Chronology of important events- the most important occurences

1922

•              delegation of engineer Leonard Łabuć (the first Director of the National Ammunition Manufactory) 
and engineer Franciszek Kuropatwiński by Central  Directorate

                of the Military Manufactories in Warsaw to take over the terrains being surrendered

                by the Forest Inspectorate in Skarżysko (245 hectares of land) to be used for

                the construction of the Factory

1923

•              the Ministery of Military Affairs brings to life The Designing Bureau in Warsaw

                in order to devise specification for the most modern factory in Europe at that time

•              initiation of preparatory works for the erection of the National Ammunition

                Manufactory including a social complex (the health care centre)

•              construction of the first housing estate for higher ranked workers - that is how

                Górna Kolonia is erected, villas and exclusive (as for those times)

                housing lodgments 

•              initiation of construction of Kolonia Robotnicza i Kolonia Rejów

                (workers’ housing estates)

1924

•              on the 25th of August the production in National Ammunition Factory was initaited

                (completion of the first part of the Factory's construction)

•              erection of the first production hangars

•              the construction of a wooden barrack, office of the main Director engineer Łabuć

•              construction of the Factory's power plant and of the central warehouse

•              completion of the building that contained the Elaboration Section of the artillery

                missiles, grenades, aviation bombs and detonators

•              over 3 000 people work in the Factory

1925

•              first lot of  informatory percussion and bottle caps and detonators for hand grenades

                was produced

•              opening of a new production hangar of the area of 5 thousand square metres for

                the Detonator Section

•              initiation of the National Ammunition Manufactory worker's association “PROMIEє

                associating craftsmen, lower ranked administation workers and of association

                “OGNISKO” associating the intelligence workers

 

1926

•              inspection of the National Ammunition Manufactory by Władysław Sikorski

                the contemporary Minister of Military Affairs. Due to his visit the idea of rearranging

                the Factory to a machinery warehouse is abolished.

•              creation of the Rejów Water Circle to be renamed to the Rowing Association

                “REJÓW” in 1936

•              manufactoring and sell of the first goods: artillery detonators

•              completion of a railway siding, where through which first transports with materials

                and machinery arrive

•              the first Director of the Factory engineer Łabuć dies, engineer Tadeusz Kolasiński

                becomes the new CEO of the Factory

•              initiation of manufacturing of the rifle weaponry in Skarżysko transferred

                from Warsaw

1927

•              all the major construction and montaging works of the hangars are completed

•              takeover of the Factory by the National Weaponry Manufactory, which turned

                it into a comercialized state owned enterprise

•              monthly production of rifle ammunition type Mauser surpasess one milion rounds

•              40 thousand detonators, 20 thousand of artillery shells elaborated

1927–1938

•              additional investments and further extension of the Factory. The main investments are:

                     completion of the auxiliary structures

                     purchase and installation of devices and machinery

                     construction of the Main Office

                     development of the Rifle Ammunition Section, artillery section, packing section

                        and subsidiary section

                     extension of warehouses

                     development of the power plant, its power is at 6 thousand kW

                     development of the housing estates

1928

•              coming into existence of Koło Sportowe GRANAT (Factory Sports Club “GRANAT”)

                formed from connection of two clubs PROMIEŃ and ELABORACJA

•              Initiation of the Movement Section to which subordinate were: the tools section,

                renovating section, wood workshops and electromechanical section and

                a power plant

•              setting up of the Factory's fire brigade. Untill September 1939 its first captain

                is Władysław Krajewski

 

 

1929

•              completion of contract between the National Ammunition Factory In Skarżysko and

                Państwowe Zakłady Inżyniernyjne in Warsaw (National Engineering Institutes)

                for manufactoring of machinery necessary for the production of the Polish Fiat

•              the Factory employs 3503 production workers and 253 administartion workers

1931

•              creation of Zwišzek Zawodowy Metalowców (Trade Union of the Metal Workers)

                in the Elaboration Section

1932

•              creation of Burau of Studies of the National Ammunition Manufactory, which till

                the September of 1939 elaborated on over 500 topics from the filed of arms

                and weapons

1933

•              engineer Stanisław Piotrowski becomes the Chief Director

•              an official visit of the President of the Republic of Poland professor Ignacy Moœciki

•              an official visit of Minister of the Military Affairs general Sławoj-Składkowski effect

                of which was the rise of orders and Factory’s production

1934

•              engineer Władysław Jakubowski nominbated to the post of the CEO

1935

•              the National Ammunition Manufactory takes part in the Międzynarodowy

