MTX Progress 2025 en

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PROGRESS 12/2025—EN

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MTX Group Magazine Edition V, number 5/2025 Place of publication: Prague Publication date: 17 December 2025 Editorial deadline for this issue: 30 September 2025 Registration number (Ministry of Culture): E 24206 Publication frequency: Once a year Published by: MTX Group a.s. Štěpánská 621/34 110 00 Prague Company ID: 27441261 Production: 52pages s.r.o.

PR & Marketing: Hero & Outlaw a.s.

Art Director: Štěpán Prokop Editorial team: Luděk Vokáč, Štěpán Vorlíček Photography: Barbora Mráčková © 2025 MTX Group a.s.

Copying the magazine’s content is prohibited without the publisher’s written consent 

Dear readers, welcome to the new edition of the MTX Group Magazine for 2025, whose central theme is Progress.

For us, progress is not only a matter of technology or innovation. It is above all a deeply rooted value that runs through every aspect of our business. It is a principle that connects us across teams, generations and disciplines, and one that motivates us to keep seeking new ways to improve – not only for MTX Group, but for the entire industrial sector and the society we operate in. This focus leads us to what matters most – our core value: the Future.

As one of the leading industrial groups in the region, we are acutely aware of our responsi-

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bility for advancing technical fields and supporting a new generation of specialists. Our commitment to modernisation, digitalisation and the development of new technologies is not just a question of competitiveness; it is also our contribution to strengthening the reputation of Czech industry in Europe and beyond.

We believe that openness to new ideas, the courage to invest in the future and the ability to collaborate across sectors are key to longterm success.

My thanks go to everyone whose work and cooperation contribute to the success and development of MTX Group – whether you are part of our team or work with us as partners, customers, suppliers or supporters. Your ded-

ication, professionalism and willingness to explore new paths are what enable us to grow, push the boundaries of what is possible and inspire others.

I hope and trust you will find much to inspire you in the magazine, and I look forward to all the steps we will take together as we continue to make progress, fulfil the MTX Group’s vision and reinforce our role as a leader and reliable partner in the development of technical fields.

Petr Otava Chairman of the Board & CEO, MTX Group

PROGRESS

14 Trends, strategy, digitalisation

26 Growth, investment, technologies

38 Development, innovation, modernisation

50 Cooperation, people, personal growth

68 Sustainability, efficiency, responsibility

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2024 in numbers

For MTX Group, 2024 was a year of growth. The Group not only delivered stable performance across all segments, but it also invested more than CZK 2 billion year-on-year in technology upgrades, automation and sustainable solutions. Alongside this, the Group continually invests in its employees as the main pillar of its success, which is reflected in the creation of more than 100 new jobs. These steps underscore the Group’s longterm strategy aimed at strengthening competitiveness, developing high value-added industry and increasing resilience in a market environment that is becoming ever more volatile and complex. 

56.5 Non-consolidated revenue (CZK billion)

2 Investment in company development and modernisation of production plants (CZK billion)

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3 EBITDA operating profit (CZK billion)

2,620 Employees

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y an m

er G

MTX Group map MTX Group is a major industrial, trading and manufacturing holding. Our activities focus on the management, financing, strategy and coordination of all our companies. Take a look at where we operated in 2024.

Workforce and turnover figures are for 2024.

Povrly Copper Industries

METALIMEX Deutschland

Povrly

A traditional producer of rolled and pressed copper and brass products used mainly in industrial applications, construction and steelmaking on both domestic and global markets.

A Germany-based distributor of products from OKK and Czech Mill, focusing mainly on the markets in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom.

238 employees

2 employees

Turnover CZK 3.2 bn

Turnover CZK 2.6 bn

Strojmetal Singen

Holder of an export licence for the distribution of brass industrial applications for the Czech Republic and the EU.

A company specialising in the sale of forged aluminium alloy parts for the automotive and transport sectors, including product development.

21 employees

Turnover CZK 4.0 bn

Ka m

en

ic

e

Turnover CZK 1.7 bn

Pr ag

3 employees

ue

PCI Trading

Strojmetal Aluminium Forging A company engaged in the production and diagnostics of forged aluminium alloy parts for the automotive and transport sectors.

546 employees

Turnover CZK 3.9 bn

METALIMEX A trading company primarily focused on commodity trading; one of the leading trading companies in the Central European region.

Turnover CZK 28.2 bn

MTX Renewables Our energy division focused on investments in smart production, new technologies, renewable energy sources, recycling and the circular economy.

Tábor

130 employees

9 employees

Henry Gas The company’s mission is to bring an independent and renewable energy source to the energy market in the form of renewable natural gas.

TAPA Tábor

5 employees

RockawayQ A digital consultancy group encompassing branding, technology and customer experience.

A leading Czech manufacturer and supplier of flexible packaging for food and non-food products, animal feed, industry and household use.

214 employees

Turnover CZK 1.3 bn

an d Po l

RESORT KOPŘIVNÁ

AMEX Coal

A company providing space and facilities for active relaxation for the whole family. It operates the best ski resort and bike park in the area, complemented by wellness facilities and corporate events hosting facilities.

A Poland-based company providing comprehensive services related to the import, export and storage of coal and coke 3 employees

Turnover CZK 560 m

Turnover CZK 98 m

Ko p

řiv

ná

63 employees

Bruntál

Dětmarovice

ná

va ra st

lič

O

id

Bř

Czech Mill A developing modern company equipped with cutting-edge technology for the production of multipowders based on black coal. It is currently expanding its portfolio with the multipowder “EKO popílek 450”, an additive for cements and concretes. It is also intensively working on a production programme of multipowders based on bio-components.

27 employees

Turnover CZK 930 m

ár Žď d na u vo za

Sá

ICE Industrial Services

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AL INVEST Břidličná

OKK Koksovny

A company focused on the design and manufacture of new machinery and the modernisation of existing equipment, particularly for the automotive, engineering, metallurgy, wood processing and other industries. It is a European leader in industrial automation.

A major European and the largest Czech producer of rolled aluminium semi-finished products, active mainly in flexible packaging, engineering, construction, electrical engineering and the automotive sector.

The largest independent producer of foundry coke in Europe, offering a broad range of coke products, with uses including steel production, special metallurgy, heating and others.

176 employees

687 employees

480 employees

Turnover CZK 521 m

Turnover CZK 3.7 bn

Turnover CZK 5.6 bn

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Timeline of events 09 2024 ↳ Final approval of the PCI 2030 plan for the modernisation of Povrly Copper Industries (PCI). ↳ Flooding halts operations at OKK Koksovny – thanks to the efforts of employees, the impact on technology and operational safety is minimised.

10 2024 ↳ MTX Group participates in the ALUMINIUM Exhibition 2024.

11 2024 ↳ Daniel Trnka becomes the new Vice-Chairman of the Board & CCO of MTX Group. ↳ MTX Group takes part in the Bold Future 2024 conference. ↳ AL INVEST achieves an AA rating – the highest possible – in the BRC Packaging v6 audit. ↳ METALIMEX enters the Top 10 of the ESG ranking compiled by Forbes magazine. ↳ METALIMEX is a partner of the Global Carbon Congress held in Prague.

12 2024 ↳ AL INVEST signs a new collective agreement for 2025 and 2026.

04 2025 ↳ AL INVEST secures a supplier for the new smelting and casting hall.

07 2025 ↳ Omial Novi becomes part of MTX Group. ↳ PCI signs a contract for the delivery of a new Danieli Fröhling rolling mill stand. ↳ OKK Koksovny partners with the Colours of Ostrava festival. ↳ MTX Renewables commissions a photovoltaic power plant at the Strojmetal plant in Bruntál.

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01 2025 ↳ Demolition work begins at PCI – the first step in extensive modernisation. ↳ PCI reports the highest sales volume in its history. ↳ PCI purchases new FIMI slitting shears.

05 2025 ↳ MTX Group announces its acquisition of a stake in the Croatian packaging company Omial Novi. ↳ AL INVEST signs a memorandum of cooperation with the Faculty of Chemical Technology at the University of Pardubice. ↳ OKK Koksovny announces the fulfilment of the commitments under the 2022 voluntary agreement with the Moravian-Silesian Region.

08 2025 ↳ Launch of the SAP S/4HANA implementation project at Strojmetal Aluminium Forging. ↳ RockawayQ acquires a stake in German company NC-Vision, which brings AI to production lines. ↳ AL INVEST signs a voluntary agreement with the MoravianSilesian Region for a cleaner future.

02 2025 ↳ OKK Koksovny and the city of Ostrava sign an amendment to the Voluntary Agreement aimed at reducing the environmental impact of coke production.

06 2025 ↳ ICE Industrial Services constructs a demonstration “prototype house” in Luxembourg using 3D concrete printing. ↳ Strojmetal Aluminium Forging launches production traceability. ↳ METALIMEX is a partner of the Wire & Cable Connections Summit 2025 in Prague.

09 2025 ↳ RESORT KOPŘIVNÁ hosts the final race of the ROOKIES DH CUP series. ↳ The company Coral Constructions Technologies is established, bringing breakthrough 3D concrete printing technology – a joint venture between ICE Industrial Services and HSF System. ↳ Commissioning of the new forging line at the Strojmetal Aluminium Forging plant in Bruntál. ↳ METALIMEX presents the work of AL INVEST and Omial Novi at the FACHPACK 2025 trade fair.

01 — Trends, strategy, digitalisation

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01 — Trends, strategy, digitalisation

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Transformation of industry: priorities shift, challenges remain

01 — Trends, strategy, digitalisation

Industry is a vast sector which might at first glance seem to be prone to inertia. In reality, industry is a dynamic world that is transforming with perhaps unexpected speed. Events over the past year confirm this, with several priorities in the industry undergoing change.

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t is true that sustainability remains a key trend shaping European industry.

Most companies, however, no longer view it merely as a set of ESG rules or a requirement to reduce CO2 emissions and the carbon footprint of entire supply chains. Increasingly, they focus on their own stability – with costs, competitiveness and the ability to respond rapidly to customer demands and market changes playing a decisive role.

Change is also taking place within individual sectors. In automotive, the prevailing view is that the future still belongs to electromobility. At the same time, recent months and years have brought growing uncertainty, and there is now wider acknowledgement that its rollout may be slower than originally expected. Conversely, the defence sector has seen significant growth in recent years, after a long period of relative decline.

INDUSTRY 4.0

Also known as the fourth industrial revolution, this involves the digitalisation and automation of industrial production based on connecting physical equipment with digital technologies (IoT, AI, robotics, big data, cloud). The goal is to create smart, data-driven factories that are efficient, flexible and capable of adapting to change in real time.

Competitiveness is the priority

Industrial companies today put competitiveness at the very top of their agenda. “Firms have realised that simply meeting regulatory requirements such as emissions reductions will not make them competitive,” says Miroslav Záhorec, Vice-Chairman of the Board & COO / CFO Officer, MTX Group.

“Price pressure is clearly making a strong comeback right across the industry. Price is king. It is price that determines whether you are competitive or not,” says David Bečvář, Vice-Chairman of the Board & CSO, MTX Group. He adds, however, that the focus on sustainability is not diminishing. “The requirement for industry to be as environmentally responsible as possible remains in place. It has become a standard.

But the main battle now is being fought on price,” Bečvář explains.

MTX Group has long pursued a strategy of reducing energy consumption and other inputs – and this is proving to be the right direction to go in. “Lower resource consumption, meaning not only energy but also raw materials, ultimately results in a lower-cost product,” Záhorec says, outlining the philosophy. This kind of approach, on the other hand, demands substantial investment in technology. Digitalisation and the principles of Industry 4.0 are becoming standard practice and are rapidly pushing the whole sector forward. Thanks to digitalisation, modern manufacturing companies can operate more efficiently than ever before.

Costs, competitiveness and the ability to respond quickly to customer demands and market developments play a key role.

More demanding customers

TRENDS AND CHALLENGES IN INDUSTRY Price pressure Industrial companies across Europe and beyond are facing increasing pressure from customers and end consumers to reduce product prices.

