Agreement for the supply of turnouts for the Coal Trunk-Line

During the TRAKO fair in Gdańsk, KZN "Bieżanów" and PORR signed an important agreement for the delivery of nearly 150 modern railway turnouts, thus securing the deliveries of these structures as part of the modernisation of the key section of the Coal Trunk-Line (pol. Magistrala Węglowa).

Geography needs help

Poland's location on the map of Eurasia is a great transit asset. Geography alone, however, will not win the future for us, it needs to be actively and wisely helped - says Rafał Leszczyński, President of the KZN Bieżanów Group,

Overlay turnouts in Zabrze

Since Monday (22.07) tram traffic on Wolności Street in the centre of Zabrze has been carried out thanks to overlay turnouts supplied by the KZN Bieżanów Group.

And there we go, there we go again

Switcher's cooperation with mobile gantries will be the axis of five episodes of the second series of “Nietypowe transporty” produced by Discovery Channel Polska. Their broadcast on the station will start today (28 May).

Switcher in action again

The wagons of the Switcher system have delivered the Rz60E1-1200-1:18,5 turnout sections for the construction of the Czarnca-Włoszczowa Północ siding (railway line No. 582).

The Switcher fleet is growing

Kolejowe Zakłady Nawierzchniowe “Bieżanów” will expand the options for transporting railway turnouts in blocks. In May this year, three more Switcher wagons were commissioned, and the next three will be built in the coming months.

We promote safety culture.

The companies of the KZN Bieżanów Group became the latest signatories to the “Railway Safety Culture Declaration”. Formal signing up for the initiative only confirms practices developed over the years - included in the KZN brand code - activities aimed at expanding railway safety.

KZN “Bieżanów” is a founder of scholarships

On May 21, 2018, in the Senate Room, official agreements on funded scholarships were signed between the Dean of the Civil Engineering Faculty of the Cracow University of Technology and seven railway companies. KZN “Bieżanów” was among the entities supporting the development of railway personnel.

Hard as beech

Robust and durable beech sleepers and turnout sleepers are an alternative to those made of oak. With serious market shortages of the latter material, beech sleepers are now a desirable and economically justified solution for railway investment contractors.

KZN expands the quality management system

Kolejowe Zakłady Nawierzchniowe “Bieżanów” has been certified for compliance with ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 standards. Thus, the company's Business Management System was audited, renewed and expanded.

New switch point blade position stabilizers for R300 turnouts

Stabilizers manufactured by Kolejowe Zakłady Nawierzchniowe “Bieżanów” have successfully passed the SMS-PW-17 procedure, allowing them to be used on PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe tracks.

Railway Surfaces: Market-Investments-Maintenance

The first KZN “Bieżanów” Group Conference: “Railway Surfaces. Market-Investments-Maintenance” (“Nawierzchnie szynowe. Rynek-Inwestycje-Utrzymanie”), was held on 22nd and 23rd March 2018 at the Hotel “STOK” Conference Centre in Wisła.

The maintenance program is not specific

“In order for contractors and suppliers to be able to reliably evaluate the design of a long-term maintenance contract, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Construction should disclose additional information. There is a lack of data on the distribution of funds for specific types of work, their issuing schedule and categorisation of lines.” says Rafał Leszczyński, CEO of KZN Bieżanów in an interview for Railway Market (Rynek Kolejowy).

KZN Rail with a level crossing contract

The executive company of the KZN Bieżanów Group will upgrade nearly forty intersections of railway lines with roads at six railway line plants in southern Poland. This is the outcome of winning the contract “Improving Safety at Crossings of Railway Lines and Roads - Stage I - Level Crossing Part” (“Poprawa bezpieczeństwa na skrzyżowaniach linii kolejowych z drogami – Etap I – część przejazdowa”).

TRAKO 2017 Fair Summary

The Fair’s success has been defined by the presence of customers at the exhibition stand as well as by the nature and temperature of business talks. The actual number of contractors present at the exhibition stand and the predominant willingness to understand their arguments and develop a modus operandi for the coming boom in infrastructure, testified to the success of the KZN Bieżanów Group at Trako 2017.

Manganese monoblocks at the PKP PLK testing sites

KZN actively engages with the plan to adapt its product range to the requirements of the new technical standards of PKP PLK, which will finally come into force in mid-2018. For this purpose, in cooperation with the railway network manager, it has launched further testing sites for monoblock manganese frogs of its own design.

