:: Continental Tobacco Corporation ::

Continental Tobacco Corporation

Dohány u. 1-3
H-3980 Sátoraljaújhely
Hungary
Telefon: +36 47 523-160, +36 30 349-0674,
Fax: +36 47 321 228 ,
E-mail: factory@continentaltobacco.com

Continental Tobacco Corporation (CTC) is an independent, family-owned group of tobacco companies specializing in the manufacture and sales of fine cigarettes, filter cigarillos, filter-cigarette tubes and finecut cigarette tobacco.

Continental Tobacco employs more than 500 people in its production plants. Two tobacco factories and a tobacco processing plant belong to CTC.

Matrix - the most international brand of the company is distributed and finding market success in several countries of the world.

History of Continental Tobacco's 116-year-old factory:

The development of the Hungarian manufacturing industry began in the 1860's, and was adjusted to the needs of the market of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Agriculturally based industries - sugar works, distillation plants and mills - were most successful. Within twenty years, there were 21 tobacco factories running within the borders of Hungary.

Tobacco product production started in Sátoraljaújhely in 1891 with 80 workers. Smoking cigars was the ordinary way of smoking in that era, and the labor-intensive process of producing cigars accompanied by the increasing demand on this product prompted the Hungarian Royal Revenue in 1892 to increase the capacity of the factory. The new factory started the production in the autumn of 1894 with 305 female and 11 male workers; in 1897 the manpower reached 620 workers.

Change of smoking habits promoted the production of hand-made cigarettes, and further mechanization prompted significant growth in production at the end of the 1920's. After 1932, the factory only produced cigarettes.

Reorganization - several times between 1945 and 1985 - also affected the management of the Hungarian tobacco industry, and the factory played a significant role in satisfying the demands of the domestic tobacco market.

The year 1985 is landmark in the history of the four (and only) tobacco factories of the country. The plants became independent from the Agency of State Control of Tobacco Revenue, and the factory was registered as Sátoraljaújhely Tobacco Factory.

Taking advantage of the newly implemented independence, the Sátoraljaújhely Tobacco Factory was transformed into a joint stock company on December 31, 1991. The Agency of State Properties (ASP) was the major shareholder, owning 88.5% of the stocks. The rest of the stocks were given to the Municipality of Sátoraljaújhely.

In the course of the privatization (28 July 1992) the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR), the second largest American multinational tobacco company, became the principal shareholder after purchasing the stocks of the AoSP. The management of RJR launched the company's renowned products (Camel, Winston, Salem) on the Hungarian market beside producing the traditional domestic non-filter brands - Munkás and Kossuth. The modernization of the production line became necessary in order to fulfill the quality requirements of RJR.

In 1997 the management of RJR decided to withdraw from Hungary and sold the shares of Sátoraljaújhely Tobacco Factory to Continental Tobacco Group.

On 1 January 1998, Continental Tobacco Corporation became the owner of the traditional tobacco factory.
Today the factory is certified according to ISO 9001:2000 and committed to production meeting the highest industry standards. Since 2004, new state-of-the-art machines have been installed in the factory including a high-speed filtercigarillo maker and packer, a filter cigarette tube maker and packer and a king-size round-corner hard box packer. These investments and continued commitment to progress assure diversified production of the highest quality tobacco products for CTC consumers.




Continental Tobacco Corporation Dohány u. 1-3 H-3980 Sátoraljaújhely Hungary Telefon: +36 47 523-160, +36 30 349-0674, Fax: +36 47 321 228 , E-mail: factory@continentaltobacco.com Continental Tobacco Corporation (CTC) is an independent, family-owned group of tobacco companies specializing in the manufacture and sales of fine cigarettes, filter cigarillos, filter-cigarette tubes and finecut cigarette tobacco. Continental Tobacco employs more than 500 people in its production plants. Two tobacco factories and a tobacco processing plant belong to CTC. Matrix - the most international brand of the company is distributed and finding market success in several countries of the world. History of Continental Tobacco's 116-year-old factory: The development of the Hungarian manufacturing industry began in the 1860's, and was adjusted to the needs of the market of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Agriculturally based industries - sugar works, distillation plants and mills - were most successful. Within twenty years, there were 21 tobacco factories running within the borders of Hungary. Tobacco product production started in Sátoraljaújhely in 1891 with 80 workers. Smoking cigars was the ordinary way of smoking in that era, and the labor-intensive process of producing cigars accompanied by the increasing demand on this product prompted the Hungarian Royal Revenue in 1892 to increase the capacity of the factory. The new factory started the production in the autumn of 1894 with 305 female and 11 male workers; in 1897 the manpower reached 620 workers. Change of smoking habits promoted the production of hand-made cigarettes, and further mechanization prompted significant growth in production at the end of the 1920's. After 1932, the factory only produced cigarettes. Reorganization - several times between 1945 and 1985 - also affected the management of the Hungarian tobacco industry, and the factory played a significant role in satisfying the demands of the domestic tobacco market. The year 1985 is landmark in the history of the four (and only) tobacco factories of the country. The plants became independent from the Agency of State Control of Tobacco Revenue, and the factory was registered as Sátoraljaújhely Tobacco Factory. Taking advantage of the newly implemented independence, the Sátoraljaújhely Tobacco Factory was transformed into a joint stock company on December 31, 1991. The Agency of State Properties (ASP) was the major shareholder, owning 88.5% of the stocks. The rest of the stocks were given to the Municipality of Sátoraljaújhely. In the course of the privatization (28 July 1992) the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR), the second largest American multinational tobacco company, became the principal shareholder after purchasing the stocks of the AoSP. The management of RJR launched the company's renowned products (Camel, Winston, Salem) on the Hungarian market beside producing the traditional domestic non-filter brands - Munkás and Kossuth. The modernization of the production line became necessary in order to fulfill the quality requirements of RJR. In 1997 the management of RJR decided to withdraw from Hungary and sold the shares of Sátoraljaújhely Tobacco Factory to Continental Tobacco Group. On 1 January 1998, Continental Tobacco Corporation became the owner of the traditional tobacco factory. Today the factory is certified according to ISO 9001:2000 and committed to production meeting the highest industry standards. Since 2004, new state-of-the-art machines have been installed in the factory including a high-speed filtercigarillo maker and packer, a filter cigarette tube maker and packer and a king-size round-corner hard box packer. These investments and continued commitment to progress assure diversified production of the highest quality tobacco products for CTC consumers.