Industry 4.0 as the standard Digitalisation and new technologies are now a given. Artificial intelligence is also becoming part of industrial processes.

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Sustainability is an advantage Regulation requires it, customers value it – and when it does not increase costs, it becomes a competitive strength.

Production closer to the customer Geopolitical developments and market pressures are accelerating the shift of production closer to the customer.

01 — Trends, strategy, digitalisation

Success also depends on the ability to respond quickly to changing customer needs. “One major trend in the automotive sector is increasing product complexity – the components themselves are more sophisticated, and the overall portfolio is simultaneously expanding,” Záhorec explains. The reason is simple: carmakers now offer more models and combine electric vehicles, combustion-engine vehicles and various hybrid systems. Each type requires specific design solutions and therefore different components, which manufacturers source from suppliers.

This places heavy demands not only on the entire supply chain, but also on companies’ flexibility. Larger numbers of similar products are now manufactured in smaller batches, whereas in the past fewer product types were produced in high volumes. Although the automotive market is currently more or less stagnant, the range of products is broader. This brings new logistical challenges. At the same time, localisation of production is a trend that is strengthening across the industry.

Rather than relying on huge global factories, manufacturing is moving closer to the customer – not only for geopolitical or environmental reasons, but also to facilitate a faster response to customer requirements.

For MTX Group, this trend represents an advantage. The Group has traditionally been close to its customers and focuses its activities on meeting their current needs. “We are not just a manufacturing group.

We are strengthening significantly in the area of development – both in materials and in the products themselves. We are introducing recycled raw materials, and we are successfully involving our customers in this process. In production, we strive to use as much sustainable energy as possible, all while maintaining efficient cost levels,” Záhorec says, underlining the Group’s readiness for today’s industrial trends. 

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Modernisation that is transforming the entire group 01 — Trends, strategy, digitalisation

MTX Group began moving towards modern technologies and a responsible approach to the environment years ago – because this is where it sees the future of industry. Recent market developments have confirmed that this path was the right one. That is why the Group is now modernising intensively to bring its vision fully into practice.

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odern industrial companies must be able to respond quickly to customer needs, manufacture with the lowest possible carbon footprint and keep costs under control at the same time. Meeting these often conflicting goals is not easy, but it is not impossible. It does, however, require significant investment across all areas, as the ongoing modernisation within MTX Group clearly shows.

Modernisation affects virtually every part of the Group’s operations – from management to production and sales. MTX Group is introducing modern technologies at all levels to improve oversight, increase flexibility, reduce costs and support informed decision-making.

Investing billions in plant modernisation

The most visible aspect of this modernisation is the investments taking place in MTX Group’s manufacturing companies – investments either underway or in preparation. One of the latest examples is the September launch of a brand-new forging line at the Strojmetal Aluminium Forging plant in Bruntál. Thanks to the CZK 950 million investment, the plant now operates one of the most advanced fully automated lines of its kind in Europe.

The new line delivers significant energy savings, estimated at around 30 per cent. It also enables efficient use of electricity from renewable sources and responds to changing market

requirements, most notably in the automotive sector – customers today are demanding smaller production batches and greater flexibility.

MTX Group plans to continue investing in its manufacturing facilities, with Bruntál set to get another new line and additional projects underway at other sites. At Povrly Copper Industries, the first large-scale works under the PCI 2030 modernisation programme began in 2025. At AL INVEST Břidličná, the ALFAGEN programme is in full swing, with the Group investing more than CZK 4.2 billion.

Research and innovation front and centre

Extensive investment paves the way to further steps in modernisation. “ALFAGEN will bring new production technologies, such as casting stands with higher cooling rates and modern furnaces. These will allow us to introduce new materials with a lower carbon footprint,” says Ondřej Stejskal, Director R&D, AL INVEST Břidličná. He adds that current technologies have many limitations – particularly in terms of flexibility in the use of input material – that are a hindrance to achieving significant progress.

MTX Group is therefore placing strong emphasis on development. New materials using scrap metal as an input are a clear trend in the sector. “In the past, customers rejected these kinds of materials, but today they keep an eye on carbon footprints and are willing to test and qualify them for their products.

Attractive pricing remains a key condition, however,” Stejskal explains.

MTX Group is introducing modern technologies at all levels to improve oversight, increase flexibility, reduce costs and support informed decisionmaking.

From the customer to new markets

MTX Group is also investing in development in other areas. In forged components, for example, the Group focuses on developing products based on precise specifications, actively helping customers design an efficient forging rather than simply manufacturing according to their brief. This confirms its ambition to be closer to customers – and this approach is reflected in its territorial expansion.

Examples include the acquisition of the Croatian packaging company Omial Novi, the establishment of a Swiss trading division, the entry of a strategic investor into ICE Industrial Services, and growing activity within the Rockaway Q investment group. MTX Group is also considering the possibility of investments in the

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United States. Naturally, expanding the Group requires investing in employees as well, which is why MTX Group runs a number of training and development programmes to help its people keep pace with rapid change. 

LOW-EMISSION ALLOY

Pure-Al is a special aluminium alloy developed at AL INVEST Břidličná and produced from 100% recycled material. The company has already successfully qualified it with several HVAC manufacturers, and a German customer uses it to produce vehicle registration plates. It is an aluminium alloy with one of the lowest carbon footprints on the market: approximately 1.42 kg CO2 per kg of aluminium. By comparison, primary aluminium has a carbon footprint of about 8.8 kg of CO2 per kg of raw material, and even with renewable energy sources producers can only bring primary aluminium down to around 3. 3. This success is motivating AL INVEST to develop similar alloys for additional applications. “We have three projects that are making good progress,” says head of development Ondřej Stejskal.

01 — Trends, strategy, digitalisation

AL INVEST already has tangible results in this area. It has developed its own alloy, Zircal; in recent years it has introduced aluminium food-grade foil containing up to 20 per cent recycled content (and can produce small batches with 100 per cent recycled content); and its newer products include the Pure-Al alloy made entirely from secondary aluminium.

This material can be used by HVAC manufacturers, for example, and in Germany an MTX Group customer uses it to produce vehicle registration plates. These achievements have also been made possible by the expansion of the development department over the past five years – today it can handle dozens of projects instead of just a few.

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Data-driven production 01 — Trends, strategy, digitalisation

One of the key elements of MTX Group’s extensive modernisation drive is digitalisation. Digitalisation makes production more efficient, enables management to make faster decisions based on real data, and strengthens customer trust.

T PRODUCT TRACEABILITY

Detailed tracking of a product throughout the entire manufacturing process is an important innovation for Strojmetal, which introduced it in 2025 as one of the very first forging plants in Europe. The solution connects physical production with a complete digital footprint of the product and digitally controlled manufacturing. “By introducing traceability into the forging process, we are taking a crucial step towards fully controlled, data-driven production. This system will allow us to respond quickly to any kind of problem, shorten response times in the event of complaints and demonstrably guarantee the quality of every delivered part,” says Miroslav Záhorec, Vice-Chairman of the Board & COO / CFO Officer, MTX Group.

he digital transformation at MTX Group is intended to boost technical and innovation performance and enable faster, higher-quality and better-planned development of new products. It allows the Group to respond more flexibly to technical challenges and deliver greater added value to customers. Changes are taking place across the entire structure – from small steps to overall management.

“In the past, you used to see railway foremen who would assess whether everything was working properly by the sound of a hammer striking a train wheel. Factories used to operate in a similar “analogue” way: an experienced maintenance worker could usually detect from the sound that something was wrong with a machine,” says Jiří Vítek, Group Process Digitalization & Innovation Director, MTX Group.

Today, sensors and smart technology are increasingly taking over this role. “They can detect problems earlier, and they do not rely solely on the know-how and experience of an employee, who can then focus on more important tasks than simple inspection,” Vítek explains. But predictive maintenance, which ensures that operation keeps running smoothly, is just one of many areas MTX Group is investing in.

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Different plants, one solution

Sharing know-how and unifying technological platforms are among MTX Group’s key strategies. The aim is to pilot selected solutions in one operation and then roll out successful ones across other sites. This is why the Group has begun introducing and standardising systems such as the SAP S/4HANA ERP platform across its metal-processing operations. “At Strojmetal we are also testing a new manufacturing execution system (MES) from SAP, and at Povrly Copper Industries we want to test an MES tailored to their type of production. We can then choose the system that suits us best and adopt it as the Groupwide standard,” explains Jakub Zemanec, Group IT Development Director, MTX Group.

To support this strategy, MTX Group is establishing competence centres that will speed up the sharing of best-practice solutions. This process is not confined to management – shop-floor employees are also involved. The Group is also seeking better oversight of its data.

“Our main focus in data collection is to improve production quality and provide sales teams with better information – which in turn increases customer satisfaction. Data platforms make it easier to share data, use data centrally and carry out reporting,” says Zemanec.

A good example of a unified approach to Group-wide needs and company integration is the new energy management system. “A single solution enables significant savings through predictive planning of energy consumption. It also allows us to share the capacity of MTX Renewables’ renewable energy sources more efficiently across the Group, thereby reducing our products’ carbon footprint,” Zemanec adds. 

01 — Trends, strategy, digitalisation

A digital footprint for every product

In conjunction with maintenance data, companies can introduce new production planning systems. One major innovation is product traceability in manufacturing. Strojmetal Aluminium Forging is the first company in the Group to implement this. The new system assigns each forging a unique identifier – a QR code that accompanies it throughout the entire production cycle: from input material through heating, forging and heat treatment to final inspection and dispatch.

At every step, the system stores detailed information about the product in a data repository –e.g. machine operating data, temperatures, pressures and other parameters it has been exposed to. “As a result, we have data for each individual product rather than only for a batch or pallet. We can also share this information with customers, which strengthens their confidence. In production, it helps us identify non-conforming parts instead of entire affected batches, which makes it much easier to resolve any potential complaints,” Vítek says, summarising the benefits of the new system.

The solution was implemented with the involvement of FLO, part of the investment group RockawayQ, in which MTX Group holds a stake.

Strojmetal marks the first step – the system will gradually be rolled out to other companies in the Group as part of digital transformation.

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Digitalisation began with a thorough clean-up 01 — Trends, strategy, digitalisation

One of the key components of MTX Group’s digital transformation is the digitalisation of maintenance. This is an important step towards predictive maintenance, which enables better planning of service interventions coordinated with the production programme. It also makes it easier to share experience and data, which is supported within the Group by the use of augmented reality.

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igitalisation in large industrial companies is a long-term undertaking. This is illustrated by the example of Strojmetal Aluminium Forging.

According to Machines Maintanance Manager David Bříško, the digitalisation of maintenance began around 2021, when he joined the Kamenice plant. “The first thing we did was commission a detailed analysis of the current state of maintenance,” Bříško says.

“Based on the analysis, we selected suitable maintenance management software. During the digitalisation process it became clear that we should also include a storage system linked to the ERP, capable of making the most of the available space,” Bříško recalls. The first step in the planned digitalisation, however, was a major physical clean-up. The new warehouse was subsequently created in the former grinding shop. It is based on an automated system that stores spare parts in tall vertical racks. As a result, the growing portfolio of spare parts takes up far less space – a precious commodity in a plant located in the narrow valley of the Kamenice stream.

Once the spare parts and maintenance equipment had a clearly defined place, the actual digitalisation could begin. “The warehouse system software is linked to our ERP system, so not only is locating parts fast, but the administrative side of issuing them from the warehouse is also easy,” Bříško explains.

Strojmetal started using the new system in 2025, meaning that all the preparatory work took several years.

Transition to new processes

This does not mean that Strojmetal waited for the new facilities before modernising maintenance. Preparations for other steps linked to the digitalisation of the entire plant were taking place simultaneously. For example, the company is preparing to transition to SAP S/4HANA ERP, which will also have a significant impact on maintenance.

