Over 70 years of tradition form the capital that allows us to consider ourselves experts in the field of railway surfaces. Many years of a lasting, continuous presence in this segment of the market transfers into the know-how deeply rooted within our firm. Our experienced staff brings this to our company and constantly improves upon the basis of operation procedures and processes. During this time, Kolejowe Zakłady Nawierzchniowe "Bieżanów" underwent a change from a state owned enterprise functioning within the framework of PKP Polish Railways to a private venture gathering around itself a strong capital group. In order to follow and learn about this process, click the below dates.
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1945
The beginning of existence of the enterprise dates back to 1945. At that time, the Steel Surface Repair Works were created upon the decree of the director of Polish Railways in Kraków (Dyrektor Kolei Państwowych w Krakowie), covering the entire area of the contemporary locomotive shed in Prokocim, a district of Kraków. A few months later, the works were named the Railway Workshop.
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1946
In 1946, with moving to the present location, the enterprise received the name of Railways Surface Works in Bieżanów, which has remained to the present day with little change.
In the first years of operation the enterprise was chiefly preoccupied with regeneration of turnouts and turnout elements as well as reconstruction of engineering objects destroyed during the Second World War – bridges and railway bridges. It also produced bridge girders.
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1956
In the mid-fifties in the 20-th century a unification of the range of products was performed. The works mainly produced standard track turnouts made from S42 and S49 rails as well as narrow-gauge turnouts for PKP Polish Railways and the mining industry. The enterprise also performed regeneration of turnouts and turnout subassemblies and welding of CWR – continuous welded rails. Bridge elements were still within the scope of manufacturing.
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1970
In the seventies of the previous century, the works specialised in elements of turnouts, gradually resigning from production of steel bridge constructions.
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1980
In the next decade of the 20-th century, the thorough modernisation of the workshop was performed at the plant in Bieżanów. The existing machines were modernised, and additional ones were installed. This allowed for rapid increase the quality of manufactured products and the introduction of completely new construction solutions.
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1990
In this period, production of turnouts made from UIC 60 rails and adapted to speeds of 160 km/h was begun.
