Tomasz Baťa shoe factory

Czech shoe tycoon Tomáš Bata buys a 600-hectare landed estate in Otmerta on 20 November 1930 and begins building one of the most modern shoe factories in Europe. In 1931, the factory produces 2,000 pairs of shoes a day. The factory is housed in a newly built production hall, and further halls and other buildings such as a boiler house and offices are constructed by 1935. The number of employees grows rapidly, which by 1937 is already 1,800. The factory at this time produces 3.7 million pairs of shoes per year.

Tomasz Bata, as befits a modern entrepreneur, is investing in employees. A workers' housing estate is being built in Otmett for the families working at the factory. Hotels are being built for the bachelors. There is a canteen in the factory where workers can buy a cheap meal. In return, the company expects workers to be reliable and loyal to the company. In 1934, the factory supports the establishment of a modern school in Otmęt, and between 1936 and 1937, a large leisure and sports complex is built, making the small village of Otmęt stand out from the rest of the country. As a result, the population in Otmęt grows rapidly from around 1,000 in 1910 to almost 3,000 in 1938. In the same year, the factories are nationalised by the German authorities. After the Second World War, the Baťa factories lose their then owner and the Silesian Leather Industry Factory "Otmęt" is established, which operated until 1999.