Monday, 30 November 2009 11:07

Novar Sp. Z o. o. (Ltd) located in Gliwice, Poland, specializes in manufacturing regenerative heat exchangers, heat treating baskets, air-exhaust channels and steel constructions. Acting as a subcontractor, the company owes its dominant position on the market as well as access to state-of-the-art technologies to the strategic business partner ALSTOM Power Energy Recovery Gmbh. The president of Novar, Mrs. Anna Kocikowska has told us about the inception of the business, first achievements, offer, principles, mission and workforce.

Written by: Bartosz Sowiński

How it all Came about

In 1988, when Novar came into existence, their founders decided to give a go towards housing construction and technical infrastructure. Nonetheless, the company’s history began for good 4 years later. It is the current management board who, having purchased the shares in 1992, turned over a new leaf and ventured to systematically broaden the scope of activity. That is how Mrs. Kocikowska recollects the take over and first steps of a new enterprise: “The three members of the board (the construction engineer, the mechanical engineer and the economist) united their expertise, experience, commitment and drive towards success, and laid the foundations for the enterprise. Since then year after year we have been gathering people ready and raring to develop our business.” At that time the firm dealt in the sales of debt, coal and steelwork products. Before long it acquired funds which made it possible to purchase equipment essential to embark upon servicing and renovation of heavy industry. Thus, it launched anticorrosion works for steel constructions as well as renovations of chimneys, railway and mining wagons and transmission gears for railway engines. Not content with mere services, the management decided to launch manufacturing of steel constructions. “Acting within the field of liability turnovers, adds Mrs. Kocikowska, we were able to take materials from debtor steelworks, which initially being put on sale soon was converted into a basis for production.” Consequently, the firm became to be able to perform such contracts as: technological lines for mineral wool manufacturing for Gullfiber Polska, constructions for Mini-Mal supermarkets in Gliwice, Racibórz, Tarnowskie Góry; industrial chimneys for the hospital in Toszek, the rolling mill in Łabędy, NITRON factory in Krupski Młyn, INDUKT plant in Bielsko-Biała and ZPO Pudliszki, the last of which was awarded a title of “Złoty Instalator” (“Golden Installer”) for the general contractor.

Golden Opportunity

Nonetheless, not until 1998 could people in Novar wait for truly lucrative deals. It is then that a defining moment for the further business came about. For the first time the company’s headquarters were visited by the representatives of ALSTOM Power Energy Recovery (ABB back then), a leading designer and fabricator of high temperature and special design heat exchangers. The visit resulted in first contracts for manufacturing small trial heat treating basket components, first insulation boards and spare parts. As the company completed the task spotlessly, ALSTOM put Novar on the list of qualified suppliers. Only due to punctuality, high production standards and competitive price could the company could earn trust of such a demanding business partner. Since that time the firm has implemented a dozen of state-of-the-art heat equipment component production technologies and, therefore, has grasped the opportunity to turn out comprehensive heat gears such as revolving regenerative air and exhaust heaters. Going back to those days, Mrs. Kocikowska points out that it proved a watershed time for her venture: “Since then the list of secured contracts has extended rapidly and so has our journey into the future. Since then our prosperity, our work, our business and our development have become affiliated with ALSTOM and global energy industry.” Hence Novar obtained their foreign partners’ license to utilize such innovative solutions as: revolving heat exchangers of a diameter up to 22m and the rolling production line leased from ALSTOM Power.

Rock Solid Foundations

The strategic partnership being thus secured, the company could systematically consolidate its position on the market. Step by step it won new tenders, too. And so in 2001 first revolving heat exchangers fabricated by Novar were exported to Germany, Iraq and Cyprus. Nevertheless, there was a major challenge still to be tackled, namely the establishment of new headquarters, which would exert a positive impact on work conditions along with the quality and efficiency of production. Finally, the firm selected a suitable location in the factory floors of a space exceeding 15,000 sqm on ul. Towarowa in Gliwice. Mrs. Anna Kocikowska vividly recounts the original condition of the property, and the hard work that the staff and management were about to be involved in: “Owing to relentless renovation and repairs, persistent investment in equipment, new liaison and innovative standards we managed to double our personnel and lend a new lease of life to a relic of a bygone era – the decrepit and looted factory floors that we bought on 26th April 2005.” Suffice to say it is to these rock-solid foundations that the company was able to face an avalanche of contracts which took place in next 2 years. Thus, Novar achieved a status of the largest producer of revolving heat exchangers in Europe. Amazingly enough, the production being tripled made the firm seek for its own subcontractors.

