Founded in the Black Forest region of Southern Germany in 1874, Rieker originally produced shoes for the affluent citizens of Northern Italy. The company soon gained a reputation for quality and has built itself into a household name in Central Europe. The company has been family owned for 5 generations and its commitment to quality and style has ensured continuous growth for 30 years. At the beginning of the 1970’s new headquarters were set up in Switzerland and production moved away from Europe. Today Rieker employs approximately 20,000 people worldwide in 5 production units, 3 design units and 16 wholesales units.