KZN “Bieżanów” Group Conference

The KZN Bieżanów Group would like to invite you to the conference “Railway Surfaces. Market-Investments-Maintenance” (“Nawierzchnie szynowe. Rynek-Inwestycje-Utrzymanie”), which will be held on 22nd and 23rd March 2018 at the Hotel “STOK” Conference Centre in Wisła. The industry meeting is a continuation and creative development of the “Railway in areas of mining damage” (“Kolej na obszarach szkód górniczych”) conference organized previously under the auspices of the Trade-Port Company.

New CEO, new challenges

On 30th June, the General Meeting of Shareholders of Kolejowe Zakłady Nawierzchniowe “Bieżanów” entrusted Rafał Leszczyński, a current member of the management board, with the position of the company's CEO. After completing his full term mandate, the previous CEO, Ryszard Leszczyński, took over the Deputy CEO position.

Railway turnouts in sections are becoming the standard

The provisions of the PKP PLK instruction on the transport and unloading of factory-assembled railway turnout sections at the installation site inevitably affect the railway infrastructure investment market.

When is the investment boom coming?

Last year was difficult for the infrastructure industry. 2017 may be no easier if the market transition from low orders to an investment boom means that jointly-developed industry security will not work properly.

Representative of KZN on the Council of Experts

During the 4th Plenary Investment Forum, the Minister of Infrastructure and Construction appointed the Board of Experts on railway investments. Ryszard Leszczyński, the CEO of KZN “Bieżanów” became one of its members.

Siwtcher on Zabłocie station (video)

A month ago, using in-house technology, the KZN Bieżanów Group transported in sections and then precisely unloaded a key railway switch at the newly built Zabłocie-Krzemionki railway siding. We present a film documenting this project.

Installation of a railway points system in... 275 minutes.

The Switcher transported and precisely unloaded the key railway turnout at the newly built railway link Zabłocie-Krzemionki.

Switcher commercialised in the zone

Switcher makes use of an innovative technology that is just entering final marketing phase. The advanced system for the logistics of railway turnouts designed, produced, and developed by the Kolejowe Zakłady Nawierzchniowe “Bieżanów”

More awards for the Switcher technology

The system for transporting and unloading complete railroad turnouts received the “Innovator Małopolski” award, and also won the Gold Medal at the International Exhibition of Economic and Scientific Innovations INTARG 2016.  The innovative technology developed by KZN “Bieżanów” continues to receive accolades and recognition.

“Teraz Polska” award for Switcher

The innovative Switcher technology delivered by KZN “Bieżanów” receives the “Teraz Polska” Emblem for INNOVATIVE PROJECT at the 25th “Teraz Polska” Competition.

KZN with IRIS 02 certificate

The Krakow-based company officially confirmed the conformity of its procedures to  IRIS 02 (International Railway Industry Standard). On 19 May 2016, the Chairman of KZN “Bieżanów”, Mr. Ryszard Leszczyński, received the official certificate from Mr. Piotr Kosznik, Sales Director at Bureau Veritas Certification Poland.

KZN Bieżanów Group among Poland’s largest businesses

KZN Bieżanów Group makes its debut on the prestigious “Top 500 List” of the most dynamically growing businesses published by “Rzeczpospolita” daily. This year the capital group, operating under the brand of KZN “Bieżanów” and associated with the rail infrastructure sector, ranked 433 among all the listed businesses.

Essential railroad turnouts

Kolejowe Zakłady Nawierzchniowe (KZN) “Bieżanów” and the Centrum Diagnostyki PKP PLK have completed another cycle of technical workshops on railroad turnouts.

New railroad turnout maintenance service

KZN “Bieżanów” decided to establish a separate maintenance department. The maintenance department, staffed with ca. a dozen employees, was equipped with the tools necessary for a quick and efficient response to the clients’ failure reports,” the Company assures.

New rails on the Zabłocie-Krzemionki connection

The construction of the strategic railroad section for Krakow and the entire Lesser Poland now enters the key stage. After months of preparations, the construction of the new railroad track finally begins.

2015 was the year of the Switcher

“In 2015, we observed a tendency in tenders announced by PLK to reward the contractors who were able to deliver the railroad turnouts to the incorporation site in blocks. Those were just a handful of cases but it is definitely a change for the better, arising from the need to facilitate the process of replacement of those crucial elements of railroad infrastructure, and the need to increase the travel speed of trains,” says Ryszard Leszczyński, Chairman of the Board of KZN Bieżanów.

