Containing waste material

ZPUH JK Milosz Kiedrowski, a company from Byslaw, Poland, is a leading European manufacturer of steel containers. In 2018 it will celebrate its 30th anniversary. Dariusz Balcerzyk reports.

Since the very beginning ZPUH JK Milosz Kiedrowski has been a private, family business focused on the production of various types of containers. It was founded in 1988 in Byslaw, Poland, by Mr Janusz Kiedrowski who sadly passed away in 2016. Now, his son, Mr Milosz Kiedrowski, is the company’s owner and president.

In 2001 the company established a close cooperation with ILAB Container AB, a well known Swedish distributor of materials handling equipment including containers for waste material, large containers, and standard freight containers. “For us it was a key strategic breakthrough, as ILAB Container AB has become the sole distributor of our products for the whole region of Scandinavia. I would like to say that we have had a very warm-hearted relationship with our Swedish partner, not only of a business nature,” points out Mr Kiedrowski.

The following years saw more key turning points in Kiedrowski’s business development: in 2006, with the financial support of the EU, the company built a new, modern production hall; four years later it began selling its products to western Europe; in 2011 the second, fully equipped production hall was established, also with the support of EU financing; soon after this, three more halls were constructed. This means the total surface of the production halls has grown to more than 17,000m².

The company employs 600 people, a considerable percentage of whom are welders. It uses modern technologies such as Autodesk Inventor 11 and the latest CNC machines for bending, cutting and welding operations. It has also installed modern painting cabins with effective filter systems, which meet the strict requirements of environmental protection. For painting it uses high-quality anti-corrosive paints from Teknos. The containers are blasted before painting, which provides a high quality of paint coating. All the Kiedrowski products have the CE certificate, as well as ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001, ISO 18001 and ISO 3834 quality systems, which confirm the company’s high production standards.

Thousands of containers for europe

“The company’s economic situation is very good. Exports share about 97 per cent of our total sales, whereas only 3 per cent of our containers are sold domestically. However, in the coming years we would also like to increase production for the Polish

market. Now, 65 per cent of our products are sold to the Scandinavian countries; the remainder is sold in western Europe, mainly in Germany, where we are present through three local distribution companies,” says Mr Kiedrowski.

For 30 years the company has grown rapidly by increasing its variety of products for both the domestic and foreign markets. Now it makes more than 70 models of containers, which are offered in more than 200 types, including containers made from high-strength steel by the Swedish company SSAB. Kiedrowski’s annual output in 2017 is going to reach its record breaking level of 15,000 units, but the plan for the next few years is to increase production up to 20,000 containers, including 10,000 units to be sold in Scandinavia. The company’s monthly steel usage is currently estimated at 1800 tonnes.

SSAB

JK miłosz Kiedrowski has become the first SSAB partner - my Inner Strenx program in the container industry. The company has been using high strength steel - Strenx for many years. Floors, side walls and upper beams are made with Strenx 700 mC. The use of high-strength steels results in weight reduction by 30%, higher capacity and lower fuel consumption. Now my Inner Strenx sign confirms product quality as to design, production and performance.

Wide product offering

The LV type containers are Kiedrowski’s flagship product. They have a capacity range from 5m3–40m³ and can be used for the storage of industrial and municipal waste. The LV containers are designed for vehicles with hook loading.

Compactors are containers for special applications, produced only in the closed variety (with solid roof) with a capacity range from 20m³–37m³ and with space to assemble a hydraulic press. Compactors are often used in markets, shopping centres and similar spaces.

The KP-type containers have a capacity range from 3m³–18m³ and are designed for the storage of municipal and industrial waste, offered in open or closed varieties. Skips (MULDA) are containers for the storage of industrial or municipal waste, such as rubble, scrap and plant waste. Dump containers are self-unloading containers with a capacity range

from 1m³–5m³, designed for the storage of industrial waste, scrap and cullet-glass; while bell-type containers are designed for PET separation. PA-1100 are dumpsters with a capacity of 1.1m³, designed for the storage of the industrial and municipal waste or for waste segregation. They can be painted or hot-dip galvanised.

The company is also well-known from making non-standard containers, for individual orders. “For instance, we have manufactured the self-extinguishing containers for our client from Scandinavia, while for a customer from the Netherlands we have produced a special container for a giant leaf vacuum cleaner installed on the vehicle,” says Mr Kiedrowski.

What makes Kiedrowski’s products so popular and valued in Europe? For Mr Kiedrowski the answer is obvious: “There are three main elements in our offer that are extremely important for our partners: the quality of our containers, the timeliness of our deliveries and finally a good price. And I mean it in this order. But to achieve proficiency in these elements, hard work is required. We provide it,” he concludes.

Teknos

Teknos is a global coatings company with operations in more than 20 countries in europe, Asia, and the uSA. It employs approximately 1,700 people and makes annual net sales of approximately euR 400 million. Teknos is one of the leading suppliers of industrial coatings with a strong position in retail and architectural coatings. Teknos wants to make the world last longer by providing smart, technically advanced paint and coating solutions to protect and prolong. Teknos always works in close cooperation with its customers. It was established in 1948, and is one of Finland’s largest family-owned businesses. more information www.teknos.com