HISTORY /

1841

Rudolf Ditmar, a German kerosene lamp salesman,

founded a factory in Vienna.

1850

Rudolf Ditmar invented the “Viennese Moderateur” oil lamps

that conquered the whole world.

1878

Together with his brother Friedrich, Ditmar set up another Nautilus 1897

factory in Znojmo, located today in the southeastern part

of the Czech Republic.

1904

Upon R. Ditmar’s death in 1895, his heirs established

“Kunstthonwarenfabrik Rudolf Ditmar Erben” as a trading company.

Its prosperous factory was valued at 1,498,845 Austrian crowns.

1909

The Znojmo factory was bought by the Lichtensterns,

owners of a ceramics factory in Willhemsburg, Austria.

1919

A merger with the Urbach Brothers business creates

the “Ditmar-Urbach” firm, which was immediately incorporated

as a joint-stock company. It launched production of washbasins,

bathtubs and sinks in 1920, for the very first time in Europe.

1932

1938

The factory was expropriated and taken over by

Ostmark - Keramik AG of Vienna on January 1, 1939.

1945

The factory was bombed on March 1,1945, and production had

to be stopped. The factory was nationalized on December 27, 1945.

The state-owned enterprise was renamed “Keramické závody n. p. Znojmo”.

1958

The state-owned enterprise was renamed “Keramické závody n. p. Znojmo”.

1961

A modern ceramics factory was established in Bechyně,

giving birth to “Jihočeská keramika a.s.”

1970

The manufacturing of WC combinations began, benefiting

from the housing construction boom of the 1970s.

1990

“Znojemské keramické závody a.s.” was

established and assumed all previous assets.

Jihočeská keramika logo

1991

The state privatized the Bechyně factory by means

of an asset sale to Keramik Holding AG Laufen, Switzerland.

1992

The JIKA logo is redesigned emphasizing the link with Laufen,

including its distinctive claim.

1995

Laufen took control of the Znojmo factory, bring both

production centers under the same business structure.

1999

The subsidiary company LAUFEN CZ was established

in Prague to coordinate production and sales of both

factories. As LAUFEN itself was acquired by the Spanish

leader Roca Sanitario shortly thereafter, the Czech company

became an important part of the Roca Group.

logo on product

2008

Product lines were strengthened by the launch of faucets and accessories.

2012

The scope of production expanded further as in-house furniture and faucet assembly begins.