In our everyday bustling we tend to oversee how many companies in fact take part in service of our needs. And if we do, we usually notice a product as a whole, e.g. a trolleybus, lift or an electric appliance. All of them may contain also a product from ELEKTROKARBON a.s. Topolcany.

The company, founded on 1 Many 1992, took up experience of its predecessor, because ELEKTROKARBON has been in the field since 1950, informs Teodor Lysak, general director of the company. The present major subject of business is the production and marketing of carbon products and semi-products. The supplementary production programme covers powder metallurgy and carbon-filled thermosetting plastics.

Company's main production programme are carbon brusses for rotating machines, such as industrially applied motors, traction motors for transport and car manufacturing industry, electric tools and electric appliances. The line of products includes also carbon components for technical purpose, e.g. carbon collectors for railway and road vehicle trolleys, carbon packing rings and sliding bearings for pumps and compressors, electrodes and a variety of other parts and fixtures for use in metallurgy, machine, electrical, chemical and glass industries.

Successfully exporting company

ELEKTROKARBON's significant trading out of country success is especially pleasing. 74 % of the total company sales of 223 million Sk are from exports, mainly to the Czech Republic, Germany, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Poland, Greece, Italy, Egypt, Switzerland, Hungary, Turkey, France, and Belgium.

ELEKTROKARBON supplies the carbon brusses as central products for traction motors and trolley line carbon collectors used in railway and road transport chiefly to the Slovak Railway Company, Czech Railway Company, to Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, as well as to Slovak, Czech and Greek city transport companies.

Car producers also among ELEKTROKARBON customers

The company holds a significant position also in the market of carbon brusses and compact collecting assembly modules for electric aggregates of cars, such as starters, alternators, and small auxiliary motors. Czech suppliers of aggregates to SKODA and VOLKSWAGEN cars, MAGNETON and PAL, are noted partners in this line of products. Also DAEWO and DACIA car aggregates, manufactured in Romania, are supplied by the ELEKTROKARBON's carbon brusses and assembly modules.

According to T. Lysak the list of ELEKTROKARBON customers would be incomplete without mentioning an application of the carbon brusses to motors for electric appliances and electric tools, produced by ETA and NAREX in the Czech Republic. The company plans to achieve a significant increase in future European sales in co-operation with a foreign partner, adds the general director.

The company is prosperous also in a less specific sector. Their carbon filled thermosetting plastics are widely used in gas meters and petrol pumps. The Slovak PREMAGAST and Czech ADAST companies are therefor among their prominent customers.

To our question on company long-term plans T. Lysak admitted, that a company goal is to maintain and improve their long-term competitiveness across Eastern and Central Europe and to become a significant supplier on the EU and overseas markets. This conviction is based in the recognition that their past success was due to a joint effort of their 413 staff members, own research department, and also future-oriented structural adjustments. The quality assurance system to international standard DIN EN ISO 9001, applied since 1997, is also a supporting tool in these attempts. Their trade representations ELEKTROKARBON VALMEZ placed in the Czech Republic and a joint venture UKARBON in Ukraine are a reflection of an investment drive towards new technologies.

Slovak Trade FORUM