Artikon Tanvald
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Showroom
History
According to the oldest records, there was a glass grounding factory at this location since the beginning of the 19th century. It was later rebuilt for the needs of the textile industry, which flourished in Tanvald from the 1840s. In 1876, the textile company of czech entrepreneur Isaak Mautner (later the largest textile industrialist in the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire) bought the factory and significantly expanded and modernized the building. The location was ideal, among other things, thanks to the Cerna Desna River, which powered the machines at the time. The constructed water drive running under the entire factory still serves today. The textile industry was very successful in this region and the weaving mill employed hundreds of people. Several smaller buildings were added to the factory further down the river and the production of electricity also expanded, powered by 2 water powered turbines and 2 steam engines. In 1889, electric lighting was introduced here, as the first textile factory in the erea. By then most factories only operated during the day as fire was often cousing fires. Almost the entire factory, as built by the Mautner family in the second half of the 19th century, still stands today and, with several reconstructions, is still in use. However many parts like the beutiful chimney has disappeared being replaced by a modern gas heating plant.
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Historical photograph from 1892 (being used as a weaving mill)
The crisis in the textile industry in the second half of the 1920s forced the company to sell the weaving mill to the company Kramer & Löbl, which produced lighting and electrical installation materials. Another change occurred with World War II and nationalization, when the entire company changed its name to Elektro-Praga. The local factory then served as a separate plant, producing switches and other components. Even then, however, the plant continued to develop, such as a 5-story extension in the upper part of the factory. In the "heyday" of the company, around 600 employees worked here, and the premises even had their own kindergarten. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the entire Elektro-Praga company was privatized by the multinational concern ABB. Local production was gradually curtailed and the building was used exclusively as a warehouse. The last major reconstruction took place in 2005-2008, including floor renovations, replacement of lights and electrical installations, construction of an upper ramp, and other necessary changes.
Artikon purchased the building from ABB in March 2025 and already in April the main warehouse moved to new premises from the previous Prague location. We want to not only keep this historic building alive, but also return it to its former glory. We are preparing several projects here for the future, such as the restoration of the hydroelectric power plant, construction of a new parking lot, reconstruction of office spaces, etc.
Photo gallery
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