“SAP includes modules that are pretty much a standard in our industry. As a result, we can see what practices work in our field and what we should change. We are therefore preparing a kind of cleanout and update of our processes,” Bříško explains. In practical terms, this means that the maintenance department will move to a new request-entry system that will be clearer and allow better prioritisation and smoother operation of the department.

At the same time, Strojmetal is intensively developing predictive maintenance based on real data. Maintenance staff no longer have to physically inspect the lines and machines regularly to check their condition. The company uses Maintenance Control software, which collects documentation for each piece of equipment and simultaneously gathers data from the sensors that have been installed on the machines at the Kamenice plant.

Machines under data supervision

❶ It all starts with a thorough analysis

The first step was to prepare a detailed analysis of the state of maintenance. We needed an objective assessment of how individual processes were functioning, where losses were occurring and which areas needed improvement. The analysis provided a solid basis for all subsequent digitalisation steps.

❷ Selecting maintenance-management software

Based on the results of the analysis, we launched a tender procedure for specialised software capable of fully managing maintenance. The goal was to find a system that would not only support planning and record-keeping of repairs, but also integration with other company systems and data sources.

❸ Digitalisation and centralisation of data

That was followed by the digitalisation of technical documentation and its structured storage in a single location. Technicians and maintenance managers now have all the necessary information available online, clearly organised by machine or production unit.

❹ A new server and data security

Another part of the project was the creation of a new server solution and the implementation of the necessary security measures. This ensured system stability and protection of all maintenance-related data.

❺ Populating the system and building the structure

After bringing the system into operation, the next step was to populate it with data – from creating a tree structure of the plant to entering information on individual machines, workplaces and maintenance tasks. This was essential for transitioning to digital maintenance management in practice.

❻ Predictive maintenance – a step into the future

The next milestone was specifying machine signals and connecting them to the Maintenance Control system. This enables us to monitor key operating values and prepare the ground for predictive maintenance, which allows failures to be foreseen before they actually occur.

❼ Warehouse reorganisation and inventory digitalisation

As part of the project, a full inventory of spare parts was carried out, followed by updating the ERP system and reorganising the warehouses. The aim was to unify data, eliminate duplications and improve visibility of available parts.

❽ Kardex automated storage system

Another major advancement was the introduction of the Kardex automated storage system, which is linked both to the ERP system and to Maintenance Control. This step has led to more efficient use of space, faster issuing of parts and better control over inventory.

❾ Smart glasses for maintenance

To improve efficiency and safety, a tender was held for smart glasses that allow technicians to access documentation, communicate online or receive remote assistance directly during interventions.

❶⓿ Preparing for SAP implementation

The final stage is preparing for the implementation of the SAP system.

This includes consultations, simulations and creating the necessary codebooks to ensure that all maintenance data are transferred into the new system in the correct quality and structure.

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01 — Trends, strategy, digitalisation

The data being monitored include pressures, temperatures, speeds, vibrations and operating hours, providing a clear picture of the current condition of each piece of equipment. “The advantage is that maintenance staff no longer have to check the machines regularly or at random. Recording takes place automatically, and the software alerts us in good time to any deviations from normal operation,” Bříško explains.

The data thus make it possible to plan maintenance based on the actual condition of the machines rather than just on prescribed intervals.

The system can also detect recurring issues. “On one of the presses we saw a rise in temperature every week, which stabilised after two days.

It turned out to be linked to routine bearing lubrication – the lubricant doses were too large and caused overheating in much the same way as insufficient lubrication would,” Bříško points out.

Digitalisation has also made it possible to connect the maintenance department at the Kamenice plant with the Strojmetal Aluminium Forging plant in Bruntál. “It’s a relatively new operation and the local team does not yet have as much experience as in Kamenice. They therefore consult with us on many issues. What’s more, we now use augmented-reality glasses for this, which take technical cooperation to a new level,” Bříško remarks. This detail delivers significant savings in both time and costs – the journey from Kamenice to Bruntál takes around four hours, so even a short in-person consultation previously tied up a technician for virtually the entire day. 

Ten steps to more effective management

The digitalisation of maintenance is a gradual process that requires a well-planned approach, cooperation across departments and a clear vision. “We embarked on the digitalisation of maintenance with the aim of increasing transparency, efficiency and the reliability of all processes linked to the care of production equipment,” says David Bříško.

01 — Trends, strategy, digitalisation

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Tomáš Tuhý

Member of the Supervisory Board & Director of Corporate Security, MTX Group

Threats are changing.

Security must stay one step ahead Security is a broad and dynamic field where there is no room for error. It is not only about protecting assets or data, but about comprehensive risk management – from cyberattacks and blackouts to sabotage and occupational safety. That is why MTX Group has strengthened its team with a new security director, Tomáš Tuhý. His task is to ensure that the Group can respond to current and future threats while keeping pace with increasingly demanding legislative requirements.

Cybersecurity is a hot topic today, but it is only one piece of the puzzle.

Looking at the big picture, we face hybrid threats that combine different types of attacks and situations.

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What brought you to MTX Group?

After leaving the public sector, I devoted myself mainly to education, and I still lecture at Czech and foreign universities. But I didn’t want to confine myself to the world of theory, and by coincidence an offer from MTX Group came along. Mr Otava and I discussed how my experience could be used in a world of changing threats. I saw it as a challenge and an opportunity to build on my previous work – just in a different form.

So what is your role at MTX Group?

My main task is to coordinate all security-related topics within the Group. But it’s definitely not my goal to create a central security department that would take over all responsibility. It is primarily about setting standards, anticipating threats and overseeing security across the Group companies so that we make good use of our existing capacities and ability to cooperate. Another important part of my work is preparing for legislative changes that are coming in this area.

What was the state of security when you joined?

I must say it was very good. The Group companies have well-established processes, a clear hierarchy and people who understand their role and responsibilities – at all levels, from management to shop floor. I also appreciate the

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supplier evaluation system from a security perspective and the well-managed onboarding and training of employees. It is clear that MTX Group recognises its people’s potential and puts in place the right conditions for their work and development.

Why is training important for security?

Because only well-trained employees can ensure truly effective security within a company. The threats are numerous, and many are directly linked to human behaviour – whether in the online environment, such as handling emails and attachments, or in the physical environment when working with technology inside companies. This makes high-quality training one of the key elements of security.

What threats does an industrial group have to be prepared for?

There are countless areas. Cybersecurity is a hot topic today, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. Looking at the big picture, we face hybrid threats that combine different types of attacks and situations. Group companies must therefore be prepared for many other risks as well. How ready are we for a blackout or sabotage? Are our production processes adequately protected against arson attacks? How do we defend ourselves against industrial espionage or the blocking of a company’s bank account?

What does the physical protection of our facilities look like? What would we do in the event of a key supplier failing? Occupational safety, in other words traditional health and safety at work, is also essential. My job is to identify risks that are not always visible at first glance.

What have you managed to implement during your time at MTX Group so far?

One of my first steps was to introduce a “traffic light” system showing how prepared each company is for different types of situations.

We then discuss the resulting indicators with the respective management teams and adopt specific measures with clear deadlines, so that all areas gradually turn green. The advantage is that if we identify a weakness in one company, we can check for similar issues across the entire Group and devise a solution that ensures all companies are prepared for potential crisis situations. 

01 — Trends, strategy, digitalisation

he former police president is pleased with his move into the private sector. “Compared to the state, private companies are much further ahead in the field of security,” Tomáš Tuhý says. At the same time, he emphasises that MTX Group were taking this issue seriously long before his arrival: “A number of specialists from many disciplines have been working on this issue here – from the legal department to IT and physical security,” he explains.

As security director and a member of the MTX Group Supervisory Board, he oversees security across the entire Group. His role lies mainly in setting standards, coordinating activities and monitoring trends.

TOMÁŠ TUHÝ

He has dedicated most of his career to public service. He joined the Police of the Czech Republic in 1991 and gradually rose to the position of police president. He subsequently served as the Czech Republic’s ambassador to Slovakia. Since 1 March 2025, he has held the position of security director and member of the Supervisory Board of MTX Group. He is responsible for oversight and supervision in the field of security, including the protection of assets, people, IT systems and data.

His responsibilities include the strategic oversight of physical security, improving security standards, auditing and monitoring the application of required measures, preventing security incidents and cooperating with external agencies. In the area of cybersecurity, he will be responsible for adherence to the relevant policies, cooperation with IT departments on the implementation and monitoring of security measures, security audits and employee training.

02 — Growth, investment, technologies

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02 — Growth, investment, technologies

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02 — Growth, investment, technologies

MTX Group strengthens in the packaging industry with the acquisition of Omial Novi Omial Novi is a leading European manufacturer of flexible packaging specialising in products for sterilised food and animal feed. Founded in the Croatian town of Omiš in 1975, the company today employs more than 200 people. Its portfolio includes aluminium containers, films, lids and pouches used mainly in the wet animal feed segment and in common food applications, including coffee capsules. Omial Novi is known for its unique technological know-how, high production quality and long-standing industry tradition.

Ivan Šobot

CEO, Omial Novi

Synergies and innovation in packaging

The acquisition of the Croatian company is part of MTX Group’s longterm strategy focused on vertical integration – strengthening control over the entire supply chain. The Group is consolidating production capacity, increasing efficiency and reinforcing its position in the European market for high value-added packaging. “I am confident that Omial Novi’s know-how, in synergy with the Group’s companies, will soon lead to a significant increase in integration and to strengthening the market position of the company as one of the leading players in the sterilised packaging market,” says David Bečvář, Vice-Chairman of the Board & CSO, MTX Group.

Integration into the Group and vision for the future

With its long-standing experience and stable position on the market, Omial Novi is a respected partner for the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. The company is led by Ivan Šobot – a manager with more than twenty years of experience, primarily from the automotive sector. Under his leadership, the company will focus on a smooth integration with MTX Group’s other packaging businesses, in particular AL INVEST Břidličná, and on making full use of synergies within the Group. One of his main tasks is also to restore production and sales of coffee capsules.

Aiming for success

MTX Group welcomes Omial Novi as the newest member of the Group and looks forward to future achievements. The combination of the two companies opens new opportunities for growth and innovation and further strengthens competitiveness in the European packaging market. With strategic leadership and shared values, the new member has all the right conditions to continue developing successfully under MTX Group’s wing and enhance the Group’s position in the packaging industry. 

Omial Novi Founded: 1975 Headquarters: Omiš, Croatia Employees: 227 Specialisation: aluminium processing (75–450 μm) Products:

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retortable packaging

02 — Growth, investment, technologies

Omial Novi joined MTX Group as of 1 July 2025, strengthening the Group’s presence in the packaging industry. This strategic acquisition means not only full control over the plant’s operations and technologies, but also a commitment to invest in its further development and efficiency. The Group’s newest member brings unparalleled expertise in aluminium retortable packaging that meets the highest requirements for the safety and shelf life of food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.

02 — Growth, investment, technologies

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Investing in technologies

RockawayQ and NC-Vision

A new investment by the RockawayQ group into NC-Vision, based in Stuttgart, is another important step towards strengthening the digital transformation of industrial companies. NC-Vision develops advanced no-code manufacturing solutions and helps introduce new methods of automation and traceability using artificial intelligence. The NC-Vision platform enables rapid modernisation and digitalisation of production processes while significantly shortening the development phase.

PCI 2030 in full swing

The PCI 2030 modernisation plan at Povrly Copper Industries has entered the implementation phase. In 2025 the company installed new slitting shears for longitudinal cutting of coils and also signed a contract for the supply of a new rolling mill stand. In addition, the company has obtained a building permit for new production halls. Prior to this, demolition began on buildings that will make way for the new construction. Investment activity will therefore intensify even further in the coming years.

Strojmetal implements SAP S/4HANA

In 2025, Strojmetal Aluminium Forging launched extensive investments in its digital infrastructure. The core of this initiative is the implementation of the SAP S/4HANA ERP system and its integration with the Siemens Teamcenter PLM solution. The systems will also be connected to product traceability across the entire production flow, which Strojmetal launched this year, as well as to the Manufacturing Execution System (MES), which enables real-time monitoring and control of production equipment. Strojmetal expects the investments to continue until the end of 2026 and exceed CZK 100 million.

