata (nowadays Borovo Naselje, part of Vukovar in Croatia then in Kingdom of Yugoslavia), Bataville in Lorraine, East of France, Batawa in Canada, East Tilbury^[1] in Essex, England, Batapur in Pakistan and Batanagar and Bataganj in India. Castle Partizánske is a town in Trenčín Region, Slovakia. ... Svit‘s Coat of arms Svit (Hungarian: Szvit) is a small town in the northeastern part of Slovakia. ... Otrokovice (German: ) is a town in Zlín Region, Czech Republic. ... Borovo Naselje is a Vukovar borough located on the right bank of the Danube river in the Croatian region of Slavonia, 4 kilometers northwest of Vukovar town centre; elevation 90 m. ... Vukovars main street Vukovar Vukovar is a city and municipality in eastern Croatia, and the biggest river port in Croatia located at the confluence of the Vuka river into the Danube. ... Motto: One nation, one king, one country Anthem: Medley of Bože pravde, Lijepa naÅ¡a domovino, and Naprej zastava slave Capital Belgrade Language(s) Serbo-Croato-Slovenian (see: Serbo-Croat and Slovenian) [1] Government Value specified for government_type does not comply King  - 1918-1921 Peter I  - 1921-1934 Alexander... (Région flag) (Region logo) Location Administration Capital Metz Regional President Jean-Pierre Masseret (PS) (since 2004) Departments Meurthe-et-Moselle Meuse Moselle Vosges Arrondissements 19 Cantons 157 Communes 2,337 Statistics Land area1 23,547 km² Population (Ranked 11th)  - January 1, 2006 est. ... Batawa is a town founded by Thomas J. Bata in the 1930s, and location of the Bata Shoe Companys Old Shoe factory. ... East Tilbury is a village in the unitary authority of Thurrock borough, England. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... Batanagar, in the south-western outskirts of Calcutta-the major city of West Bengal,India,is one of the places named after the multinational shoe company Bata. ...

The company which established itself in India in 1931 started manufacturing shoes there, in Batanagar, in 1936. 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... Batanagar, in the south-western outskirts of Calcutta-the major city of West Bengal,India,is one of the places named after the multinational shoe company Bata. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

In 1922, the first Bata shop abroad opened in the Netherlands, in 1933, construction began on the Bata shoe factory in Best, in the Dutch province of Brabant, at the intersection of the railway tracks leading to Eindhoven and the Wilhelmina Canal located nearby. There was an abundance of inexpensive and hard-working labourers in the Brabant countryside. This article is about the municipality in the Netherlands. ... Historically, Brabant has been the name of several administrative entities in the Low Countries with quite different geographical extent: as Carolingian shire (pagus Bracbatensis), located between the rivers Scheldt and Dijle (between 9th-11th century); as landgraviat: the part of the shire between the rivers Dender and Dijle (from 1085... Country Netherlands Province North Brabant Government  - Mayor Alexander Sakkers (VVD) Area (2006)  - Municipality 88. ...

The British "Bata-villes" in East Tilbury and Maryport inspired the documentary "Bata-ville: We Are Not Afraid Of The Future". East Tilbury is a village in the unitary authority of Thurrock borough, England. ... Maryport is a town in Cumbria, England, in the borough of Allerdale, in the historic county of Cumberland. ...

During the war

After Germany occupied the rest of pre-war Czechoslovakia (15 March 1939) Jan Antonín Baťa, who left the country with his family after a brief time in jail after the nazi occupation, tried to save as much as possible, subduing to the plans of Germans as well as supporting financially the exile government led by Edvard Beneš. Edvard BeneÅ¡ Edvard BeneÅ¡ with wife 1921, autochrome portrait by Josef JindÅ™ich Å echtl Edvard BeneÅ¡ (May 28, 1884 - September 3, 1948) was a leader of the Czechoslovak independence movement and the second President of Czechoslovakia. ...

An episode: A Baťa-owned Lockheed plane was flown out of Czechoslovakia 2 days before the nazi occupation. The plane made it to Britain where it was dismantled and shipped to Canada^[2]. The Lockheed SR-71, remarkably advanced for its time and unsurpassed in many areas of performance The Lockheed U-2 first flew in 1955 providing much needed intelligence on Soviet bloc countries Lockheed Corporation was an aerospace company founded in 1912 which merged with Martin Marietta in 1995 to form...

