| Obchodní tiskárny, a.s Kolín is a company with long tradition. The enterprise foundation by the Prague typographer J. L. Bayer dates back to 1879. Being originally a lithographic printing office, the wall calendars and colour-print pictures had been printed here with chromolithography method since 1884 already. Later, with the production of calendar blocks, the company established the departments of letterpress and lithography, high-capacity bookbindery designed to produce business books and offset printing. The enterprise soon became the leading domestic manufacturer of calendars and almanacs.
In 1912, J. L. Bayer’s enterprise became a joint stock company exporting its products among others to Poland, Romania, Italy and Hungary.
In spite of several threats of the enterprise shutdown, the company survived the World War I and World War II without serious losses.
In 1950, Obchodní tiskárny, a.s. Kolín was declared the national enterprise, which showed (mostly in 1970’s) considerable boom in production, including introduction of new products – e.g. printed computer stationary or adhesive labels.
From 1970’s to 1990’s the company became the leader in the production of calendars, cards, labels and printed computer stationary.
The extensive reconstruction of 1978 made the company Obchodní tiskárny, a.s. Kolín the top printing works. After 1989 the enterprise was completely denationalised upon foundation of a joint stock company and later, in 1995, fully privatised.
An extensive investment program was carried out from 1995 to 2001, focusing in particular on the technology fields of flexible packing or, self-adhesive and graphics labels. |