New forging line in Bruntál

The largest single technological investment within MTX Group in 2025 is the new forging line at the Strojmetal Aluminium Forging plant in Bruntál. It is a fully automated line and one of the most advanced of its kind in Europe. Its flexibility and capacity match current automotive market requirements for a diverse range of forging sizes and variants. Built thanks to an investment of nearly a billion Czech crowns, the line is fully electrified and runs on renewable energy produced by a newly commissioned photovoltaic power plant with battery storage from MTX Renewables.

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AL INVEST and noise reduction

A major modernisation drive is taking place at AL INVEST Břidličná under the ALFAGEN programme. In addition to the traditional investments in technology, the company is also channelling funds into new measures to reduce production noise. The first phase was completed in February 2025 – during this phase the company installed 43 noise suppressors on technological ventilators, an investment of approximately CZK 20 million. Further phases are to follow, continuing until 2027. 

02 — Growth, investment, technologies

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The power of data and artificial intelligence in manufacturing 02 — Growth, investment, technologies

Artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics are finding their way into every area of business. At Strojmetal, however, AI is not just a fad – it is a practical tool used in everyday production.

AI

is often associated only with robots or self-driving cars, but its use is much broader. “We focus on ensuring that technology delivers clear and measurable benefits in production,” explains Jaromír Barták, Strategic Advisor Tech & Innovation at We are FLO Group, which collaborates with MTX Group on process digitalisation.

Data as the birth certificate of every part

The new production line in Bruntál manufactures aluminium components for the chassis of premium car brands such as Porsche, Mercedes-AMG, BMW and Lamborghini. Every single part leaves the line with its own “birth certificate” – a detailed record of all production parameters.

Today, you don’t just produce a part; you also produce the story of its origin. This makes it possible to trace back any step and determine why something went right or went wrong.

“Thanks to traceability, we can assign a com-

plete history to each product – from the material batch used, through temperature conditions, to quality results. If a customer needs to verify that the part was produced exactly according to specification, we can demonstrate it without ambiguity,” says Barták.

Barták describes this approach as a breakthrough: “In the future, it won’t be just about collecting production data. By linking it with domains such as quality, maintenance or energy, a comprehensive digital footprint will emerge. That opens the door to dozens of further applications.”

Optimisation saving time and costs

One expected benefit is a shorter start-up period when switching to a new part. “Reconfiguring a line is always a complex and costly process. By analysing data and using AI, we can identify the key parameters and design them so that start-up time is reduced to a minimum,” Barták explains. The result is higher OEE and lower reconfiguration costs – the line reaches maximum performance faster.

Another area is the optimisation of energy consumption. “Every machine in the sequence

has its own energy use. Through data analysis, we can fine-tune ideal heating curves for the furnaces, determine when machines should be switched on or off, and optimise the rhythm of the whole line,” Barták adds. On top of financial savings, such targeted adjustments bring more stable and sustainable production.

Identifying causes of defects and predictive maintenance One of the costliest vulnerabilities in the automotive industry is defective parts. With the help of data analytics, Strojmetal can significantly reduce their number. “When a defect appears, we can trace back the specific parameter that caused it and produce a list of parts with the same production conditions. Instead of discarding hundreds or thousands of parts, we identify only a few dozen, say. The savings can easily reach millions of crowns,” Barták emphasises.

Artificial intelligence is also commonly used for machine maintenance. “The idea is to use data for predictive maintenance. The system can recognise that a certain component is head-

Production is of course the most important field, but AI can be widely used in sales, logistics, planning and the entire supply chain. It also has very effective applications in finance, HR, back office, personal productivity or project planning.

How much data is needed?

It might surprise you to hear that this does not require huge volumes.

“To achieve around 80 per cent of the benefit, you don’t need terabytes. It is usually more like gigabytes per month,” says Barták. Development projects first run in the Microsoft Azure cloud environment, where benefits can be quickly tested. Only after validation is the solution transferred to MTX Group’s own servers.

Examples from Strojmetal show that digitalisation and AI are not a distant vision but concrete tools for improving quality, reducing costs and making production more efficient. “AI isn’t useful only in production – it has potential in many other areas. But at Strojmetal we clearly see that in production it can bring about fundamental change,” Barták concludes. 

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02 — Growth, investment, technologies

ing towards a problem and evaluate the impact of maintenance on production quality and stability.”

This approach changes long-standing, experience-based practices. “We often hear that something has been done the same way for twenty years because it works. But data reveals new connections and opens the way to simpler and more efficient solutions,” he points out.

He is also looking to the future – a proof-of-concept project is currently underway using camera systems with elements of machine learning.

“The goal is for cameras to detect defects in produced parts in real time. If successful, it will dramatically speed up inspection while eliminating human error. A properly trained AI system can be consistent, precise and tireless,” Barták explains.

02 — Growth, investment, technologies

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Michal Šmída

CEO, RockawayQ

A digital revolution in industry according to RockawayQ The investment group formed by combining the strengths of MTX Group and investment company Rockaway Capital has been up and running for over a year now. RockawayQ’s goal is the digital transformation of traditional companies through modern technologies – not only within the Group’s businesses, but gradually across the wider market. Michal Šmída, CEO of RockawayQ and one of the pioneers of the Czech start-up scene, explains how the project works and where it is heading.

Digitalisation is not just about new software or a new production line – it is also about changing workflows and decision-making processes.

What major projects has this cooperation led to?

At Strojmetal Aluminium Forging we have launched several key projects focused on digitalising production processes, implementing production traceability, optimising data-driven management and improving production quality through advanced data analytics. We have successfully deployed solutions for automated data collection from production lines, integration of sensor inputs and the linking of this data with the ERP system.

What exactly does production traceability mean and what benefits does it bring?

Every step of the production process is precisely recorded – from the moment the input material arrives to the dispatch of the finished product. The outcome is a “birth certificate” for each product. Employees thus have verifiable

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information about the origin of the material, the production process and the responsible personnel, which improves quality and safety and simplifies complaints or audits. In the near future we want to extend traceability to additional operations and also implement predictive maintenance of machines.

What experience and know-how gained through MTX Group will you be able to apply elsewhere?

Given the strict quality requirements and the complexity of MTX Group’s production processes, we are gaining experience in deploying and testing our solutions at scale and in an environment where there is no room for compromise.

We want to use this experience in our expansion abroad, especially into the German market. MTX Group is also part of our investment committee, where together we evaluate investment opportunities in technology companies across Europe. I should add that none of this would be possible without MTX Group’s openness and enthusiasm.

Where would you like to take Czech industry with RockawayQ? Our goal is to help Czech manufacturing companies move from reactive to predictive management – to make decisions based on data rather than on feeling or past habits. We want Czech industry to use the potential of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics as intensively as the leading manufacturers operating in China today. It would be a pity if the Czech Republic and Europe got left behind and be-

came a kind of “industry museum” that only imports products or know-how and produces low value-added goods.

What is the most difficult aspect of digitalising a traditional industrial environment?

The biggest challenge is changing mindsets – digitalisation is not just about new software or a new production line; it is also about adjusting workflows and decision-making processes.

We’ve found there’s a need to overcome some scepticism towards new technologies and to align new digital processes with existing operational habits. Communication, training and gradual implementation are key to success. It is essential to view digitalisation as a whole and to define the strategy clearly.

Revolution does not happen overnight.

It’s a series of smaller, incremental changes that ultimately lead to fully digitalised and automated “smart” production.

Which technologies or trends in AI and data-driven management do you see as the future of the sector?

We see great potential in combining edge computing with machine learning directly on production lines, enabling reaction times that are measured in milliseconds. We are also interested in connecting generative AI with industrial data and predictive models capable of identifying failures before they occur. Autonomous mobile robots also bring major benefits – they provide flexible material transport, reduce costs and support digitalisation and the principles of Industry 4. 0. 

02 — Growth, investment, technologies

You have been working with MTX Group for more than a year. How do you assess RockawayQ’s progress so far?

Very positively. From the beginning we set clear goals for digitalisation and improving production efficiency, and we can say categorically that we are achieving them. We have built a strong partnership that is not just about supplying technology, but also about jointly seeking solutions to real strategic and operational needs.

Today we work with MTX Group on two levels: through our company FLO, which specialises in business transformation and digitalisation, and simultaneously through the RockawayQ investment fund.

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METALIMEX: the Group’s trade architect Artificial intelligence, energy management and synergies across production and commercial segments – these are some of the building blocks of METALIMEX’s new era. MTX Group is entering its next decade with a clear objective: to harness global trends and turn them into a competitive advantage.

Four roles and centralisation

METALIMEX’s commercial strategy is built on four pillars linking production, trade and inno-

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vation. The first is distribution – our distribution channels connect companies within the Group and offer customers not just material, but comprehensive solutions tailored to their needs. The second pillar is primary metals and commodities. Thanks to long-term global contracts and volatility management, we can ensure stable deliveries even in an environment that is otherwise highly changeable.

The third key area is the trade in scrap and secondary inputs. By strengthening this segment, we support both ESG objectives and the price flexibility that customers increasingly expect. The fourth pillar is synergies. A good example is the OMIAL project, which shows how vertical integration can deliver greater efficiency and stability. We aim to apply the same logic to acquisitions and to the deployment of new technologies developed under ALFAGEN. Energy is becoming one of the decisive factors for long-term competitiveness. That is why we have created the central EBU (Energy Business Unit) platform, which is becoming the Group’s energy compass. Its task is to manage consumption, optimise costs and meet rising ESG pressures. The platform enables quick and strategic decision-making – whether in energy purchasing or in pursuing innovative solutions in renewable energy.

Metals in a global context

From a global perspective, our direction is closely tied to worldwide trends in metals trading.

These include vertical integration – which we are developing through OMIAL and ALFAGEN – and the growing emphasis on ESG and recycling.

More and more customers demand low-carbon products with a clearly documented origin – and we are able to provide that assurance.

Digitalisation and the use of AI through RockawayQ allow faster decision-making and better risk management. Geopolitical diversification brings multi-source strategies and the development of regional hubs that increase supply chain stability. We are also focusing on higher value-added products for the pharmaceutical, automotive and packaging industries. And across Europe, we see new growth drivers in the defence sector and infrastructure investments.

METALIMEX is therefore not just a passive participant but an active creator of the trends currently shaping the global metals market.

We are the trade architect for the entire MTX Group – the division that connects production, markets and customers, identifies new opportunities and turns them into concrete results with the speed today’s environment demands.

METALIMEX is entering its new decade as a strategic innovator and a driver of growth for the whole Group. 

02 — Growth, investment, technologies

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024 tested our resilience. Despite high volatility and shifts in customer sectors, we managed to maintain solid financial performance and confirm our position as a reliable partner to European industry. We entered 2025 knowing that the market is changing faster than ever – and that trade must be at the centre of the entire Group.

European industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Steelworks are reducing capacity, foundries are replacing cupola furnaces with electric ones, and customers in the automotive and engineering sectors are cutting back their orders. The common denominator is decarbonisation, which is reshaping the entire industry. Globally, we are watching the impact of US tariffs, which are again redrawing trade flows. At the same time, new opportunities are emerging: the European defence industry and infrastructure investments are creating space for our products and know-how.

03 — Development, innovation, modernisation

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03 — Development, innovation, modernisation

Global demand for concrete 3D printing from Neratovice to Mexico A revolution in construction and a change to the very principles of architecture – these are among the ambitions ICE Industrial Services has for the future with its unique Coral 3DCP technology.

The company’s management explored interest in concrete 3D printing at the beginning of the year and during trade fairs in the United States. “Our solution opens opportunities around the world – from affordable housing to bold architectural projects,” says Tomáš Vránek, founder and CEO of Coral Construction Technologies and CEO of ICE Industrial Services.

What experience and opportunities has your participation at the trade fairs in Las Vegas brought you?

