On 3–5 December 2025, another edition of the NOVKOL Conference took place in Zakopane – one of the most important and highly regarded events in the Polish railway industry. This year's conference also provided an excellent opportunity to highlight our anniversary. Organised by the Kraków Branch of the Association of Engineers and Technicians of Transportation of the Republic of Poland (SITK RP), NOVKOL has long served as a platform for exchanging knowledge, experience and best practices, while fostering discussions on modern technologies and the future of rail transport.
This year's NOVKOL held special significance for KZN Bieżanów. Together with the Sleeper Impregnation Plant in Czeremcha, we celebrated our anniversaries – the 80th anniversary of KZN Bieżanów and the 85th anniversary of the Sleeper Impregnation Plant. It was a unique opportunity to celebrate the long-standing history of both companies among representatives of the railway industry, with which we have been closely connected for decades.
To mark the occasion, we organised a festive anniversary gala dinner, creating the perfect setting for celebration, conversations and networking in a relaxed atmosphere. It was an opportunity to strengthen relationships, share memories and exchange experiences outside the formal conference programme. The evening was enhanced by a surprise concert, which encouraged guests to celebrate together and added a joyful anniversary spirit to the event. One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the anniversary cake, which symbolically concluded this special celebration. We hope everyone enjoyed it and that it will remain a fond memory of our time together.
During the conference, KZN Bieżanów also played an active role in the technical programme. We had the pleasure of presenting our company, sharing both our history and our vision for future development. President Rafał Leszczyński spoke about the journey of KZN Bieżanów – from the company's foundation to the establishment of the KZN Bieżanów Group. Dorota Błaszkiewicz-Juszczęć presented the technologies developed within our organisation over the years, including SWITCHER, CONTRACK, PWP gantries, as well as solutions used at railway and tram level crossings.
Our conference stand also reflected the company's heritage. To emphasise KZN Bieżanów's Kraków roots, we treated participants to traditional Kraków obwarzanki (ring-shaped bread), served by women dressed in traditional Kraków regional costumes. The stand also featured oscypek, the iconic smoked sheep's cheese of the Podhale region, paying tribute to Zakopane and the mountain setting of this year's conference.
During NOVKOL 2025, KZN Bieżanów was also honoured by the Kraków Branch of SITK RP with the prestigious "Ernest" Award – a distinction presented to individuals and organisations that have made outstanding contributions to the development of transport and to the activities of the Association. This recognition is a great honour for us and confirms that our many years of commitment and work are appreciated by the railway industry.