Today and Tomorrow

The condition of the business was so excellent that even such major challenges as the slump of EURO exchange rate, did not affect it. Due to the improvements in supervision, procedures, employment and the organisation of labour Novar avoided perils which made many Polish exporters go under. The rate of employment and annual sales, amounting to 160 people and 11,650,000 EURO respectively, prove a case in point. The president as well as members of the board are not going to rest on their laurels, however. Currently, they are introducing such up-to-the-minute innovations as electronic management system ERP/B2B co-funded by EU.. “We have already fulfilled the first objective,” sums up the President, “the plant is centrally heated, the next steps are as follows: the implementation of ERP/B2B system and then energetic attestation, thermal insulation of the premises, carriageways within the factory, car parks for our fleet and rearrangement of space.”

Reliable Products and Services

“A good subcontractor,” declares Mrs. Kocikowska, “completes tasks reliably, comprehensively and on time.” Present on the market for more than 20 years, Novar has gained good reputation. This fact is further supported by the trust on the part of the strategic partners from ALSTOM, for whom the company renders a series of services regarding Ljungström (LUVO,GAVO) comprehensive regenerative heat exchangers, heat treating baskets of various types, air-exhaust channels, steel constructions and spare parts. More than 30,000 heat treating baskets turned out there is working without a breakdown in energy plant installations all over the world. They are fabricated on the manufacturing line being itself a warranty of extreme global processing standards, innovative technologies as well as top notch quality and competitive product. The baskets are customized to clients requirements, too. According to delivered designs Novar also provides tailor-made steel chimneys for industrial coal, gas and oil boiler houses as well as steel constructions such as: factory floors, market floors, covered markets, footbridges, catwalks, roofs, roots for the transmission of energetic media, technological equipment, sewage treatment plant components, gas station constructions, non-pressure containers, silos for loose materials.

Proud of Quality

Asked about the principles governing the business, Mrs. Kocikowska declares: „We take pride in our work and, therefore, as we do not want to bring shame on products, quality is our topmost priority.” All the goods and services with the Novar trademark comply with the standards of Quality Management System ISO 9001:2000. Many staff members boast credentials certified by diplomas – welders hold SLV qualifications whereas engineers claim such titles as International Welding Engineer and European Quality Inspector. The company has also obtained a title of “Jakość Roku 2008” (Quality of the Year 2008”). It has also finished 2nd in the region and 42nd in Poland in the prestigious organised year after year “Gazela Biznesu” (“Business Gazelle”) competition. This year Novar has been honoured with “Statuetka Midasa” (“Midas Statuette”) granted for efficiency and rapid growth by Bank Spółdzielczy w Gliwicach (Cooperative Bank in Gliwice).

Environmental Mission

“Our mission remains crystal clear,” declares Anna Kocikowska, “it is global ecology. We export our products to energy plants all over the world (apart from USA, Australia and former USSR republics) and hence make it possible to reduce heat and exhaust emissions as well as improve the efficiency of the boilers there.” The mission is not restricted to mere products, however, as the company have also launched tweaks and innovations for production as such, including segregation of after-processing waste and recycling of office equipment. The uppermost priority at the moment is to reduce heat emissions caused by draughty production area. Preparing the firm for thermal attestation, Mrs. Kocikowska hopes it will improve its premises both ecologically and economically. “Most certainly, the investment will let us kill two birds with one stone” she adds, “we will reduce our impact on the environment and improve on efficiency (less gas used for heating will cut costs, after all).”

Steady Employment

Mrs. Kocikowska wants Novar to be recognised as a trustworthy employer. She also knows that it is steady employment that makes workers happy on the job. It was not an easy task to assemble staff of 160 people on day to day basis, as the insecure situation on the job market triggered off the personnel rotation of up to 20%. Those who remained faithful to the business have no regrets. In exchange for hard and dedicated work they may count on secure jobs, competitive rates of pay and company’s support. The transparent human resources policy rests heavily on a few basic principles. “Firstly, we have respect for our employees,” specifies Mrs. Kocikowska, “secondly, we also guarantee an education and training programmes and, thirdly, we value their efforts and do our best to make them noticeable outside the company. Only this year 12 workers of ours were honoured with Ordery Im. Kazimierza Wielkiego (King Kazimierz Wielki Orders) given by Konfederacja Budownictwa I Nieruchomości (Construction and Property Confederation).” The company is keen to create a friendly atmosphere among the workers. Their children may count on Christmas gifts as well as winter and summer events. It has become a tradition in Novar to meet with the personnel every October as well as to organise Christmas parties such as the one that took place last year celebrating the 20th anniversary of the business and gathering employees, subcontractors and the strategic partners from Germany. The meeting proved that if you only firmly believe, one day your dreams may come true. The company has achieved a notable success due to deep conviction of the management board as well as to the outstanding accomplishments of a massive group of people, including those working for Alstom, Novar and further subcontractors.