My belief in the perspective of Czech Switzerland is not naive, says the owner of Mikov

16. září 2019

“I watched with excitement the announcement of the winner of the Village 2019 competition, and when Lipová won, it made me very happy, ”said Karel Ježek, who has been successfully operating in the village since 2003. At that time he took over the local office technology factory and expanded its products virtually all over the world under the RON brand. Thanks to these business successes, in 2017 he bought the traditional Czech manufacturer of knives Mikov.

The industrial tradition of Linden dates back to 1863 when Johann Hille founded a factory for the production of thin sheets (aluminium foil) and wire rod. At the beginning of the 20th century, the company became the largest manufacturer of its field in northern Bohemia. Later, it switched to the production of staples and small metal products. 

The merger of the Lipová factory in 2017 with Mikov led to greater efficiency both in Lipová, which specializes in office equipment and in Mikulášovice, where it produces cutlery. The company now employs more than 100 employees in Czech Switzerland. They are involved in several interesting projects, such as Rybička of recycled materials for Nespresso or the production of sabres for the police general and the prison service.

“I am a local patriot, and even though I live nearby Mikulášovice, I believe that Czech Switzerland, which is sometimes portrayed as a rough north, can offer people not only beautiful nature but also a perspective of good employment. And the fact that Lipová was announced to be the village of 2019 confirms to me that my faith is not just a naive dream, ”added Karel Ježek.   

Mikov is the largest Czech manufacturer of cutlery, office equipment and industrial fasteners. Since 2019, it has been part of another Czech traditional manufacturer of hand tools Narex Bystrice.