Revenue: US$2 billion (2002)

Country of Origin: Austria-Hungary (now the Czech Republic)

Founded: 1894

Employees: 35,000

Bata is Europe's shoes manufacturer. Bata may not generate the most revenue, but it does sell more units than any other company with one million customers buying Bata shoes every day. Bata was founded in what is now the Czech Republic by cobbler Tomas Bata, who sought to commercialise the family trade. The First and Second World Wars forced Bata to move its operations to Canada for much of the 20th century. Now, Bata Shoes International is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Bata excels in international growth markets, selling stylish yet affordable footwear at high volume. Their products are distributed through 5,300 stores in 70 countries on five continents, and they also have a significant e-commerce presence.

From design conceptualisation through production, Bata Shoes remains a family-owned, self-contained operation. The organisation is divided into three main units: Bata, Bata Industrials and AW Lab.