A Short History of Bata
The business that became the Bata Shoe Organization was established on August 24, 1894 in Zlín, Czechoslovakia by Tomas Bata, and included his brother Antonin and sister Anna. Although this business was new, the Batas had been making shoes for eight generations, spanning three hundred years.
By 1905 the new enterprise was producing 2,200 pairs of shoes per day, using new skills and modern machinery to keep up with demand. As the Bata enterprise prospered, so did the communities wherever it operated. Tomas believed that a focus on people and public service was critical for business success. Bata built housing, schools and a hospital near the shoemaking plant in Zlín.