                Konkurs Uzbrojenia (the International Weaponry Fair), the Factory won a tender

                for provision of 12 kg aviation bombs to Yougoslavia, overshadowing SKODA

                and BOFORS

•              A new type of detonator FP 35 was constructed in the Designing Bureau of

                the National Ammunition Factory. It had striking capabilities and included

                decentralizing safety caps. It soon becomes the Factory's export hit

•              Józef Piłsudski General Public School at Kolonia Górna is constructed mainly financed

                from by workers' contributions

1936

•              engineer Eustachy Gutkowski becomes the Factory’s new CEO

1938

•              engineer Mieczysław Olszański takes over the role of the Factory's CEO from Eustachy

                Gutkowski

•              creation of a private 4 year Middle Technological School

 

1939

•              Untill September 1939 the National Ammunition Manufactory places in

                the forefront of the Metal Works manufactories in Poland, by foreign industrialists

                called the Polish industrial miracle

                     various Factory workers receive mobilization orders

                     World War II begins

                     the Factory is ordered to evacuate to Włodzimierz Wołyński

•              at the end of September 1939 the National Ammunition Manufactory is run by HASAG

                concern (Hugo Sohneider A.G.) based In Leipzig

1940

•              first mass executions. Over thousand people murdered and the similar number was

                transported to HASAG’s compulsory work camps in Germany

•              over 30 thousand workers died in the Factory's prisoner camp

1941

•              on the 20th of May a Jewish ghetto was created (for over 3 thousand people)

•              In June on order of the HASAG's management 849 male and 1361 female workers

                were transported to their plants in Leipzig and Altenburg

•              At the end of September a mass murder of 1500 Jewish workers was committed

                by the Nazi occupant

•              initiation of production of household goods and cheap pistol ammunition caliber

                9 mm (in conspiration)

1942

•              intensification of sabottage activities

•              Jewish population is transported out of the ghetto of Skarżysko to the concentration

                camp in Treblinka, where it was annihilated by the German occupant in gas chambers

1944

•              July - mass executions of the Jewish workers from the HASAG camp of compulsory

                work at the Factory, by the Nazi occupant

•              The National Ammunition Factory is demontaged. The machinery, tools,

                specifications, materials and workers are shipped to Czętochowa then to Germany.

1945

•              restarting of operation of the National Ammunition Manufatory, which is considered

                a very big success

•              vindication of the machinery from Germany

•              engineer Antoni Kunicki becomes the Factory's CEO

 

1946

•              One manned Referat Bezpieczeństwa i Higieny Pracy (Departament of Work Safety

                and Hygiene) is formed on the CEO's decision

•              opening of the Foundry Section and cast-iron stove; thousands

                of wheelbarrows, door locks, staples and other products are manufactured

•              employment levels rise to 2300 workers; the Factory achieves a technological

                success of phosphatization in the production of ironwork

1948

•              engineer Stanisław Jarzębiński becomes the Factory's new CEO

1949

•              the Factory changes its name Zakłady Wyrobów Metalowych (Skarżysko Metal Works,

                manufactory no.2)

•              completion of the 3 year plan of rebuilding of the Factory considered as a huge

                achievemnt of the crew

•              the CEO Stanisław Jarzębiński receives 3,5 billion zloty for construction

                developments

1950

•              Skarżysko a huge construction site. Development of the Kolonia Górna continues.

                Housing estate Milica is erected.

1951

•              engineer Eugeniusz Filipczyk is nominated to the position of the Factory's CEO

•              The Departament of Mechanics, branch of the Radom Higher Engineering School

                is organized 

•              the first Factory's newspaper “Głos Metalowca” moving the issues of the Factory

                and the mangement is issued

1952

•              the first time in the history of MESKO Metal Works its worker is chosen to

                the Parliament, in the person of an oustanding rationalizer Henryk Papieski

               

1953

•              significant rise in the employment levels, the production levels rise by 500 percent

1954

•              construction of a sporting stadium in Rejów

•              first place prize in Poland in the competition of developing of rationalization

                (from 2070 projects taking part in the competition)

•              “Nasze słowo” - creation of the Factory's newspaper

 

1955

•              MESKO Metal Works completes the plan scheduled for 6 years

•              Initiation of production of a horse pulled lawn mower

1956

•              value of the production rapidly decreases. The Factory's crew hopes for the better

                future with the creation of the Workers' Council

1957

•              engineer  Stanisław Jarzębiński becomes the Factory's New CEO

•              the special health care centre is opened in the The Health and Disease Prevention

                Centre

•              M.A. engineer Tadeusz Robak becomes a second Member of the Parliament in

                the Factory's history

1958

•              A thousandth unit of bicycle TURYSTA was manufactured, manufacturing

                of watchmaker's turning-lathes is initiated; preparations for initiation of combustible

                bicycle engines is being prepared

•              MESKO Metal Works takes part in Międzynarodowe Targi Poznańskie (International

                Poznań Fairs)

•              on proposal of the Workers' Council and Factory's Council a honourable distinction

                “For the multiyear labour and contribution to the Metal Works' cause” is created

•              Erection of Leopold Staff Zakładowy Dom Kultury (the Leopold Staff Factory's