Foreign factories were separated from mother company and ownership of plants in Czech lands was transferred to one member of the family.

Jan Antonín Baťa stayed in the Americas from 1939-1940, but as America entered the war, he felt it would be safer for his co-workers and their families back in occupied Czechoslovakia if he left the United States.

At the moment he left the protection of the United States, the British placed him on the "black list." It s believed that the communist influence on the Beneš' exile government was behind this. The official reason for this was Mr. Baťa's inability to pay a demand by the British government amounting to 250,000 pounds sterling (a huge sum of money at the time). The United Kingdom insisted on the huge bail due to the fact that Mr. Baťa was the owner of largest industrial concern in occupied Czechoslovakia, located in enemy territory and employing more than 40,000 Czechs and Slovaks.

During the war, Jan Baťa helped hundreds of jewish families to escape from Czechoslovakia, sending them all over the world throughout the Baťa organization and beyond the Nazi's reach. During the war, among other patriotic deeds, Jan Baťa devised a plan to save more than 100,000 of his countrymen from Nazi concentration camps by setting up plans for a Czech/Slovak infrastructure buildout plan for a highway and aquaduct system. This frustrated the Nazi decrees for taking unemployed Czech/Slovak persons and sending them to concentration camps in Germany and elsewhere. This road and aquaduct system was actually built, based on Mr. Baťa's book "Building a nation of 40,000,000" (circa 1938).

During the war Jan Baťa was also the largest contributor to the Czech cause prior to Munich and after. Even though he disagreed with the pro-soviet politics of Edvard Beneš and Jan Masaryk, he gave monitary support to them during the war. More than 250 pilots were trained by Jan Baťa' organization in preparation for the German invasion. Many of whom fought served as pilots or airmen in the RAF^[3]. Soviet redirects here. ...

After the war

Communist Czechoslovakia

After the war Jan Antonín Baťa attempted (unsuccessfully) to purge his name of the accusations against him.

Members of the family started to sue one another over ownership of the company; mutual hatred among branches of the family lasted for decades.

In 1945 the company was nationalised as a part of large scale nationalisation program in Czechoslovakia. 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday. ...

In spite of incredible odds and a political climate that had put the machinery in motion to nationalize all large businesses, Jan Baťa fought against the 64 crimes that the communists had accused him of. And in fact, the jury at the time, composed mostly of socialists and communists found Jan A. Baťa innocent of all 64 charges. The verdict enraged the communist judge, who immediately added two new charges, declared Jan Baťa guilty, then used the guilty finding as a reason to confiscate all Baťa properties in Czechoslovakia and sentenced Mr. Baťa to 15 years of hard labor in absentia.

After the communist party took all power (1948) it tried to suppress all memory of Tomáš and Jan A. Baťa. Baťas were portrayed as ruthless capitalists, exploiting workers in pursuit of higher profit (see Svatopluk Turek). The company was renamed to Svit and Zlín to Gottwaldov (after the leader of communist party). The Svit factory concentrated on the domestic market. During the following decades its ability to compete and its technological infrastructure declined due to under-investment and weak management. The term exploitation may carry two distinct meanings: The act of utilizing something for any purpose. ... Svatopluk Turek (October 25, 1900, Hodslavice – December 30, 1972 Zlín) was Czech novelist, known under pen name T. Svatopluk. ...

Canada

Baťa Shoes' former headquarters in North York in 2007

Bata Shoes' former headquarters in North York is a historic building dating to the 1960s designed by architect John Parkin. It was scheduled to be demolished after 2005 and replaced by an Islamic cultural centre^[4] after being denied historical status. The Bata family and the company have founded Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, supported Trent University, where the Thomas J. Bata Library bears Bata's name and Tomáš Baťa University in Zlín. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2816 × 2112 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2816 × 2112 pixel, file size: 2. ... North York forms the central part of the northern half of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ... North York forms the central part of the northern half of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... John Cresswell Parkin, C.C., M.Arch. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Bata Shoe Museum The Bata Shoe Museum, in Toronto, Canada, is a place dedicated to the history of footwear. ... Trent University is a liberal arts oriented institution located along the Otonabee River in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. ... REDIRECT Tomas Bata University in Zlín ...

