Brand Introduction
Mikov, s.r.o. is a world-renowned, long-established manufacturer of office equipment, industrial fasteners, a wide range of Mikov-brand cutlery, and Narex-brand hand tools. The company supplies its products not only to the Czech Republic and Slovakia but also exports them worldwide.
The company is owned by Czech capital and is committed to the historical roots of honest craftsmanship . However, the recognition of the Mikov knife brand and Narex hand tools in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the network of sales representatives in individual regions, and long-standing business relationships with partners are just as important to the company as its traditions and craftsmanship . Office supplies are purchased by all wholesalers in both countries, and it is no exaggeration to say that they can be found in every Czech or Slovak office.
Naturally, this success did not happen overnight. The company builds on a centuries-old tradition of manufacturing small industrial goods and knives in Bohemian Switzerland, specifically in the town of Mikulášovice and the village of Lipová .
History by the Numbers
1794
Establishment of the First Knife-Making Factory
Merchant Ignaz Rösler establishes the first industrial factory for knives, files, and small goods in Mikulášovice. This marks the beginning of the region’s cutlery-making tradition.
Founding of the Factory in Lipová
Johann Hille founded a factory in Lipová to produce thin sheet metal (aluminum foil) and rolled wire. From humble beginnings, it grew to become the largest company in this industry in northern Bohemia at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
1863
The turn of the 19th and 20th centuries
The Golden Age of Knife Making – “Czech Solingen”
Ignaz Rösler’s economic and commercial successes in the 19th century led to the establishment of a number of other, similarly oriented factories in Bohemian-Saxon Switzerland. The region became renowned throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire for its production and even earned the nickname “Czech Solingen.”
New Focus of Production
After the establishment of Czechoslovakia, the factory in Lipová focused on the production of paper clips and small metal products, while the Rösler factory in Mikulášovice continued to produce knives.
1918
1948
The Establishment of State-Owned Enterprises
Even after 1948, when the Communists took power, Mikulášovice was still regarded as a center of small-scale industrial production. Two national enterprises emerged from the local factories: Koh-i-noor (office equipment, including the plant in Lipová) and Sandrik (cutlery).
The Origin of the Name MIKOV
The merger of all existing factories gives rise to the national enterprise Mikulášovický KOVoprůmysl—MIKOV.
1955
1991
Lipová's Separation
As part of the post-revolutionary changes, the plant in Lipová became independent from Mikov, and both companies underwent privatization; their paths diverged for some time, and they saw a succession of owners.
Change of Ownership
The business in Lipová is being acquired by Conmetron, s.r.o., which has successfully developed the RON office supplies brand.
2003
2012
Museum of the Knife-Making Tradition
Opening of the museum in Mikulášovice, which traces the rich history of the craft in the region.
Merger under Mikov, s.r.o.
Conmetron acquires Mikov. The newly formed company retained the name Mikov, s.r.o. and became the largest Czech manufacturer of office equipment and knives.
2017
2019–2025
Acquisition and Merger with Narex Bystřice
In 2019, Mikov acquired Narex Bystřice, a traditional manufacturer of hand tools. The entire process was successfully completed on January 1, 2025, with an official merger and consolidation under the successor company Mikov, s.r.o.
Learn more about the history and present of the Narex Bystřice brand.
Acquisition of KDS Sedlčany
In 2026, Mikov acquires the traditional manufacturer of kitchen and butcher knives, KDS Sedlčany. The entire process is successfully completed with the integration of this brand under Mikov, s.r.o.
Learn more about the history and present of the KDS Sedlčany brand.
2026