It was crucial for us – first, as visitors at World of Concrete we confirmed the growing interest in 3D printing in construction, and immediately afterwards we showcased our own technology at the International Builders Show. Even with an improvised stand there was strong interest in our solution, not only from the United States but also from Canada and Latin America. As a result, we are now developing business activities across the region – our 3D printer is heading to Mexico, where we are preparing both social and luxury housing projects, as well as a monument in Mérida. We are also in talks about projects in Canada and developing four projects in Costa Rica. The United States has thus become our gateway to the entire Americas.

What is behind your success so far beyond the Czech Republic?

Our product is unique in that, unlike the competition, we do not use expensive bagged mixes but standard ready-mix concrete from local batching plants. In cooperation with Brno University of Technology, we developed a special mix and a patented print head that accelerates the concrete just before extrusion. This enables high printing speed and quality, as well as shapes that would not be possible with conventional methods. Thanks to this we take part in architecturally ambitious projects, such as the world-first breakthrough 3D-printed church in Neratovice. Its organic forms were designed by architect Zdeněk Fránek specifically with the technology in mind, and Jiří Vítek of Coral Architects was also involved in the project.

Which other recent projects would you highlight?

In the Czech Republic we have completed a cable-car station in Kopřivná and are finalising a parkour playground in Brno. In Luxembourg we built the first 3D-printed “tiny house” and starter home for young fam-

ilies, and we are developing a number of other international projects — from the first printed house in Norway to a project of seven residential buildings in Germany and dozens of design proposals across the world. Thanks to our partnership with HSF System, which has acquired a 50% stake in Coral Construction Technologies, we now have access to large construction projects and entirely new opportunities, which can accelerate our development.

What does 3D printing mean to you personally?

Above all, it is a form of automation in construction, which still lags behind other sectors and simultaneously has to contend with a shortage of skilled workers. 3D printing offers a way to build faster, more cheaply and with less dependence on manual labour – in well-designed and repeatable projects, costs can be as much as 50 per cent lower than in traditional construction. This is why we have a team of architects developing a modular building system tailored to 3D printing, suitable for everything from family houses to office buildings. It does not mean everything has to be printed – for example prefabricated halls have more efficient processes – but residential and special-purpose buildings can benefit significantly from 3D printing.

What are your ambitions and goals for the future?

We want to rewrite the principles of construction. Our technology enables the creation of organic, nature-inspired forms that are stronger than traditional right-angled structures, opening up entirely new possibilities for architecture. We believe that just as Le Corbusier transformed architectural thinking with the Villa Savoye, our approach can be similarly ground-breaking – an approach that will one day appear in textbooks.

We are convinced that projects like the cable-car station in Kopřivná and the planned church in Neratovice will bring the world’s attention to a new perspective on architecture and construction.

HSF System: a strong partner The partnership also represents a major opportunity for HSF System. According to its CEO, Jan Hasík, ICE Industrial Services is among the global leaders in 3D concrete printing. “For us, the main motivation was to combine their unique know-how in automation with our experience as a general contractor,” he explains.

“While Coral develops and refines the machines and software and prepares the architectural designs, we handle project preparation, coordination of all the trades on site, the authorisation processes and the actual construction.”

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First results

One joint project is the tower of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Neratovice. “It will feature organic forms that would take months to build using traditional methods and would require extremely complex formwork. Thanks to 3D printing technology, we can complete the same structure in just a few days,” says Hasík, who also highlights the Kopřivná cable-car station project. “There it became clear that we can effectively combine the benefits of prefabricated 3D-printed components manufactured in the factory with traditional on-site construction. At the same time, we were able to show customers a technology they might not even have realised could be integrated into the project.”

International interest

Another significant milestone, according to Jan Hasík, was the participation of both companies in this year’s EXPO 2025 in Japan, which he sees as a platform for building partnerships and launching initial pilot projects. “The Japanese place great emphasis on references, sustainability and compliance with local standards. We see particularly strong potential in modular residential and commercial construction, where 3D printing shortens delivery times, reduces labour requirements and makes it possible to produce geometrically complex elements that would otherwise be very difficult,” he explains. “We also plan to organise professional conferences in Japan to share our experience with local experts. Steps like that help build credibility and demonstrate a longterm commitment to cooperation.”

The future of the technology

Jan Hasík agrees with Tomáš Vránek that 3D concrete printing will soon become a standard part of the construction industry.

“We expect it to gain a firm foothold primarily in repeatable building components such as cores, shafts, partitions or geometrically complex structures, and to be used increasingly in residential and community projects. It will not be the only technology, but it will gradually become a standard tool alongside traditional methods,” he says. According to Hasík, combining the two methods makes the most sense. “Use the speed and design freedom of 3D printing where it brings the greatest added value, and traditional technologies where they remain more efficient,” he concludes. 

03 — Development, innovation, modernisation

3D printing offers a way to build faster, more cheaply and with less dependence on manual labour.

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03 — Development, innovation, modernisation

How recycled material is reshaping the future of industry

Pressed or cast aluminium? How is the ecological footprint of these materials viewed today? And what are the current trends in packaging materials? These and other questions are answered by Ondřej Stejskal, Director R&D, AL INVEST Břidličná, and Petr Starka, Production Quality Manager, Strojmetal Aluminium Forging.

The Pure-Al alloy, made entirely from secondary aluminium, has demonstrated that recycled material can deliver top-class quality while offering a significantly lower environmental impact.

MTX Group brings several companies together. Can you briefly summarise what they focus on?

Ondřej Stejskal AL INVEST manufactures flat aluminium – foil and sheet. Strojmetal processes aluminium bars into forgings that end up in critical chassis components for premium carmakers. A key strategic decision for the group is to expand AL INVEST’s production to include aluminium bars. That will give us control of the entire chain – from producing the semi-finished product to the final forging.

You mentioned a new technology for producing aluminium bars. What will be different?

Ondřej Stejskal Today bars are typically produced by first casting them and then extruding them through a die to achieve the final shape. It works, but it’s unnecessarily complex and less efficient. Our new line will allow us to achieve the required shape and properties directly after casting. This eliminates an entire processing step, saving both time and money.

Petr Starka The current technology is effective, but bars made this way have two disadvantages. The first is a theoretically higher cost, because there are more processing steps involved, and a relatively high environmental impact compared with cast material. In short,

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you need to carry out several energy-intensive operations, which makes the process less green and more expensive. With the material we would like to produce in Břidličná, there would be no need for heating to forming temperature, extrusion on large presses, investment in those presses or homogenising annealing at the end.

Another issue is that extruded material is significantly anisotropic. This means the bar has structural alignment in the extrusion direction – in other words, it has better properties along the extrusion direction than across it. On top of that, this material has an inherent coarsegrained surface layer. You don’t get either of these drawbacks with cast material: its properties are the same along the length of the bar as they are across it.

How important is ecology and the carbon footprint across the entire sector?

Ondřej Stejskal Enormously important.

Five years ago it was almost impossible to start a discussion with carmakers about new alloys. All that mattered was price and quality.

Today the situation is changing – customers want materials with the lowest possible carbon footprint. And if you can document it, they are prepared to talk about new chemical compositions. In other words, environmental pressure is opening the door to innovations that would previously have been off the table.

Can you give an example of a low-carbon alloy you have developed?

Ondřej Stejskal Yes – Pure-Al is an alloy made entirely from secondary aluminium, meaning recycled material. Its properties match those of commonly used alloys. It is even used today to produce vehicle registration plates in Germany.

Pure-Al has demonstrated that recycled material can deliver top-class quality while offering a significantly lower environmental impact.

Petr Starka I’ll mention forgings again – mainly wheel knuckles for cars, but also struc-

tural components such as cylinder heads. There is strong pressure on cost and sustainability here, so the cast material clearly meets customer requirements better. For example, customers specify the proportion of recycled content the material has to contain. Ideally, we would use material produced in-house – the offcuts from our presses and lines could be remelted, creating a closed loop. Likewise, defective products could be remelted, making it easier to meet the required recycled content.

What proportion of recycled material do carmakers demand?

Petr Starka Typically 40 to 50 per cent, but BMW, for instance, requires 55 per cent of what is called primary or pre-consumer aluminium – meaning production offcuts and sorted aluminium – and no post-consumer scrap, such as drink cans, fridges and so on. The requirements are strict, and the market is beginning to face aluminium shortages. Producing our own material with a high recycled content would therefore be a major advantage. Naturally, other sources of pre-consumer aluminium would still be needed, because at present we can produce only about 30 to 40 per cent ourselves.

How successful have you been in promoting recycled material in food packaging, where the requirements are particularly strict?

Ondřej Stejskal This is a major challenge.

For many years the standard was primary aluminium only – for reasons of health safety and technological simplicity. But we have managed to bring to market alloys that routinely contain 20 per cent recycled content. And in limited volumes we can produce packaging from 100 per cent secondary aluminium. The materials are indistinguishable from those made of primary aluminium – which means customers do not need to modify anything on their production lines, and that is the key to acceptance. 

03 — Development, innovation, modernisation

There is a lot of talk about industrial transformation. How has the role of technicians and developers in manufacturing companies changed, in your view?

Ondřej Stejskal In the 1990 s and for many years afterwards, “hands” played the dominant role in Czech factories – we were the workshop of Europe. Today things are different. If you want to succeed as an independent manufacturing entity, it isn’t enough to make things according to someone else’s specifications. You need your own vision, your own development and the ability to innovate.

03 — Development, innovation, modernisation

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From coal to sustainability Czech Mill has had a successful year in terms of production and deliveries, a year in which its Dětmarovice plant ran at almost full capacity. Since this spring, however, the company’s focus has once again turned to technological progress as it looks for ways to replace coal with sustainable renewable sources in the area of secondary raw materials.

At the same time, it is working on implementing environmentally friendly processing of 100 per cent biomass as a green alternative to fossil fuels.

Plant Manager Václav Szmek discusses the testing of new materials and the gradual technological transformation of the plant.

What kind of year was it for Czech Mill?

The best year in our history from a production perspective. We delivered almost 174,000 tonnes of milled material, which is close to the plant’s nominal capacity – roughly 180,000 tonnes per year. A significant part of this volume consisted of deliveries to the Polish company Arcelor-Mittal Dąbrowa Górnicza, where we supplied all the fuel for the blast furnace while their milling plant was being rebuilt. It was an exceptional contract that allowed us to use our capacity to the fullest. Since March this year, when that cooperation ended, we have again been focusing mainly on research, development and the search for new commodities.

What path are you taking in this regard?

We used to work mainly with ash from coal-fired power plants, but those are gradually shutting down in the Czech Republic. We are therefore looking for new feedstock materials. We are testing samples from Polish power plants as well as secondary materials, such as ceramic waste from brick production and demolition materials. The aim is to mix a blend with the appropriate oxide composition and to achieve the required final fineness. A material like that would serve as a sub-

03 — Development, innovation, modernisation

stitute for clinker, which is expensive and environmentally unfriendly because it has to be heat-processed. The new blend would function as a binder for cement and concrete. We are also working on R&D for EKO popílek II, which would be based on a completely different raw material basis than the current EKO popílek.

How difficult is it to test and introduce new materials?

It is always a marathon, not a sprint. Just milling the material to the required fineness isn’t enough – its chemical composition is equally important, so that the desired properties are achieved once mixed with water. We send samples to accredited laboratories where concrete strength is tested – the first results come after seven days, then after 28 days, and the final assessment often only after 90 days. That is why we have several sources and combinations running in parallel; if we waited for every single result in succession, we would lose months.

Do you have to modify your technology to handle new materials?

Definitely. Our technology was designed seventeen years ago for coal milling, and harder materials such as ash or slag require investment and adaptation. When switching from coal to slag-based materials, we also have to clean the line manually to remove residual coal dust from previous production – coal is something you definitely don’t want in concrete. The transformation of the plant also places higher demands on storage. Power stations and heating plants mainly generate in winter, whereas the construction industry needs raw materials mainly in summer – so we have to store material during the winter months in the required –ideally stable – quality and quantity, and produce from these sources during the season.

