At a special event on September 12, 2024 hosted by the Polish team at their newly-opened headquarters in Częstochowa, Tybura and the team journeyed into the past and gave a tribute to the progress that the company has made and supported since the Dematech office opened its doors in 1999.
Transferring into a subsidiary the year that Poland joined the EU made perfect business sense, reflects the managing director, as it was accompanied by an inflow of direct foreign investment. “Since Poland’s accession to the EU in 2004, our economy has grown steadily. During this time, Poland has consistently been one of the most attractive investment locations in Europe for manufacturing companies, particular consumer goods. Having been involved since the inception, the transition process from a registered office to a subsidiary went seamlessly,” reflects Tybura.
Consumer continues to be the mainstay of the manufacturing sector in Poland reports Tybura, although growth in packaging , automotive, electronics and now medical is rising and this is driving demand for high end machines. This was in part evidenced by the wide range of customers that attended the anniversary event, as well as the recent European productivity roadshow.
Successfully building a customer base from scratch with nothing but a few leads had its challenges. The competition landscape has changed markedly, and the plastics injection market itself has evolved significantly too, notes Tybura. “It really is quite incomparable. Especially with regard to market saturation. Fortunately, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag was ahead of the game establishing representation in Poland earlier, which placed us in a stronger position and enabled us to serve our customers well,” says Tybura.
The managing director estimates that at the turn of the21st century that there were probably only five to six machine suppliers active in Poland. Today there are over 25. During the first five years of operation the company was probably serving around 30 polymer processors; now it supplies products and support services to over 140 customers, claims Tybura.
The ability to react quickly to changes, having local experts on the ground and direct access to spare parts within 24 hours are features that customers value the most, assures Tybura. “Initially, the focus was on saving materials and reducing cycle times. Now it is on automation, energy savings, processing recyclate materials and enhancing productivity. Currently, application support is valued almost as much as machine repairs.”
The new company facility where the celebrations were held were specifically designed to meet clients’ local needs. Featuring modern training rooms and expanded space to accommodate multiple machines for comprehensive mould trials, this new investment marks the next phase in Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s commitment to customers. “The company’s investment in this new facility enables the Poland team to continue the journey of supporting customers with cutting-edge solutions and all-electric manufacturing excellence,” adds company CSO Anatol Sattel, who presented the team with a commemorative statue and attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Asked to summarise the most memorable moments in the last 25 years, the managing director claims there have been far too many success stories to single individual ones out. However, being present when new technologies are unveiled at K Show or the local Plastpol trade fair are always exciting moments. “We have worked on many great projects and have a huge list of fantastic clients who we now regard more as friends than customers. Being part of their growth journey is certainly the best sign of success.”