About Us | The foundry

Foundry

About us

In 2017, ACESO Prague entered the manufacturing sector by acquiring a reference and testing foundry in Nové Město nad Metují, a company with a long and rich history.

Company History Since 1892

How It Began

The Nové Město nad Metují Foundry, historically known in Central Europe, has an interesting story and significantly contributed to the industrial development of Europe, including the Czech Republic. The company's history dates back to 1912 when the production of grey iron castings began at the foundry. The founders and owners of the company were Jan Rousek and his sons. In the early days, the foundry, along with a separate machine shop, primarily focused on producing iron parts for industrial and agricultural machinery, which was in high demand at the time. In the first half of the 20th century, production technologies were modernized. In 1938, the production of ductile iron castings began. This modernization allowed for increased quality and diversity of products, which contributed to the expansion of its market reach beyond the borders of the Czech Republic. Over time, its product range expanded to include components for the automotive industry and construction.

Post-War Period

After World War II, in 1948, the foundry was nationalized like many industrial enterprises in socialist Czechoslovakia. After nationalization, production continued under the state-owned company Stavostroj, which specialized in manufacturing road rollers, loaders, dumpers, and scrapers. Machines from Nové Město nad Metují were among the best in Czech engineering. Their quality was demonstrated by the export of machines worldwide, including the USA.

Year 1989

After 1989, during the economic reforms and transition to a market economy, the foundry was privatized, leading to further changes in management and strategy. The company SLÉVÁRNA, led by Jiří Hrudík, continued the long-standing foundry production tradition, which had been part of the state-owned company Stavostroj Nové Město nad Metují. The foundry operation was separated from the state company and remains an independent entity to this day. After the separation of the foundry operation, investments were made in modernizing the facility to meet modern engineering production requirements.

Present

Today, the Nové Město nad Metují Foundry is a modern company focusing on the production of ductile iron, grey iron, and special alloy castings. The foundry's production program includes a wide range of products, primarily structural components for the construction, engineering, and other industrial sectors.

SLÉVÁRNA is equipped with technological facilities that enable efficient production in small series or one-off production of a wide range of products, from the simplest to the most complex casting shapes. The current average daily production is 10 tons per day. The quality of the castings and especially the delivery times for their customers are our biggest competitive advantages, as well as the manual production, which prevails in our foundry. The foundry operation meets all legal ecological conditions, including emission limits for stationary sources. The Nové Město nad Metují Foundry plays an important role in the local economy and is one of the key employers in the region.

- Zdeněk Veitz

Historical excursion

Foundry

Company

Customer Focus

At our foundry, we prioritize our customers' needs. We offer the creation of stock for key castings that our customers can retrieve at any time. In industries such as agriculture, where production is often seasonal, we ensure that the necessary castings are always available – in stock, allowing customers to respond flexibly to their current needs without unnecessary delays.

Comprehensive Tailored Services

We offer turnkey casting delivery along with a range of additional services. In addition to standard casting production, we also provide machining, heat treatment, surface finishing, assembly, and complete logistics. Our foundry is ready to respond to specific customer requirements, whether it’s for the production of one-off prototypes, refurbishing older components, or high-precision, quality-demanding orders. With our comprehensive tailored services, we handle the entire process from design to final delivery.
Partnership with Expert Institutions

To ensure optimal physical-mechanical properties of the castings (requirements for hardness, strength, durability) while also achieving perfect surface quality, we collaborate with leading expert institutions, such as the Brno University of Technology and the Czech Technical University in Prague. With their support, we conduct technological audits and optimize metallurgical processes and material selection. This collaboration allows us to improve corporate strategy and production technology, ensuring the long-term competitiveness of our foundry.

Sales Platform

Thanks to our membership in the Czech Foundry Association, we have access to all analyses of electricity, gas, and raw material price developments. With this information, we optimize the purchase of raw materials and foundry commodities, contributing to the stability of our foundry. We use the ACESO service sales platform, which enables foundries to sell castings more effectively through an online store. This platform helps to reach new customers more easily, streamlines the ordering process, and optimizes logistics.
Sustainability and Employees

In terms of sustainability, we focus on improving working conditions and innovations in productivity. Foundries with manual labor face challenges related to adapting to a changing market. Investing in modernizing one-off production of castings is a significant challenge that we are actively addressing. Efficient production ensures a sustainable future for medium-sized foundries. We emphasize corporate responsibility, culture, and collaboration with unions to support the retention of jobs in the foundry industry.

Ecological Initiatives

In terms of ecology, we focus on waste management and monitoring CO₂ emissions to minimize the environmental impact of production. We emphasize the use of eco-friendly molding mixtures based on water glass, which reduce the environmental burden during casting production. Additionally, we participate in the Performance Balance Services (PBS) for ČEPS, helping to achieve balance in the transmission network and supporting sustainable electricity production with zero or minimal emissions.