What progress are you making with renewable sources?

In the past we tested a blend of our black-coal multipowder with biomass at up to a 40 per cent share, later stepping back to 30 per cent.

But it turned out that customers want either a purely fossil product or a 100 per cent re-

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newable source. We are therefore preparing a parallel line designed exclusively for milling 100 per cent biomass – a smaller and more cost-effective mill. We have already identified a technology supplier and we are negotiating contract conditions. In general, sunflower pellets appear to be the most suitable long-term feedstock.

What is your long-term vision?

We want to be a sustainable plant capable of supplementing the construction market with missing raw materials and, at the same time, offering an alternative to declining fossil fuels.

Classic electrofilter ash is gradually disappearing and cement works and concrete plants are reporting shortages. Our aim is to transform inert masses – materials stored in landfills – into a product with real added value, whether it is EKO Popílek 450 or, in future, 100 per cent biomass. We are moving from fossil, coalbased production towards green and sustainable manufacturing. 

“At present, the concrete market has to contend with a shortage of roughly 100 to 150 kilotonnes of ash that meets the Czech national standard EN 450 “fly ash for concrete” – especially in summer months. One option is the processing of coarse bottom ash, which is currently landfilled due to its unsuitable granulometry. Another option is the use of old ash deposits. This, however, requires milling to a fineness close to cement – and that is precisely the technology that Czech Mill possesses.” prof. Ing. Rudolf Hela, CSc. (Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering Institute of Building Materials and Components; partner of Czech Mill)

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Build-to-spec: Strojmetal’s path to more efficient production 03 — Development, innovation, modernisation

Strojmetal Aluminium Forging is developing its know-how and innovating to find ways to offer customers products with higher added value. One key focus is the introduction of a more demanding form of collaboration with customers – developing products to spec rather than according to finished drawings. This task falls to the Industrial Engineering department, led by Michal Vilhelm.

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trojmetal is a long-established forging company, which means its teams possess extensive experience in aluminium forgings. This expertise underpins a relatively new form of customer cooperation. Instead of the traditional model, where production follows drawing documentation, the company offers to design and develop an entire forging based solely on the required specifications.

This method has a range of advantages for both sides: it allows the product to be designed not only with regard to its functional, quality and installation requirements, but also with regard to the entire manufacturing process. The goal is to reduce production costs – and therefore the price of the final product. “We tell customers that if they want to pay less, the way forward is build-to-spec rather than the current build-toprint model,” says Michal Vilhelm.

What is the difference between the two approaches?

Build-to-print, in other words manufacturing based on documentation, still accounts for the bulk of our output. The customer essentially provides complete documentation for the product, and we have to adapt our production process to it, aside from minor details. That is demanding in itself, and effective communication with the customer is crucial. But we want to go further. Build-to-spec means that the client provides only the basic product specifications: installation parameters, strength requirements, dynamic loads and so on. It is then up to us not only to determine how this part should be produced, but also to design it in full.

Why is that advantageous?

This approach allows us to satisfy functional requirements while also designing the product for optimal manufacturability. We can design parts to minimise primary material consumption, eliminate certain production steps, or adapt shapes and surfaces so that tooling has a longer service life. We can also factor in the downstream operations we carry out on forgings: we can machine them and handle further steps such as pressing in bushings, threaded inserts or sleeves. In addition to forgings, we therefore deliver machined parts and assemblies. When this interconnected approach to design is applied, the result is higher quality at a lower cost.

And why is Strojmetal the ideal partner for this?

There are many reasons, but the key one is our know-how, which is essentially non-transferable. We’re the only ones who understand our processes well enough to incorporate them into product design. When a customer’s designer creates a part, they may have no idea how their design affects material consumption. As forging specialists, we bring a process-driven perspective. We know where material savings can be achieved, and this makes it easier, for example, to introduce more sustainable solutions – such as materials with a recycled content.

What does adopting this approach entail for Strojmetal?

For us it is primarily about long-term investment. Not only in technology but, in this case, in people above all. Some time ago we introduced team-leader roles responsible for developing employees within their fields. We maintain a skills matrix in which we assess each employee in the relevant areas on a scale of one

Build-to-spec means the client provides only the basic product specifications, and it is up to us not only to work out how to manufacture the part, but also to design it in full.

Industrial Engineering Director, Strojmetal Aluminium Forging to four. A one is essentially a beginner; a four is an expert capable of passing on his knowledge. For each person we then set a development plan to strengthen weaker areas.

What impact does this have in practice?

Together with this plan we created a substitution matrix that shows who can cover for whom, and where we lack experienced people. Some areas are currently mastered by only two individuals. But we have already identified employees who can be developed in these areas and who can then step in as cover. We also have a matrix for products: some we can design and produce with relative ease, while others – new types in particular – are the domain of just a few experts. Those will be other areas where we want to strengthen our capabilities and further develop our know-how.

Has this development influenced customer communication?

Absolutely. This is one of the reasons why our colleague Miroslav Zahradník has joined the product-development team in the Strojmetal Aluminium Forging commercial division in Singen, Germany. This team is in direct contact with our customers. Miroslav has 20 years’ experience in forging processes and he helps us speed up customer communication, feasibility assessments and product pre-development.

This applies not only to the new build-to-spec approach but also to the still-dominant buildto-print model. Language training – particularly improving English proficiency – has also become important for us. 

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03 — Development, innovation, modernisation

Michal Vilhelm

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A mountain resort that’s alive all year round The RESORT KOPŘIVNÁ boasts some of the most visited mountain bike trails in the country and a topclass infrastructure for winter sports. It now aims to attract even more visitors with an extensive modernisation of the site and a unique project involving the upper station of the cable-car with an information centre built using 3D concrete printing. Jan Ležatka, the resort’s Business Director, explains what the resort’s next plans are and what challenges it faces.

The 3D-printed cable-car station in Kopřivná has been a hot topic of discussion.

What stage has the project reached now?

We began construction in spring 2024 and completed it in record time in the autumn of the same year. Since then, we’ve been gradually installing interior equipment for visitors and operators, while also working on landscaping and the relaxation zone around the building. But people can already admire the beauty of the building today. I also recommend visiting our terrace, which offers wonderful views of both the Jeseníky mountains and even the Beskydy range. We’re working hard to complement the visual and architectural experience with a culinary one – we intend to expand our range of local produce, and for winter we’re preparing something stunning that, I believe, has no equivalent in Czech mountains. But I’m afraid I can’t reveal more just yet.

You carried out the project in collaboration with ICE Industries from MTX Group. What’s the best thing about working with them?

There’s no doubt that the greatest advantages are speed and the flexibility they can provide.

Their 3D concrete printing technology created forms that simply wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. We were looking for a design that wouldn’t disrupt the surroundings and would feel like a natural part of the landscape, and their architectural solution was perfect in that regard.

The synergy within the Group also worked very well. We found a solution that struck the right balance between uniqueness of design and vis-

RESORT KOPŘIVNÁ in numbers

❷ >180 beds + 30 campsite places

❸ 2 pools + full wellness facilities

❺ 16 km of trails (ski & bike, including blue and red FIS trails)

❻ 1 mountaincart track – the only one in the Czech Republic

❼ State-of-theart heated sixseater chairlift + 2 drag lifts + 2 children’s conveyor belts

itor appeal, while at the same time enabling our colleagues from ICE Industries to showcase an innovative technology on a prominent site, which guaranteed both domestic and international attention.

Are you planning any further joint projects?

There’s an idea we have for the wellness segment. Our designers and architects are considering a one- or two-person sauna. It would be made of concrete, with a single glazed front wall facing the landscape.

But this is still at the conceptual stage for now.

Last year you began an extensive modernisation of the resort.

What improvements have been made?

The modernisation is still underway. The most noticeable transformation is in the lower part of the resort, where we expanded the restaurant and integrated the main ticket office and ski and bike school. A new, larger après-ski bar has been added, as well as completely new facilities for the campsite, including showers, toilets, and a covered seating space. All the improvements had two goals – to substantially improve the experience for customers and reduce the energy burden of the buildings. The resort has also gained a unified architectural style with green roofs combining timber and concrete. New asphalt surfaces in the lower area have reduced dust levels, and we’ve added bikewash zones and launched a self-service campsite system. There’s a lot that’s new, and as well as boosting customer satisfaction they are already having a positive impact on revenue.

Do you have other projects in progress or planned?

At the end of last year, we opened the new BABYZILLA trail, followed this spring by a downhill bike trail that hosted the Junior European Series finale in September. Top Czech riders and trail builders helped redesign it, and today it is one of our three most popular trails.

We’re also working on the final phase of the “New Kopřivná” project, which features a complete redesign of the hotel, as well as accommodation and especially conference facilities near the hotel. The aim is to achieve a total conference capacity of 200 people. For the off-season,

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the key project is expanding our wellness centre to include an indoor swimming pool and a swim trainer. Groundwork is planned to begin in autumn 2026, with the following year dedicated to the hotel’s reconstruction.

Another innovation in the pipeline is the new Resort Charge – a unified card and later an app for all services at the resort. How close to launch are you?

We’re still in the testing phase of this entirely new system. The resort’s operations and the web shop already work perfectly with Resort Charge, and now we’re finishing integration for the gastronomy and hotel operations. We aim to have everything fully tested by late October or early November so we can launch it before the winter season begins.

Ski resorts have been hit by climate change and declining winter attendance. How is Kopřivná coping?

This industry is absolutely dependent on the weather, of course. The winter before last wasn’t good, with weeks of rain, whereas last winter was dry and cold, and record-breaking in terms of revenue. Even so, it’s becoming clear that the winter season is likely to shrink from nearly 100 days to more like 60 or 70. And even though conditions were excellent at the end of February and early March this year, visitors stayed away, opting instead for higher-altitude resorts abroad where good conditions are more certain.

Are you going to focus more on the summer season in that case?

Even though we are one of the most visited bike parks in the Czech Republic, summer can never fully compensate for winter – visitor numbers are as much as five times lower. But we are working hard to build and maintain customer loyalty so that people come here in both seasons, and the Resort Charge system should help with that. We’re also striving to raise our international profile by hosting the championship finale I mentioned earlier, putting us on the map alongside renowned European destinations such as Schladming or Saalbach. 

03 — Development, innovation, modernisation

❹ 100 seats in the restaurant + 70 in the congress hall

❶ >120,000 visitors a year

04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

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04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

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04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

Cooperation between sales and production in practice The products of companies within MTX Group reach the market through METALIMEX’s sales division, which works closely with the production sites, its salespeople operating almost as part of the same team. Their shared objective is to understand customer needs as precisely as possible and adapt the entire process to ensure maximum customer satisfaction.

Quality depends on every link in the chain

Sylwia Williams, Coke Division Director at METALIMEX, spent almost six weeks on a business trip at the end of the summer. “In my work, personal contact and visits to production sites, where we can discuss matters with technical experts, are hugely important. They help us understand customer requirements better, which is key to building a longterm sales strategy,” she says, adding that she passes on the insights gained to the production department.

Even for products such as coke, requirements differ and evolve constantly, driven by market conditions and tightening environmental regulations. “Customers have high standards and competition is strong.

We therefore monitor all quality parameters of coke on an ongoing basis and adjust production to reflect current sales volumes. Coke production is a continuous process, so communication between sales and production is absolutely crucial,” adds Libor Bochňák, Production Manager at OKK Koksovny.

Why is personal contact with customers so important?

Sylwia Williams Customers are becoming more and more demanding and we have to adapt our coke production accordingly. One principal reason is the growing set of ESG criteria, which drive companies towards more efficient use of raw materials – and that includes coke.

It is often during an on-site visit that we discover, for example, how a different coke grain size affects the customer’s specific technology.

I can then easily pass these findings on to production, where we can use them to design a more suitable product.

How do you actually use these insights?

Libor Bochňák Having a detailed understanding of customer requirements allows us to adjust not only product development but also production itself. When we know what grain size and quality the customer genuinely needs, it becomes far easier to plan production over the long term.

