Driving heavy-duty precision forward

Excellence in motion SPINEA

Strojirny Poldi is a European leader in the development and manufacture of high precision crankshafts, rolls and tools. Philip Yorke reports on a company with a long history of serving some of industry’s best known OEMs and one that continues to evolve and grow to become a significant player on the global stage.

Strojirny Poldi was founded near Prague in 1889 and is one of the oldest machining companies in the world. It is the sole manufacturer in the Czech Republic of crankshafts, rolls and tools and is headquartered in Kladno, near Prague. Over 80 per cent of the company’s products are exported worldwide to markets across four continents.

Today Strojirny Poldi delivers crankshafts for the engines of leading global brands engaged in the manufacture of trucks, buses, tractors and agricultural and forestry equipment. This is in addition to companies involved in construction equipment, rail and aerospace transport, as well as pumps and compressors.

The company’s crankshafts are made from pre-formed forgings and castings, which are machined and heat-treated with a clear

focus on unparalleled accuracy and production quality. Its large rolls for cold-rolling are produced from forgings supplied by globally recognised manufacturers to the most stringent specifications. Furthermore, the company’s tools are made from certified, corrosion-resistant tool steel grades machined to the highest possible standards for metallurgy, engineering, glass, food and the construction industry. In 2015 the company employed 300 people.

Expanding product portfolio

As Strojirny Poldi continues to invest in the latest forging and machining technology, so it is able to meet new engineering challenges in a diverse range of industries. Since its founding in 1889, the company has designed and produced hundreds of different engineered products from crankshafts for heavy engines, to rolls for cold-rolling mills and a variety of other applications as well as for cutting tools for an infinite variety of special industrial applications.

Marcus Pauels, the company’s CEO, said, “Currently we are establishing a new product group under the brand name ‘SPM’, which stands for ‘Strojirny Poldi Precision Machining’. With the exclusive know-how of our employees and the high-tech machinery we have invested in, we are also starting to produce CNC machined components for our existing customers and also for the entire automotive and engine industry. In this respect we are talking about products such as hydraulic components, heavy engine parts, axle wheel hubs and complex shafts for a variety of manufacturing industries.”

Investing in the future

In addition to some major investments in 2016 and 2017 for specialised testing equipment, Strojirny Poldi has recently invested heavily in a five-axis, fully automatic CNC machine which enables the company to complete high-quality machined components up to a length of 3000mm and a weight of more than 1000kg. Further investments are planned for 2017 to significantly expand its technological potential and to increase its capacities for even larger components.

Pauels commented, “Currently, with our on-going investment programme, we are driving strong organic growth with our existing and new products in our multiple global markets. However, at the same time we are also looking carefully at all options to support this growth through a suitable acquisition outside of the Czech Republic.

Strojirny Poldi will become one of the strongest players in the global market in the near future for crankshafts and engine components. This will be achieved through continuous investments in people, machinery and products.

Pauels added, “The majority of our current crankshaft customers come from a diverse range of industries including those in the manufacture of construction vehicles, farming vehicles, trucks and buses and aircraft, as well as naval engines, locomotives and generators. Today we are focused on gaining a greater presence in the United States and Canada, as well as in South America and the EMEA regions.” Quality and innovation driving sales

Strojirny Poldi enjoys an enviable reputation as a leading manufacturer of crankshafts, in particular for heavy-duty vehicles such as trucks, buses and rail and aerospace transport.

In addition, Strojirny Poldi has strict quality control protocols in place that include the testing of its products prior to delivery.

Semi-finished products for the mass production of crankshafts are purchased as die castings and forgings of the highest standard. For low volume production runs the company uses free-forgings. Product parameters are determined and verified by its in-house independent control department inspectors and are audited by teams made up from customers and recognised certifying organisations.

When it comes to forged rolls, the company has developed and perfected the technology for the manufacture of best-in-class products. For the manufacture of rolls, either steel from electric arc furnaces, from vacuum degasses, or possibly steel made in the ladle furnace by secondary refining can be used. For special applications, electro-slag re-melted steel or vacuum re-melted steel can also be used.

In order to achieve the best possible properties for its rolls, the roll barrel is hardened in a medium frequency induction hardening machine. To meet high precision requirements, forged rolls are machine finished and ground to respond the customer’s most demanding requests in terms of dimensions and surface quality finish. n