The organisations abroad became Bata Shoe Company and were led by Thomas J. Bata (Tomáš Baťa Junior), son of Tomáš Baťa. In 1960 the headquarters were moved to Toronto, Canada and the company grew significantly. Since 2002 it is led by Thomas G. Bata, grandson of Tomáš Baťa. Thomas J. Bata, also known as Tomas Bata Jr. ...

Present

After the global economic changes in 1990s the company closed almost all its manufacturing factories in developed countries (USA, France, United Kingdom) this caused the elimination of thousands of jobs and it stayed only in retail business there. In developing countries still run manufacturing, for example in Zimbabwe's third city of Gweru, it is the biggest shoe manufacturers in Southern Africa outside of South Africa. For the band, see 1990s (band). ... World map indicating Human Development Index (as of 2004). ... Drawing of a self-service store. ... It has been suggested that Underdevelopment be merged into this article or section. ... Gweru (formerly Gwelo) is a city near the centre of Zimbabwe at . ... Categories: Africa geography stubs | Southern Africa ...

The company is currently headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, with 4 business units: Lausanne (pronounced ) is a city in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva (French: Lac Léman), and facing Évian-les-Bains (France) and with the Jura mountains to its north. ...

• Bata Europe, Lausanne
• Bata Asia Pacific-Africa, Singapore
• Bata Latin America, Mexico
• Bata North America, Toronto

Current shoe brands are:

• Bata (Baťa in former Czechoslovakia)
• Bata Premium (handcrafted dress shoes)
• Bata Industrial (safety footwear)
• Bubblegummers (children's)
• Power (sports shoes and boots)
• Marie Claire (women's)

According to Bata, in 2007 the company serves 1 million customers per day, employs over 40,000 people, operates 4,600 retail stores, manages a retail presence in over 50 countries and runs 40 production facilities across 26 countries [low cost labor].

Czechoslovakia after 1989

After the "Velvet Revolution" in November 1989, Thomas J. Baťa arrived as soon as December 1989. He was warmly welcomed by the population remembering his father and uncle. Non-violent protesters face armoured policemen The Velvet Revolution (Czech: , Slovak: ) (November 16 – December 29, 1989) refers to a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that saw the overthrow of the communist government there. ...

The Czechoslovak government offered him investments into the ailing Svit. Since companies "nationalised" before 1948 were not returned to original owners, the state went on to own Svit and "privatized" it during voucher privatization. Its low ability to compete in the free market led to decline and in 2000 Svit went bankrupt. Nationalization is the act of taking assets into state ownership. ... Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or — especially in India — disinvestment) is the process of transferring property, from public ownership to private ownership. ...

Baťa a.s.

Nowadays, Baťa a.s. (the official name of the Czech subsidiary) is mainly a trading business. Apart from shoe stores, it also runs a small production facility in Dolní Němčí, a shoe museum in Zlín and Baťa Foundation (Nadace Tomáše Bati), which supports cultural and educational projects. The main street in Zlín and its university are both named after Tomáš Baťa. Image File history File links Original logo of Bata Shoes Corporation, presently used only in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. ... Dolní NÄ›mčí is a village in the Czech Republic. ... REDIRECT Tomas Bata University in Zlín ...

Timeline

An overview of the company history:

References

1. ^ Bata Reminiscence and Resource Centre
2. ^ Shining stars, Air Classics, Feb 2002
3. ^ RAF Pilots Trained By Jan Baťa's organization
4. ^ Bata Shoes Headquarters, Urban Exploration Resource

See also

• Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto

The Bata Shoe Museum The Bata Shoe Museum, in Toronto, Canada, is a place dedicated to the history of footwear. ...

External links

• History of Baťa Organization and Jan A. Baťa
• Baťa International Worldwide portal of Baťa Shoes
  • Baťa Bangladesh
  • Baťa a.s., Czech operation of Baťa Shoes (in Czech)
  • Baťa India
  • Baťa Thailand
• Baťa Memories history of Baťa community in Essex, UK
• Baťa-ville – We are not afraid of the future: somewhere.org.uk/bata-ville / bata-ville.com, Somewhere, 2007 United Kingdom "Against the backdrop of economic regeneration, former employees of two now closed UK Baťa factories are led on a unique journey through Baťa’s legacy and across a changing Europe."