The METALIMEX sales division helps us understand customers’ future needs, and we can tailor our technologies accordingly.

Tomáš Schránil, Technical Manager, Povrly Copper Industries

Does your cooperation also encompass logistics?

Sylwia Williams Absolutely. Logistics is one of the major cost items for coke, and one we seek to optimise. At the same time, logistics can even influence the final quality of the product. For that reason we have to keep a joint eye on the entire logistics chain, ensuring that our products meet all the quality parameters even after very long transport routes – when shipping to the United States, for example.

Jointly finding the path to more efficient production Povrly Copper Industries is moving into the implementation phase of its PCI 2030 modernisation plan. Both the production and sales departments play a crucial role in this process.

“The METALIMEX sales division helps us understand customers’ future needs, and we can tailor our technologies accordingly,” says Tomáš Schránil, Technical Manager at Povrly Copper Industries. “We work together to create higher added value, monitoring market trends and delivering the right solutions,” explains Dimi-

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tris Kristalas, Brass & Copper Division Director at METALIMEX. How can the sales division help prepare technologies?

Dimitris Kristalas We also work on product development with our colleagues in production.

Sometimes this involves completely new products, other times it’s a reaction to changes on the market, which we monitor continuously and respond to with proposals. With copper prices rising, for example, we’re looking for ways to make the production of cups – one of our key products – more efficient. We’re trying to reduce their weight without compromising their quality or further processing. If we have timely information about trends like this, we can adapt our technology choices accordingly during the ongoing modernisation of the plant.

Is development the main focus of your cooperation?

Tomáš Schránil It is one of the most important areas. We devote a great deal of time and energy to it. For standard orders the process is already set, so our teams work more intensively mainly on new enquiries or on long-term production development. Direct contact with customers – for instance during audits or visits to our plant – is another essential part of the cooperation.

Does your cooperation vary depending on the sector you’re supplying to?

Dimitris Kristalas Yes, you could put it like that.

In the defence sector, which we have supplied for many years, all the mechanisms are already in place, so communication is fast and needn’t be as frequent. The frequency of communication also depends on the customer’s geographical location. There are markets – typically in south-eastern Europe – that require more frequent contact.

Generally, though, we have a strong name in this segment and the need to build brand awareness is not as great. In sectors that are newer to us, such as automotive or electrical engineering, it’s necessary to stay in closer contact. We do a lot of listening and learning, but we also explain what makes us and our solutions unique.

That’s often something customers aren’t yet aware of.

Do you have a preferred way of communicating with each other?

Tomáš Schránil I wouldn’t call it a preference. After years of cooperation, we rather know which matters to handle in which way.

For routine issues, e-mail is sufficient. When we need a quick response but don’t want to disturb each other, we use WhatsApp. We also call each other, of course. We have online meetings with the teams, and from time to time we meet in person. We generally like social contact, so we don’t only talk about work or the weather – we also discuss personal matters or weekend plans. This human connection helps us understand each other better and complement one another, and it is exactly the approach we aim for in our relations with customers as well. 

04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

How does your cooperation work in practice?

Libor Bochňák We are in contact almost every day, even when Sylwia is on the road.

It’s essential – some requirements have to be addressed very quickly, even though production can’t be changed overnight. And we always have to take complex logistics into account.

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04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

A bridge between customers and technicians

Strojmetal’s plants in the Czech Republic supply their products primarily to German customers.

This is why the company’s sales division is based in Singen, Germany. In September 2025 the department was joined by Miroslav Zahradník, who supports cooperation between the sales teams and the production sites.

MIROSLAV ZAHRADNÍK

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iroslav Zahradník is an experienced technologist who helped bring new orders into production at Strojmetal in Kamenice.

This process always requires a certain degree of development, which is already factored into the initial pricing proposals for the customer. These price quotes are prepared by the Customer Relations Department (CRD) in Singen, Germany. Zahradník has added his technical expertise to this department so that everyone involved can better understand both customer and production requirements. This speeds up the preparation of price quotes and improves communication on the technical details that influence the final price of the product. His role is to promote from the outset solutions that lead to faster and more competitively priced offers.

What did your work in Kamenice involve?

I received the documentation for parts requested by the customer in order to assess their manufacturability. This meant reviewing the standards and requirements stated in the brief, as well as checking the forgeability conditions.

To these I added my own comments – essentially requests for changes that would ensure or improve forgeability with regard to our technologies. The goal was to achieve lower production costs, and therefore a more favourable price for the customer. I sent these comments to Singen, where the Customer Relations De-

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partment passed them on. In Kamenice, however, we felt a lack of direct feedback from the customer on these requests.

And your position is now meant to see that this feedback is communicated?

Yes, that’s right. I’ve become a member of the CRD team, where my task is to get a better understanding of how the team communicates with clients and to gain a clearer picture of their needs and requirements. This should then help the technical department in Kamenice, as it should prevent important information from getting “lost in translation”.

Why is this role needed?

Because employees in sales aren’t necessarily technicians or may not have as much experience in this area, and they certainly don’t have detailed knowledge of Strojmetal’s technologies. Technicians from Kamenice or Bruntál, on the other hand, don’t have experience in customer communication. And the language barrier can often play a role as well. These people are top experts in their respective fields, but sometimes the overlap is missing. And that is exactly what I am trying to provide.

What does this mean in practice when dealing with customers?

Essentially, I am now present at the very first meetings with clients. I try to understand their requirements as accurately as possible while also thinking about the technical possibilities in the production plant. Together with my colleagues in Singen, we immediately incorporate these in-

sights into the brief for the technicians and in further communication with the client. The aim is to offer a helping hand from the outset and look for ways to bring the cost of production down. It is equally important for the technicians to know exactly which requirements are crucial for the customer. Those have to be accommodated. We are thus trying to speed up product development, get production up and running, and at the same time make the entire communication process more accurate and simpler.

Another aspect of my work is to pass on know-how to the team in Singen. What I have learned about production over my twenty years of practice should have a positive impact on direct customer relations. The enquiries sent from Singen to Kamenice should have firmer foundations, and the members of the CRD team should better understand the requirements and comments they get from the production side.

This is particularly important because we want to offer customers services and products with higher added value, in other words parts whose development we play a greater role in.

What motivated you to move to Germany?

Aluminium forging is a very specific field that I enjoy. But after twenty years I felt I needed a change. I did not want to leave the field; it was rather that I wanted to try something new.

And so I had the idea of helping on the communication axis. Management liked the idea, so I can continue supporting the development of our activities while doing what I enjoy. 

04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

An experienced Forging Technologist who has worked at Strojmetal for more than 20 years. “I joined straight after school,” he says. In recent years, his main responsibility was the development of aluminium parts, including bringing new products into production. He now supports this process in Singen, Germany, where he acts as an intermediary between the sales team and the development and production teams in the plants. His task is to gain a better understanding of the technical requirements of both sides – customers and production – so that Strojmetal can handle orders faster and more efficiently.

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Every experience helps professional growth 04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

Three companies, three different roles, but all with one thing in common: a strong focus on the future. The careers of three employees from MTX Group companies show how the Group places strong emphasis on innovation and development across virtually all areas. And how it chooses the right candidates for these roles.

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hey have been through unexpected twists and turns, yet they all work with maximum commitment. This description could apply to numerous MTX Group employees. A case in point is the trio of Jakub Drobeček, Vít Rychlý and Ondřej Lenc. Each of them does something completely different within MTX Group, but all have reached their current roles thanks to determination and a willingness to develop.

Their journeys also involved unexpected job changes and shifts in career direction.

“It took me some time to figure out what I wanted to do after secondary school,” says Jakub Drobeček, who started his first stable job in 2015, at the age of 21. In Děčín he began working as a foundry worker. After seven years he left for a paper mill, where he gradually rose to the position of foreman and later became a warehouse manager. But from there he decided to move into a completely different field – HR. “I told myself I didn’t want to work in a factory anymore and that I wanted to try something new. So I joined a recruitment agency, where, given my background, I was put in charge of the metallurgy sector. And one of our clients was Povrly Copper Industries,” Drobeček explains. But even this change did not turn out to be final – his HR role lasted only a short time.

“At the end of the year I realised it wasn’t the right job for me. So I applied to Povrly Copper Industries. I went through about six interviews and joined as a melter,” he says of his path into MTX Group.

His colleagues experienced similar twists and turns. “I was a professional volleyball player in Kladno, where in 2015 I met my current manager, Martin Syrůček,” says Ondřej Lenc.

New roles, new challenges

All three now feel at home within MTX Group and, in their respective roles, help drive the development of the Group and its individual businesses. “Working as a melter was demanding.

Shift work meant twelve-hour shifts in great heat. And suddenly there was an offer asking whether I’d like to become the head of the foundry. I felt that this was clear evidence that my achievements had been recognised,” says Jakub Drobeček.

He was tasked with stabilising and optimising the foundry operation, which he succeeded in doing within eleven months. “I really enjoyed the work. I could see the results, sometimes almost immediately, which was great. My colleagues and I achieved a lot – we got the foundry into very good shape,” says Drobeček. And

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because he had proved himself, another offer followed – this time to take charge of the rolling mill, where he now manages 72 employees instead of the previous twenty. “My approach hasn’t changed. I follow the philosophy that a manager does his job best when both subordinates and superiors are satisfied,” he explains. After six months in the rolling mill, Drobeček can already see positive changes.

“But there’s still a long way to go,” he adds.

Ondřej Lenc started out in METALIMEX’s controlling department. “I spent my first year supporting the renewables team,” he says, adding that at that time he was already involved in evaluating investment opportunities in this area. He later became part of the team assessing the potential acquisition of Croatian company Omial Novi for MTX Group. The acquisition went ahead in 2025. “Right now, a lot of time is taken up by the process of integrating the company into our Group,” Lenc remarks.

At AL INVEST Břidličná, Vít Rychlý and his colleagues design the complete technological layout of new operations planned as part of the ALFAGEN development programme. Instead of the tiny components of headlamps, he now moves entire machines and conveyors around industrial halls in his technical drawings. “When designing a complex device like a headlamp you deal with similar challenges as when designing a factory. You have to deal with all the potential difficulties, and it makes no difference whether it’s a conflict between cables and structural elements inside a headlamp or a conflict between the flow of material and the route an operator takes when he goes off to eat a snack,” Rychlý says with a smile.

The future is approaching fast

Each of the three always has a clear vision of new tasks ahead. “ALFAGEN certainly isn’t a project that will be done and dusted in a year. The melt-

ing and casting centre we’re currently working on is a roughly three-year project. I would also like to be part of the team that fine-tunes the entire centre into its final state, which could easily take up to five years,” Rychlý says. “Everything we are doing here is essentially development from scratch. That makes the work highly varied, and every day brings new tasks that need to be thought through from the beginning. It’s very creative,” he says. He remains creative in his free time too. “I make jewellery using 3D printing and I play in a pop-funk band, which incidentally includes other AL INVEST employees,” he adds.

Perhaps surprisingly, Ondřej Lenc does not relax by playing volleyball. “Knowing how I used to play and how out of shape I am now, it’s not as much fun. So I do other sports, such as playing amateur football with other former professional athletes. Sport is very important for my mental well-being,” Lenc says. Active rest is a necessity for him: “Integrating Omial will be demanding.

It’s a specific transaction with a whole set of conditions imposed by the European Commission, which we have to meet in the coming years,” he explains, adding that it is far from a standard acquisition.

Besides managing day-to-day operations in the rolling mill at Povrly, where he focuses mainly on improving coil quality, Jakub Drobeček is also looking ahead to the construction of an entirely new rolling mill. “I’ve already experienced the launch of a new operation earlier in my career and I enjoyed it, so I’m looking forward to it, even though I know it will be intense,” says Drobeček, who describes himself as a bit of a workaholic. “If I have nothing to do at the weekend, I watch how production is running here,” he laughs. He spends most of his free time with his young children but he’s also into e-sports. “I also enjoy hiking and football, and I’m interested in space, chemistry and physics,” he adds.

