The history of the foundry dates back to 1886 when Ernest Erbe founded a small forge on the land belonging to the village of Łośnica, and started production of agricultural tools and equipment for the local rural community. Good economic conditions conduced to the systematic expansion of the plant and its range of products, eventually leading to opening the foundry. Production of whiteheart malleable cast iron has been started in 1892, and fittings made of this material have been produced since 1901.

The company became a sole manufacturer of this kind of goods in the Kingdom of Poland. Due to the plant’s development and a significant change in the production profile, including the expansion of the product range, the company had to change its name from “Ernest Erbe Forge” to “Ernest Erbe Factory Of Fittings And Casted And Forged Goods” in Zawiercie. The company dynamically developed and opened its agencies in Warsaw, St. Petersburg, Moscow and Rostov.

With the outbreak of the First World War, development of the company was completely halted. Production resumed again after the end of the war, reaching full production capacity in 1920. The plant was modernized and developed the range of manufactured castings. It exported the products to countries such as England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Scandinavian countries, Turkey, Bulgaria, Egypt, India, Peru, Zion and Uruguay. The retail network was developing. The factory had its own branches in Warsaw, Poznań, Katowice, consignment depots in Kraków, Lviv and Częstochowa, its own representative offices in Radom, Vilnius and the Free City of Gdańsk.

In 1936, the Factory became a joint stock company with a share capital of 2.3 million zlotys.

After the Second World War, the “Ernest Erbe Factory Of Fittings And Casted And Forged Goods” was taken over by the Provisional State Board. The product range systematically expands, reaching the level of 3 thousand tons of castings in 1948. At the same time, the previously known as the “Ferrum” plant, which was later called “Wiktoryjka”, was incorporated into the Factory as a separate representative office. Merged plants received the name “Malleable Cast Iron Foundry and Fittings Factory” [Odlewnia Żeliwa Ciągliwego i Wytwórnia Łączników] which was in force until the company named “Odlewania Żeliwa S.A.” in Zawiercie was established in 1995. It was a joint stock company wholly owned by the State Treasury, covered by the National Investment Funds in 1996.

In 1996 there were numerous organizational changes in the foundry. Following companies have been established: Odlew Rem in 1996, Omega-Soft in 1996, Modlew in 1998, Odlewnia Żeliwa “Wiktoryjka” in 2000.

In 2003, after buying it from the National Investment Funds, the foundry was included into the GWARANT Capital Group.

In 2015, Supra Investments S.A. became a new owner of the Odlewnia Żeliwa S.A.

In 2018, the company’s name changed from “Odlewnia Żeliwa S.A.” to “Odlewnia Zawiercie S.A.”

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