In 1963 the inhabitants of a small Danish town Bredebro decided to attract industry to their region – South Jutland, located in the continental part of Denmark. They created a company and bought all its stocks – this is how the money for building the factory appeared. At this time Karl Tutsby, a production manager of a shoe factory in Copenhagen, got an idea of starting his own business. He was sure, he would be able to realize his plans in Bredebro, where a factory had already been built and was on sale at a very affordable price. The region had enough labour force, and the local people had already shown their initiative and desire to work. Today we can see, that the results actually have overcome the expectances. Today there are more people working for ECCO in Bredebro, than there were inhabitants in 1963.
Limited resources, a small number of loyal workers and a belief in success –this was the main basis of ECCO during its firs years. In 11 years the company started the process of internationalization – the production of shoe top parts under the control of ECCO was organized in Brasilia. The first production line called Desma is launched, establishing the basics for the most modern and world-acknowledged methods of shoe production. In 1981 ECCO opens a daughter company called Eccolet Sko GmbH in Germany to control German marketing sector, and in a year ECCO together with a Japanese concern Achilles Corporation creates a line in Japan – with all the production line and even robots worked out by ECCO.
The company continues developing and conquering international markets. In the middle of 1990s ECCO Thailand company is created in Thailand, and in 2 years a factory is established in Slovakia. In 1998 Her majesty the Queen of Denmark Magrete I awarded Karl Tutsby the order of the Knight of Dannenbraw. In the town of Tenner there is even a monument to ECCO and its success – a huge foot made by Peter Brandes. The company continues developing worldwide in the new millennium.
It took a small local company 40 years to turn into a huge concern. Today more than 13 000 people work in the shops and on the factories of ECCO. ECCO shoes are available in 97 countries and 15 mln pair of ECCO shoes are sold worldwide annually.
