Matador (company)
Encyclopedia
Matador, a.s. is a multinational car tire
Tire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...

 producer based in Púchov
Púchov
Púchov is an industrial town in the centre of Púchov District in Slovakia, with a population close to 20,000.-Geography:It is located on the main train line between Bratislava and Košice...

, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...

, as well as the corresponding group of companies. It is one of the most successful domestic companies of Slovakia and one of major global tire producers.

It exports above 87% of its production into 80 countries worldwide. It does not produce only tires, but also associated and similar products and services. It has several trading companies and a network of shops. The largest export customers are the USA, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, and the CIS
CIS
CIS usually refers to the Commonwealth of Independent States, a modern political entity consisting of eleven former Soviet Union republics.The acronym CIS may also refer to:-Organizations:...

 states.

Recently, Matador diversified its line of operations and now also produces conveyor belts, automotive parts and machinery.

History

The company arose in the town of Púchov in 1947 as a "national enterprise" that was split off from the old firm Matador Bratislava.

Matador Bratislava was founded in 1905 (till 1911 known as the "Matador - Gummi und Balata Werke") involved mainly in the production of rubber hoses and belts in its new facilities in Petržalka
Petržalka
Petržalka ) is the largest borough of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Situated on the right bank of the river Danube, it is home to approximately 150,000 people.-History:Historical records of Petržalka exist from 1225...

, a district of Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...

. Since 1925, it has produced tires (the first tires producer in former Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...

). Its tires were mounted to all famous Czechoslovak automobiles of the 1930s, thus contributing in co-operation with the brands Škoda
Škoda Auto
Škoda Auto , more commonly known as Škoda, is an automobile manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. Škoda became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group in 2000, positioned as the entry brand to the group...

, Tatra, Aero
Aero
Aero is a Greek prefix relating to flight, and air. It British English it is used as an adjective related to flight , as in "aero engine"Aero may also refer to:-In aeronautics:...

 and others to the development of automotive industry in Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...

. The firm was nationalized in 1946 and privatized in 1995. Its trade name has been Matadorex, a.s. since the privatization.

Matador in Púchov itself was established as a "national enterprise" (since 1988 "state-owned enterprise") for tire production in 1947. Production started in 1950. It was called "Gumárne 1. mája" at that time and sold its products under the trademark Barum
Barum (company)
Barum is a manufacturer of tires [uk - tyre] based in the Czech Republic. Barum is a joint venture of the Continental AG. Barum was founded in 1924 as a manufacturer of soles for shoes and did not begin tire / tyre production until 1934.-External links:*...

. Gradually it expanded its production and became the monopoly producer of air tubes (since 1962) and the main producer of rubber conveyer belts (since 1955) in Czechoslovakia. It also started to produce various truck radial tires in the 1970s etc. The company has founded its own R&D center in 1987 (now "Vipo") and provided technical assistance for the construction of rubber works in India, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Cambodia, Burma, Syria, Turkey, Iran and Yugoslavia. In 1991 in was turned into a joint-stock company and privatization took place 1992-1994. The trademark of the products of the company was changed to Matador and the firm's name was changed to Gumárne Barum in 1991 and to Matador in 1993.

The joint venture "Continental
Continental AG
Continental AG, internally often called Conti for short, is a worldwide leading German manufacturer of tires, brake systems, vehicle stability control systems, engine injection systems, tachographs and other parts for the automotive and transport industries. The company is based in Hanover, Germany...

 Matador" for the production of truck tires was established in Púchov in September 1998.
In 1999 the transformation of the company took its final phase by change of strategic management and by shift to division management system.
The management of the Company is being transformed to the German model and re-engineering processes, while using international consulting companies, are establishing the strategic targets for the Company.
In the year 2001, Matador as one of the first companies in the middle Europe acquired the certificate of management system of tyre development and production quality according to technical specification ISO/TS 16949 (requirements on system of quality management in automotive industry accepted by important automotive associations, the mentioned certificate continuously replaced individual certificates according to the requirements of American and German automotive association.)
In December, 2001 the company DET NORSKE VERITAS issued the Management Quality System Certificate in accordance with standards ISO 9001:2000, valid for design, production, assembling, servicing and sales of machines and equipment for rubber industry and management of design and development, production, servicing and sales of moulds.
September 2005: the company MATADOR was celebrating its one hundred´s anniversary and introducing a new company logo, which will represent the company in the new centenary.
In 2007 the company Continental AG acquired 51% of the MATADOR Rubber Division.
On July 1st 2008 Continental and Matador Group agreed on the transfer of an additional 15% of the shares in Continental Matador Rubber. As of this date the Continental Group owns 66% of the shares in Continental Matador Rubber.But this additional acquisition within a few months shows the commitment of the Continental Group to the investment in the Puchov area.
In 2009 Continental AG Hannover increased their capital share to 100%. New Continental’s distribution-logistic centre was open in that year in Puchov, for Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the new production finalisation hall.
In May 2010 Continental is opening new production hall in Púchov that will enable further increase of capacities for the produciton of passenger and light truck tires

Major subsidiaries

  • in Slovakia
    Slovakia
    The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...

    :
    • Matador Automotive, a.s. – former engineering producer "ZŤS Dubnica nad Váhom
      Dubnica nad Váhom
      Dubnica nad Váhom ) is a town in the Ilava District, Trenčín Region in Slovakia.-Geography:It is located on the Váh river, in the Ilava Basin, between the White Carpathians and Strážovské vrchy mountains, at an altitude of 242 metres...

      "
    • Matador-Inalfa, a.s. – former car brake producer "Autobrzdy", now supplier for VW/Colorado
      Colorado
      Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

    • Vipo – applied research
  • Obnova Brno, a.s., Czech Republic
    Czech Republic
    The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

  • Matador Deutschland GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany
    Germany
    Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

  • Matador (UK) Ltd., UK
    United Kingdom
    The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

  • Matador-Omskshina, Russia
    Russia
    Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

     (a joint-venture)
  • ZAO Matador-A, Kazakhstan
    Kazakhstan
    Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...

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