About Us
CMC in the world
CMC Poland Sp. z o.o. is a leading steel mill company marketing its products to domestic and foreign markets. Thanks to global distribution network, CMC expanded its portfolio of clients on foreign markets, which is a significant achievement in enhancing market competitiveness. CMC Poland Sp. z o.o. manufactures hot-rolled long products based on the billets from its own melt shop. Good reputation of our products is guaranteed by over 120 years of experience and tradition, as well as by state-of-the-art technological solutions in the area of production, environment protection and occupational safety.
Our history
In 1897 Towarzystwo Akcyjne Sosnowieckich Fabryk Rur i Żelaza (Joint Stock Company of Sosnowiec Factories of Tubes and Iron) was founded with the capital mostly owned by Huldschynsky Huttenwerke A.G. Gleiwitz. Its main purpose was to build steel mill in Zawiercie.
In 1899 the first construction activities were initiated. After the land had been purchased and construction plan determined, the railway siding construction started and foundations for the blast furnace were made. The entire scope of works was supervised by the first director of the plant- Julian Appel.
In 1900 melt shop construction started and just in 1903 two 40 ton blast furnaces were ready for startup.
In 1901 the blast furnace was started up and first heat was tapped. The production of the mill amounted to 69 thousand of pig iron in that period.
In 1905 the control structure in Towarzystwo Akcyjne Sosnowieckich Fabryk Rur i Żelaza changed. The control was acquired by Oberschlesische Eisenach- Bedarf AG. The mill was further expanded and in 1906 band iron rolling mill was in operations. The most popular products manufactured by the mill included commercial profiled iron, iron beams, band iron and rails. In 1906 the production of the mill amounted to 177 thousand tons. However vigorous growth of the mill was hindered by the outbreak of the World War I. It had a disastrous impact on the condition of the mill as well as the entire industry of Polish Territories. As a result, the mill was down from 1914 to 1918.
At the end of 1918 French capital came into possession of the shares of Towarzystwo Akcyjne Sosnowieckich Fabryk Rur i Żelaza. From 1919 the mill was gradually brought back into operation. The interwar period was very difficult for the mill. The global economic crisis that began in 1925 also had its influence on the mill. Many of the departments were shut down then and workers had their employment contracts terminated. It was only in 1936 that the upturn in the economy contributed to reopening of the mill, starting up the blast furnace, melt shop, rolling mill and employing more than 1000 workers.
After the liberation of Poland in 1945 the mill was nationalized. The technical conditions of the mill deviated significantly from the average plants of the Western European countries. Taking this into account, the mill was forced to start modernization process which was covered by a three-year plan developed in 1946.
In the period 1950-55 further investments were implemented mainly including modernization, new buildings erection, purchase of machinery and modern equipment.
In April 1963 the construction of two 125-t mazout-fired open-hearth furnaces was started. One year later the first heat was tapped on the O.H furnace no. 6.
At the beginning of economic changes, the end of 1980s, the mill in Zawiercie had extremely unprofitable sales structure in 80% based on semi-finished goods. The poor financial situation was a trigger for a complete restructuring of technological process and organization.
At the end of 1991 the Wire Rod Mill was started up. It was supplied with billets from the Semi-finishing Mill.
Thanks to the cooperation with "Impexmetal" Centrala Importowo-Eksportowa, on November 1992 the first CCM in Poland, by an Italian company "Danieli", was put into operations. Based on the successful testing period and effective operation of CCM I it was decided that CCM II would be built. The new CCM II, also constructed by "Danieli", was put into a testing stage on April 13, 1995.
Commissioning of the CCM II led to the shutdown of the Semi-finishing Mill as its further operations ceased to be necessary.
In 1996 the main shareholder of Huta Zawiercie is IMPEXMETAL S.A. The investments and modernizations completed in the period of 1989-1996, amounting in total to 130 million Polish zloty, made the mill finally become a modern steel producer.
On December 3, 2003 the mill began a new chapter in its history. After the period of intensive negotiations, Commercial Metals Company (International) AG in Switzerland acquired the outstanding shares from the Polish company Impexmetal and became the majority shareholder of Huta Zawiercie. As of this day the mill became the part of CMC capital group and changed its name into CMC Zawiercie SA.
The mill took advantage of dynamic development and improvement process and just one year after the acquisition reported record production and sales volumes which allowed planning new investments and modernizations.
In 2007 CMC Zawiercie proceeded with its plans concerning an investment project "Extension of the Bar Mill" to implement production of wire rod in coils. The American company MORGAN COMPANY was the supplier of the technology and rolling line. On October 30, 2008 the first hot tests of plain wire rod rolling were conducted.
In October 2007 the project of new section mill construction was approved. The Danieli company was chosen to be the supplier of the line. The production of the mill started on November 9, 2009.
CMC Poland sp. z o.o. (former CMC Zawiercie SA; former known as Huta Zawiercie SA) had implemented and successfully completed many investments in various areas of operations and conducted also organizational changes. An important step to change the ownership structure was made on February 28, 2007 and involved the buyout of the remaining shares from the State Treasury. As a result, CMI AG became the owner of the mill in 99%.
On October 2008 the process of compulsory buyout of shares was completed thus making Commercial Metals International AG the owner of 100% of shares of Huta Zawiercie S.A. The adequate management policies and investment strategies strengthened the company and helped to weather the financial crisis in the period between 2008 and 2010. The year 2011 turned out to be a positive return to the sound financial standing for the entire CMC. Apart from the production and commercial success this year also brought subsequent changes in the company structure.
On August 12, 2011 the merger of CMC Zawiercie S.A. and CMC Poland S.A. was completed. The merger was conducted by acquisition of the entire assets of CMC Poland S.A. by CMC Zawiercie S.A. Upon the completion of this process CMC became the owner of the production plants of CMC Poland S.A.: Shredder and Fabshop. This decision had strengthened the company and contributed to solid and stable position in the steel market.
On December 13, 2012 CMC Zawiercie SA (joint-stock company) was transformed into CMC Poland Spółka z ograniczoną odpowiedzialnością (limited liability company).
On May 1, 2014 a new electric arc furnace was launched, replacing the existing two furnaces, operating for almost 40 years. The main advantages of the furnace are greater efficiency and less consumption of electricity, graphite electrodes, oxygen and gas.
On July 11, 2014, CMC Poland Sp. z o.o. merged with CMC Centrozłom Sp. z o.o. with headquarters in Katowice and the company Scrapena SA with headquarters in Herby.