Tomas Bata Founder of Bata
Biography of Tomas Bata
Early Life
Tomas Bata founder of Bata was born on 3rd April, 1876 in Zlin, Moravia. After completing his education he got direct entry into business. He didn’t bother to search for any job. That was his early life, not so much exited and full of events. He basically belonged to a family that was included in shoemaking history. His family’s almost eight generations were the part of shoemaking business.
Early Business and Founder of Bata Shoes Company
He got some money inheritance from his mother. He used that money to open up a company in Zlin. That money was about 800 Austrian gulden which equals to 320 dollars. He was not a sole proprietor but he started that business with his brother and a sister. That company came into operations on 24th of August, 1894 with the name T. and A. Bata Shoe Company. Although company was new but it got popularity within short span of time because of his family’s background involved in this business. Popularity of that company didn’t take any longer time.
In 1904 he worked in the United States of America, concentrating on the methods of assembly line. He introduced his acquaintances into his business and introduced them to the same methods of productions, which he used back at Zlin, into the United States of America. As the company was using modern ways of production and distance retailing, it went on the routes of abnormal profits and success right from its infantry.
Sole Proprietorship and Era of World War I
After the death of his brother, who was also his partner, in 1908, he became the sole proprietor of the company. He also introduced two of his younger brothers into the company at the time of World War I.
The era of World War I proved to be the booming era of the company. In this era, as the war was going on so the demand for military shoes was increasing day by day. His company then became the major part of military shoe making market and earned a lot of profits. At the same time he also visited Europe’s countries for the progress of the company. He visited Dearborn, Michigan to see the progress of the company at the River Rouge Plant.
After his return to that visit he decentralized the system of company in order to meet the increasing demands of company. He also observed the need of the target market which were the common people affected be the war. He then tried to produce low cost shoes keeping in mind the condition of people who cannot afford high price shoes because of war conditions.
He also opened new factories in different countries which included India, Denmark, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Yugoslavia, the United States of America, and Poland. As discussed earlier that he decentralized his company so these all factories were self-sufficient and work independently. By 1930s under his leadership this company included in the world’s leading shoemaking companies and shoe exporters.
Bata
Bata is a multinational company of Switzerland in the field of footwear and fashion accessory producer. This company is a family-owned business, owned by Bata family. It’s headquarter is located in Lausanne, Switzerland.
It is divided into three units of business. First one is Bata Europe which is based in Italy. Second one is Bata Emerging Market that is based in Singapore. Third and last one is Bata Protective which is centered in Netherlands. This company is providing the retailing services in more than seventy countries of the world and also production facilities in twenty six countries of the world.
Other Interests
Apart from the business of shoe making, he was also interested into aviation. As his company spread over the boundaries of many countries, he frequently used to travel to different countries through Ariel route. These travels developed interest for aviation into him.
Death
He died in a plane crash on 12 July 1932. He was traveling to Mohlin in Switzerland for a business deal, because of bad weather his plane crashed near Zlin airport. After his death his half-brother Jan Antonin Bata became the owner of the Bata companies and settled in the United States of America.
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