Our history

MATADOR Group grew from a tire-making company that started its operations in 1950. The company introduced new rubber commodities gradually and grew its business substantially. The company re-introduced its original brand-name Matador in 1993. The company was then privatized in 1994 and progressively has been transformed into an industrial and trading group with a focus on rubber-related products especially tires and mechanical engineering industries within automotive and non-automotive segments.

Milestones of Matador Rubber History

1950 – Tire-making plant located in Puchov, Slovakia started operation as a branched plant of Barum state-owned company.
1979 – Production of rubber conveyor belts introduced.
1987 – Rubber research institute was established within the company structure.
1988 – The company was transformed into joint-stock company owned by government.
1993 – Company name changed to Matador.
1994 – The company was privatized.
1995 – Matador–Omskschina joint venture company for tire production was established in Omsk, Russian Federation.
1998 – Join-venture production plant for truck tires located in Puchov, Slovakia was established with the Continental Group.
2004 - Start-up of Matador-Addis Tyre Company located in Ethiopia.
2007 - Matador decided to change business focus and rubber business was in steps sold to Continental group.

Engineering Industry in Matador Group

A decision to diversify group business was made in the late 1990s. A scope of new companies focused on mechanical engineering and productions especially in the automotive segments were acquired.

1995 – Matador Automotive located in Dubnica nad Vahom, Slovakia. The company focuses on custom tailored and low series production of mechanical engineering products incl. precision machining, tools and fixtures production as well as deliveries of robotic lines and manipulators.
2004 – Matador Automotive Vrable, located in Vrable and Nitra, Slovakia is a significant supplier of metal stamped and welded parts to the first class car makers and their tier-1 suppliers.
Automotive and mechanical engineering production became a key pillar of Matador Group business nowadays. The Group aims for being a system supplier of metal stamped and welded parts and assemblies for the automotive industry.
2006 - Matador bought into Aufeer Design Ltd., located in Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic as one of a top-class provider of design, engineering and development serviced for a number of internationally-known car brands and their tier-1 supplying partners with activities in Europe, Asia, North America and Russia.

This way we reach capabilities to provide customers with turn-key solutions – we can develop and design a product, we are capable to design and manufacture dies and automated welding cells needed to produce product and we start up production in required quantities, quality and time.