Field testing for innovative system Switcher

“Switcher” – a Polish specialised train car for transporting and unloading railroad turnouts, manufactured by KZN “Bieżanów”, was field tested on PKP PLK’s testing grounds in Świdnik. World’s only system with a tipping train car delivered the railroad turnout on pre-stressed turnout sleeper (Rkpd 60E1-190-1:9), which will now undergo tests.  Turnouts are critical elements of railroad infrastructure, enabling fast and safe rail transport.

Olsztyn joins the KZN Rail’s portfolio

The company from the KZN Bieżanów Group has recently completed the investment projects necessary to launch tram communication in Olsztyn. KZN Rail built the track layout of the tram depot at ul. Kołobrzeska, and the track bed at ul. Obiegowa.

Distinction of the Minister of Economy

On 27 October, the distinctions of the Minister of Economy were awarded in Katowice for outstanding achievements in the rail transport industry. The event opened the 5th Railway Congress.

Switcher will transport the “prestressed” double slip turnout

The Rkpd 60E1-190-1:9 double slip turnout on prestressed concrete turnout sleeper, manufactured by KZN “Bieżanów”, was accepted by PKP PLK. The innovative device is now ready for transport in blocks with the use of the Switcher system, to the Świdnik testing grounds.

TRAKO 2015 gallery

KZN: Switcher a hit at TRAKO 2015

Dozens of spectators at Switcher demonstrations, the first prize in the prestigious Ernest Malinowski Memorial Contest, the Railway Market Locomotive award, visits of ministers and ambassadors, the banquet celebrating the 70th anniversary of the KZN brand - for KZN “Bieżanów”, the recently ended TRAKO 2015 trade fair was truly a special time.

KZN is Railway Market Locomotive

KZN “Bieżanów” with the special Railway Market Locomotive award. The company was distinguished for its achievements in the combined fields of research and business, which resulted in the logistic system for transporting railroad turnouts with the specialised train car named the Switcher.

Switcher with Ernest Malinowski award

The technology centred on the Switcher specialised train car received the first prize for Infrastructure in the prestigious Ernest Malinowski Memorial Contest. The prize confirmed the enormous interest in the innovative solution, which was clearly visible during the TRAKO 2015 trade fair.

Switcher tests completed

KZN Bieżanów and the Railway Institute have completed the testing process of the “Switcher”, an innovative system for transporting railroad turnouts. The tests were conducted in the railroad test bench in the Railway Institute, on test railroad sections in Żmigród near Olsztyn, and on the winding, mountain section of railway no. 98 Grybów - Ptaszkowa. Also, the train car’s descent from the Gotthard Pass. 

The contest for the name of turnout logistics train car concludes

Switcher - this will be the name of the train cars that will form the core of the logistics of turnouts introduced to the market by KZN “Bieżanów”. The winning proposition was submitted by Mr. Wojciech Diufer, who received the prize - a Dell Latitude 3540 laptop. We would like to extend our congratulations to Mr. Diufer.

Revolution in turnout transport

This will be the longest train car in Poland. KZN Bieżanów, a manufacturer of railroad turnouts, is finishing the project of a comprehensive system for transporting and assembling railroad turnouts in blocks. The company has built new tipping train car platforms, which are now undergoing tests in the Railway Institute.

Germany: reorganisation of trading activities in KZN Bieżanów Group

The new KZN Bahntechnik GmbH company, with its offices in Braunschweig, will distribute and sell KZN Bieżanów products on German and international markets. Reorganisation of the current trading model of the holding is to improve efficiency and enable rapid expansion.

The line to Toruńskie Bielany is open!

On 24 June 2014 at noon the tramway line to Bielany was officially announced as open. KZN Rail, a company within the KZN Bieżanów Group,  -  was the contractor of practically the entire railway system within this investment, which was executed in stages.

KZN Bieżanów Group on key investment in Kraków

KZN Rail will construct all the junctions during the modernisation of the tramway line Rondo Mogilskie – Al. Jana Pawła II – Plac Centralny, servicing the main part of tramway traffic between the centre of Kraków and Nowa Huta.

The leader of the KZN Bieżanów Group – holder of the Diamond award by Forbes

The Diamond by Forbes in 2014 for Kolejowe Zakłady Nawierzchniowe “Bieżanów” is confirmation of membership of the company among the group of the most stable and financially reliable enterprises in Poland.