For more than 70 years, we have relied on high mileage and well-balanced driving characteristics at a good price. It all began in 1948 with the merger of the three tyre manufacturers. Today, Barum produces more than 21 million tyres annually, belongs to Continental AG and is one of the leading tyre companies in Europe.
Barum: From rubber to tyre production
The foundation for Barum's success story was laid by the founding trio: Bata, Rubana and Mitas. These three rubber visionaries jointly founded a tyre company in the Czech town of Zlín in 1948. One man in particular provided the necessary expertise: Jan Antonín Baťa. His name is firmly associated with the Czech Republic and the successful production of shoes. The business was founded by his brother, Tomáš Baťa, in 1894, and Jan Antonín took over the group's business in 1932. After nationalisation in 1945, Bata finally devoted himself to new challenges in the rubber business. He recognised the great potential of the material for the automobile industry and devoted himself entirely to his idea: instead of work, protective and street shoes, it would only be tyres that left the factory from now on. A suitable name for the new company was quickly found, putting together the initial letters of the three founders' names to create the brand name 'Barum'.