                Cultural Centre)

1959

•              investments for the licensed production of Swiss looms are confirmed by

                the production management

•              creation of the Looms Technical Bureau

•              constructional and technological production specification for NIMFA,

                OLIMP and EROS bicycles are devised

•              dynamic increase in the production rates of counting machinery

•              initiation of production of lightening frames

•              engineer Stanisław Snopek becomes the Factory's new CEO

1960

•              prosperous developments of export of textile machinery, horse-pulled lawn mowers,

                counting machinery and lightening frames

1961

•              opening of the Przyzakładowa Szkoła Zawodowa (the Factory's Technical School)

•              opening of the branch of Higher Engineering School of Kielce and Radom district

1962

•              production of new types of lightening frames

 

1963

•              engineer Marian Błoński is nominated to the post of the Factory's CEO

•              new production lines for manufacturing of lightening frames is initiated,

                which allows for production on a mass scale

•              station of analytically counting machinery is set up

1964

•              preparation for changing of the Factory's manufactoring profile confirmed by KSR

                Zjednoczenie (KSR Unity) and the Ministry of the Heavy Industry 

•              organization of the Electrical Section and of the central loading ramp for

                the electric carts

1965

•              growth in production and employment levels

•              creation of the National Technical School with the specialty of electrical engineering

                as a branch of the PST in Warsaw

•              creation of specification for a constructional counting machine

•              assembly of mercury lightening frames is initiated 

1966

•              organization of Samodzielny Oddział Wykonawstwa Inwestycji (the Independent

                Investment Section)

•              creation of Zakładowe Biuro Projektowo-Technologiczne (the Factory's Bureau

                of Design and Technology)

•              initiation of production of vehicle trailers

1967

•              signing of Nova contract with Meccanica Nouva from Bolougne for licensed

                production of moulding automats

•              a lot of prototype vehicle trailers MALWA is produced (on the design of Skarżysko

                Metal Works) 1968

•              the horse pulled lawn mowers receive the distinction of prima quality

•              creation of the Technical Scientific Complex

1968

•              horse-pulled lawn mower receives the first quality distinction

•              creation of Techniczne Zakłady Naukowe (The Technical Scientific)

1969

•              the total value of the Factory's production surpasses one billion zloty

1970

•              engineer Roman Kobus becomes the Factory's CEO

•              creation of the Tools Section in the Departament of Precision Mechanics

•              initiation of production of new generation heedles looms

•              renovation of the holiday complex in Węgorzewo and Rejów

1971

•              creation of “For contribution to the Skarżysko Metal Works” distinction

•              initiation of production of new type of anil shaft looms

•              introduction of new technology used for pressurized founding

1972

•              initiation of the multiyear co-operation in the field of manufacturing of multifunction

                cookery appliances with the German company G. Bauknecht from Stuttgart

•              initiation of production of mechanized household appliances that was scheduled and

                actually was managed to be realized within the same year

•              a lot of parts for prototype vehicle trailers is made 

•              modernized Sporting Centre in Rejów is reopened

•              construction of the Rehabilitation and Sanatorium Centre in Kołobrzeg

                is confirmed

1973

•              1st place prize in the competition of the Zakładowy Klub Techniki i Racjonalizacji

                (Factories' Club of Technology and Rationalization) in the province of Œwętokrzyskie                

•              initiation of trailer covering galvanic technologies

•              introduction of manufacturing of household appliances on a large scale in the newly

                constructed Department of Market Goods 

1974

•              the 50th anniversary of the MESKO Metal Works

•              introduction of casting technologies of various elements on founding machinery

                using the WOTAN chamber 

•              a gradual production of mechanized household appliances, 22 new products

                are introduced, 122 altogether

•              passing over of hotel PROMIEŃ, Senior's Club, PZW and PZL

•              2nd Class Labor Flag Medal is received

1975

•              engineer  Jerzy Klechowski was named the Factory's new CEO, hitherto Director

                engineer Roman Kobus was named the vice CEO of the Unity PREDOM and

                the Technical Director

•              In connection to accession of to the Association of Manufacturers of Precision

                Equipment the Factory's name was changed to PREDOM-MESKO Metal Works

 

1976

•              for elaborating of construction and technology and initiation of electric meat mincer

                JAGA an award of the Main Technical Organization

                Technicznej z okazji Œwiętokrzyskich Dni Techniki i Wynalazczoœci w Kielcach

•              co-operation agreement between PREDOM-MESKO and the University of Technology

                in Kielce for the years of 1976-1980

•              manufacturing of the ten thousandth loom kitchen appliance BARTEK receives an

                award on Targi Dominikańskie in Gdańsk

1977

•              initiation of production of electric lawn mowers

•              2nd place prize for the essay on “The automatic moulding machine”, specification

                and introduction to production of modern pressing technologies

•              manufacturing of the tenth million lightening frame

1978

•              16 new types of new products from the assortment of the mechanized household

                appliances and lightening frames

•              initiation of operation of the melting section and rafintion of waste material

