“KAMAX is a family firm – and we are a family, too”
The story of Tools Bardejov is one of solidarity, responsibility, and respect. Established with the support of Turnov, expanded with the expertise of Tools in Homberg, and powered by a spirit of togetherness that – even if it is not unique – is certainly quite remarkable.
Gifts for colleagues on the occasion of the 15th anniversary in Bardejov
The journey began in 2006: for historical reasons, Bardejov had a lot of well-trained specialists on location who traveled to the 700-kilometer-distant KAMAX plant in Turnov on alternate weeks for weekly shifts. The establishment of a plant on location provided these technicians with secure jobs. Turnov supported the project. Production has been ongoing since September 2007, and in 2022 the facility celebrated its 15-year anniversary.
Supplier to many KX plants
Bardejov has a very advantageous geographical location – not only is it close to Poland, but it is just 30 minutes to the nearest freeway and twelve minutes to a large city, Prešov. The Tools building and the new fastener manufacturing plant (Bardejov Fasteners) cover an area measuring 125,000 square meters in size. It goes without saying that they share ideas – experience from the plant is fed into toolmaking. And not only there: collaboration with Turnov continues to be close, and within the organization this unit is considered part of Tools in Homberg. In 2015 these two locations joined forces to develop a process for refining the surfaces of rolling dies that has since been registered as a trademark: KAMANOX.
“As our portfolio grows, it has become clear to us that we need more expertise, and in particular people in the field of design,” reported Managing Director Ján Ďuraj. That is why the Design department was established in 2015 and given responsibility for automation and robotics. This was followed in 2019 by CAD workstations and the creation of 3D models, and in 2021 by a switch to NX, which makes digital product development easier. Today Bardejov has a lot more to offer than just workbenches. Ďuraj stressed that: “We are open to everything, and we always think outside the box.” It is an attitude that has allowed the team to solidify its position as a supplier to many KAMAX plants.
Well-liked and down to earth
As much as Bardejov has done to ensure it is fit for the future, it is more than anything notable for its deep roots in the region. 2021 marked the fourth time that Bardejov has won the “Gesunde Firma” (“Healthy Company”) award. Ďuraj is proud of their efforts: “Although we are very small, we can hold our own with Slovakia’s biggest companies.” Tools Bardejov has repeatedly been ranked in the top ten of the region’s most reliable companies.
“Some families have two generations working here with us, while others have had three generations here in all – from people who have just finished school to retirees.”
Managing Director Ján Ďuraj
And to ensure that these successes continue in future, our colleagues there are working closely with schools and universities. Here, for example, KAMAX supplies machinery and offers traineeships in the field of toolmaking that bring it into contact with talented people at an early date. KAMAX also maintains partnerships with the technical universities in Košice and Prešov – these include scientific academic work with NX.
Even so, a family spirit continues to be the heart and soul of Tools Bardejov. It is a fact that Ďuraj welcomes: “Everyone here knows everyone else. We’re more than just work colleagues. Some families have two generations working here with us, while others have had three generations here in all – from people who have just finished school to retirees. There’s no question that KAMAX is a family firm – and we are a family, too.”
KXpress