•              solemn opening of a cafeteria for the workers of Zakład Mechaniki Precyzyjnej

                (Departament of Precisioned Mechanics)

•              gold medal for meat mincer JAGA and silver for the juice extractor with a mixing

                device

•              decoration of the Metal Works' flag with “For the service in the cause of the

                Œwiętokrzyskie region” award

•              first place of the Main Technical Organization for the accomplishments in

                the development of technology

1980

•              creation of the Independent Self-governing Worker's Union “Solidarnoœć”

1981

•              PhD engineer Józef Kubiakowski becomes the Factory's New CEO

•              After the initiation of the State of War the Faktory was militarized

1982

•              MESKO Metal Works receive the status of the defensive system Factory

 

1984

•              development of the rationalization and innovative movement. Savings for the sum

                of 350 million are made

•              500 apartments are made available for the Factory workers

•              60th anniversary of of Metal Works in which celebrities take part:

                     general Wojciech Jaruzelski

                     colonel Mirosław Hermaszewsk (the first Pole in the outer space)

1985

•              the Factory changes its name MESKO Metal Works (disposition of Minister Hutnictwa

                i Przemysłu Maszynowego - Minister of Metallurgy and Machinery Industry)

1986

•              initiation of production of artillery missile GAD (aviation version STRZAŁY 2), which

                was totally designed by specialists of MESKO Metal Works

1988

•              on the decision of the Minister of Industry the Factory is renamed to

                General Władysław Sikorski Metal Works

1990

•              M.A. engineer Roman Musiał becomes the Factory’s CEO

1991

•              restructuring of the enterprise is decided

1994

•              the repair programme of MESKO Metal Works, with a consulting company ICC based

                in Warsaw taking part. Its main principles involved:        

                     organizational and propriety transformation

                     limitation of non-productive property

                     limitation of employment levels

                     introduction of new products into manufacturing

                     increase of sale, lowering of costs of manufacturing

•              transformation of the enterprise into a Treasury Corporation (Joint stock Companies

                in which the Treasury is the sole shareholder)

1994-1997

•              broadening of the assortment of products aimed for the civilian market; the most

                important are:

                     rotational mowing machines, rummaging machinery, electric and combustion

                      mowing machines, electrical meat mincers, juice extractors, pizza ovens, sodic

                         lightening frazes, gastronomical robots for the KREFFT company

•              introduction of 24 new goods into the special production, they were maliny products

                designer for the country's defensive system

 

1995

•              introducing the air defense rocket system GROM into mobile weapons systems class 

•              the DEFENDER prize for the offer cooperation in production for the needs of

                the Polish Armed Forces at the International Defense Industry Fairs in Kielce

1996

•              on the basis of Zakład Transportu Samochodowego (Automotive Transport

                Enterprise) "MESKO-TRANS" Ltd. rendering domestic and foreign market services

•              initiation of co-operation with the Israeli company of RAFAEL

1997

•              engineer Andrzej Pištek becomes MESKO Metal Works new CEO

1999

•              engineer Waldemar Skowron is the Factory's New CEO

•              creation of Lightening Frame Manufactory "MESKO - FRAMES" Ltd.

•              the DEFENDER award for the mobile air-defense system GROM at the International

                Defense Industry Fairs

•              initiation of the Norwgian company of GAMMO concerning small calibre

                ammunition, unsteered rockets and utilization of old ammo

2000

•              creation of MESKO-ROL Ltd. (manufacturing of farming machinery)

•              creation of Home Appliances Manufactory “MESKO - AGD” Ltd. (manufacturing

                of gastronomical and household appliances )

2001

•              creation of  MESKO - SERVICES" Ltd. (which rendered building services and conveyed

                lease and sale of non-productive property)

•              initiation of co-operation with Danish company TERMA

2002

•              engineer Artur Łysakowski nominatem for the post of the Factory's CEO

•              creation of MESKO-NET Ltd. (rendering telecomunications services)

•              initiation of co-operation with French company of MBDA

•              Metal Works renders services in the fileds of:

                     plastic procession, machine cutting

                     processing of artificial materiale

2003

•              engineer Piotr Mazurek is currently MESKO Metal Works' predsident

•              deal connected to production of the armour-piercing rocket SPIKE is signed

2004

•              the 7th of May - Scientific and Technic Seminar on the topic of nt. “The perspectives

                of Development of modern ammunition for the Polish Armed Forces in MESKO

                Metal Works”

•              Celebrations of the 80th anniversary of MESKO Metal Works under the auspices of

                the President of the Republic of Poland Aleksander Kwaœniewski