04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

Even during his sporting career he was thinking ahead and began studying sports management at university. During his studies he started working for an audit and advisory company, and he joined the company full-time when he ended his professional sports career in 2019.

“After some time, Martin got in touch, saying he was looking for someone willing to learn new things, work hard and be a team player,” he says.

“I studied mechanical equipment production at bachelor’s level and, after working in the technical department of a company in Bruntál, I then spent 11 years as a designer of automotive headlamp parts,” says Vít Rychlý of his early career. After eleven years of working on headlamps, he decided he needed a break from the field. He handed in his notice and took some well-deserved time off. “Then I saw a job advertisement for a designer at AL INVEST Břidličná. I applied, got through the recruitment process and I’ve been here since September 2024,” he says.

04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

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All three now feel at home within MTX Group and, in their respective roles, help drive the development of the Group and its individual businesses.

Jakub Drobeček

Head of Mill Shop Operations, Povrly Copper Industries

From HR back to manufacturing

In 2015, at the age of 21, Jakub Drobeček joined a foundry, before switching to the paper industry, where he progressed from production roles to foreman and then warehouse manager. He then tried his hand at HR, focusing on metallurgy and industry. But manufacturing never lost its appeal, so in 2023 he joined Povrly Copper Industries as a melter. In 2024 he took over management of the foundry, and since February 2025 he has served as head of the rolling mill. His task will be to ensure a smooth transition to the brand-new production line being built at Povrly Copper Industries.

A headlamp and a factory pose similar challenges

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Constructer, AL INVEST Břidličná Vít Rychlý joined AL INVEST Břidličná in September 2024 as a designer. His task is to prepare technical documentation for the technological layout, i.e. the complete arrangement of future operations planned under the ALFAGEN programme.

He is currently working mainly on the layout design of a brand new melting and casting centre.

Ondřej Lenc

From volleyball to acquisitions

Group Controller, METALIMEX Former professional volleyball player Ondřej Lenc swapped his sporting career for managerial work. Although he studied sports management, he is actively engaged in business. He started out in a consulting firm but joined the controlling department at METALIMEX in 2023. There he was tasked with evaluating new investment opportunities and played a major role in the acquisition of Croatian company Omial Novi. 

04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

Vít Rychlý

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04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

Education isn’t a perk.

It’s a strategy At MTX Group, we believe that the future of the industry is shaped not only by technology but, above all, by people – people with the courage to learn, develop and come up with new ideas. That’s why education is one of the pillars of our strategy, whether it concerns students, graduates, employees or managers. Education for us isn’t a perk. It’s a necessity.

It’s an investment in the future.

Career-long learning

The corporate academies in MTX Group are designed to encompass educational activities for every stage of professional life – from students to employees nearing retirement. Each group has a clearly defined approach that reflects our HR strategy and ties in with the group’s business objectives.

Cooperation with schools is crucial. A good example of how this can operate is AL INVEST Břidličná, where we work closely with nine secondary schools and four universities. In 2025, 35 students were involved in our operations through placements, part-time work, scholarships and dual education, which was launched this year. One interesting idea for the future is the creation of a mentoring hub where former employees in retirement can pass on their experience to younger colleagues.

Other companies, such as OKK Koksovny, also work with schools and young people – more than 20 students take part in work-experience placements and part-time jobs every year. STROJMETAL Aluminium Forging had 50 temporary workers and 22 students on its May placements this year alone and is preparing a spring roadshow for schools next year. Povrly Copper Industries partners with seven schools, including universities, and hosts events such as Copper Student Day or Copper Day at JEP University in Ústí nad Labem, giving young people a closer look at life in an industrial and technological company.

GrowIN – the gateway to MTX Group

GrowIN is a new programme for students and school-leavers who want to grow professionally. It offers part-time work, internships, trainee programmes, scholarships and full-time positions. The best participants can join the elite GrowIN Talents scheme, which includes mentoring, training and networking across the group.

GrowIN combines traditional know-how with modern approaches, enabling rotations between departments, work in different locations and involvement in projects with real-world impact. The programme is open to secondary-school and university students, recent graduates and those who are still deciding on their career path.

Two short profiles of colleagues who started as students and today hold independent expert roles prove that education goes beyond theory in MTX Group.

Lukáš Pavlásek R&D Technologist, AL INVEST Břidličná

From student to strategic development engineer

From a summer job to development

Petr Kolouch joined Strojmetal Aluminium Forging in 2023 as a trainee and quickly progressed to the role of strategic development engineer in research and development. His story shows how smoothly studies can transition into professional growth.

Lukáš Pavlásek started at AL INVEST Břidličná in a summer job, moved on to specialist internships and today works full-time as an R&D technologist. Alongside this he is completing a doctorate focused on the recycling of aluminium alloys, which enables him to connect research with practice.

My study path I completed a bachelor’s degree course at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Czech Technical University in Prague, followed by a master’s degree in manufacturing and materials engineering. I am currently pursuing a doctorate that allows me to combine academic learning with industrial practice.

My study path I completed a bachelor’s degree in materials engineering at VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava.

After joining AL INVEST, I enrolled in doctoral studies in metallurgical technology at the same university. The subject of my dissertation – aluminium alloys recycling – is directly related to my work.

Applying my knowledge Through projects at home and abroad, I’ve gained an overview of what is possible today – from Germany to Dubai. I know who to turn to when we want to connect academic research with industrial development.

My research in practice Thanks to the combined form of doctoral studies, I can flexibly link academic research with practical tasks at Břidličná. The development of new materials, which is my focus, is fully aligned with my research.

What I enjoy about my work Everyday challenges and the opportunity to convert knowledge into meaningful projects that have an impact on the entire sector.

What I enjoy about my work Variety – I learn something new every day – and the opportunity to contribute to innovation and development.

Free time I do sport, play tennis and go hiking – I recently climbed Mont Blanc. A sedentary job needs to be balanced with movement.

My work challenges The biggest challenge, in my view, is effective communication between new and experienced employees. It’s important that people understand each other and show mutual respect.

You can’t do without the experience of older colleagues, but at the same time there has to be room for new ideas.

My advice to young people Don’t be afraid to explore and try new things.

Look for something that interests you and moves you forward. The comfort zone is easy, but growth happens outside it.

Free time I run a youth chess club and play sports such as floorball, cycling and badminton. I also enjoy reading a good book or watching a series.

My advice to young people Look for internships during your studies. They help you find your direction and make the transition to work easier. Technical fields aren’t routine, they’re creative and diverse.

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Academy for leaders

Personal development is not limited to students, though. At MTX Group we also focus on leadership. The standard of management has long been strengthened through various types of training activities. One new initiative is APEX – Senior Leadership Academy, an exclusive programme with ten modules focused on strategy, finance, innovation, R&D, HR, M&A and digitalisation. The modules’ content is prepared by internal sponsors to ensure it matches the standards and needs of the Group.

Launching in 2026, the first iteration aims to establish a shared language, reinforce values across the group and strengthen competencies in view of future challenges.

From learning to growth

Combining education with career development is part of daily practice at MTX Group. In addition to the countless training activities held in each company – where hundreds of employees receive training every year – this year also sees the introduction of competence matrices.

These serve as an effective tool for mapping the knowledge, skills and capabilities required for specific roles or projects and employees’ career development. They also allow for a more systematic approach to education and development planning.

At MTX Group, we believe that the future of industry is shaped by people who never stop learning, who continue to develop and take an active approach to their professional growth.

Education only becomes a real opportunity for those willing to make use of it, however. Personal development requires initiative, curiosity and a willingness to work on yourself. Anyone who shows such interest and determination will find the door to professional growth open at MTX Group. 

04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

Petr Kolouch Strategic Development, Strojmetal Aluminium Forging

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Health comes first Occupational health and safety is not just a legal duty at MTX Group – it is a firm part of the company culture. Each plant looks for ways to minimise potential risks, from deploying modern technologies to encouraging open communication about possible hazards. Safety managers from three group companies share their experience.

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t Povrly Copper Industries, the most high-risk activities include melting, metal casting and handling heavy coils using cranes. The most common dangers are burns and splashes of molten metal. The operation of rolling and pressing machines also used to be a significant risk. These workplaces are now safeguarded with fenced-off lines.

At Strojmetal Aluminium Forging, employees are at risk when handling red-hot aluminium. “The problem is that even at high temperatures it doesn’t look different. You can burn yourself before you realise the material is hot,” explains Petr Dürr, Safety Information and EHS Manager.

Historically, the greatest number of injuries occurred at the presses, but optical barriers and fenced robotic lines now provide protection.

At AL INVEST Břidličná, employees encounter a wide range of dangerous situations, from handling heavy materials and working with rotating machinery to using chemical substances. “The biggest threat is obviously burns caused by molten metal, but complications linked to chemicals or working with oversized parts can be just as serious,” says HSE Manager Tomáš Prchlík.

Innovation as prevention

One of the most effective ways to reduce risk is to modernise production technologies. That’s why Povrly Copper Industries has invested in new equipment in recent years, bringing greater safety and automation. Modern machines are fitted with safety features, sensors and interlocks that automatically stop operation if the setup is incorrect or if there is a risk to the operator. These measures reduce the likelihood of workplace injuries while improving production efficiency and stability.

The new Fritz Werner pressing line is an example of this.

Everyday responsibility

At Povrly Copper Industries, the alerts system has proven highly effective. This tool informs all employees about incidents and the corrective measures taken. It also covers other safety issues as well as injuries. Over the summer, the system proved extremely useful during demolition work – employees were clearly and promptly informed about all risks, enabling the company to complete the entire operation without a single incident.

Strojmetal has a similar experience with reporting “near misses”. This helps identify weak spots before they cause an actual injury. “Safety culture depends on how seriously the employer takes protecting his people,” Dürr adds. At Břidličná, clear top-down rules play a crucial role.

“Management is committed to the principle that no tasks may be carried out at the expense of health. This is the fundamental rule every employee must know,” Prchlík emphasises.

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Life-saving equipment

Beyond machines and procedures, the use of protective equipment is crucial to safety. At Břidličná, melters can rely on a heat-resistant suit made of aramid fabric, combined with special gloves and gaiters.

At Povrly Copper Industries, personal protective equipment is not seen merely as an obligation but as a matter of course. “Protecting against burns and cuts is our priority. And head and hearing protection are equally important,” emphasises Lucie Roučková, Health and Safety Specialist. Another key safety feature is the installation of so-called Rescue Points, now located at all workstations and each adapted to the specific operation and equipped accordingly.

Rescue Points enable prompt intervention in terms of providing first aid and reporting fires or other emergencies. They are connected to the main reception area and automatically send text messages to the responsible personnel.

Protection against burns and cuts is also essential at Strojmetal. “We place great emphasis on using the right types of gloves, which we test and evaluate regularly,” Dürr explains.

Meaningful, effective training

New employees at Povrly Copper Industries undergo introductory OHS and fire protection training, learning about workplace risks, obligations and the principles of safe work. This is followed by on-the-job instruction under the su-

pervision of an experienced mentor. The training doesn’t stop there, however. “Educating employees in the field of safety is a continuous priority,” says Ilona Vázlerová, Health and Safety Specialist. At Břidličná, an adaptation plan is in place, ensuring that knowledge is passed on gradually and systematically.

Strojmetal opted for a different approach, banking on experiential learning. “The most popular is first-aid training, where employees practise interventions on realistically made-up actors. These moments become etched into your mind, and in real-life situations you already know how to react,” Dürr explains.

Safety in the company’s DNA

“Despite a history spanning more than 125 years, Povrly Copper Industries is a modern company in its approach to occupational safety. This issue is viewed as a natural part of production and a source of company pride,” the local OHS and fire-protection team emphasise.

At Břidličná, they value the fact that preventive measures deliver visible results: in the first half of 2025, the company recorded no injuries resulting in long-term sick leave. And at Strojmetal, the emphasis is placed on personal responsibility.

“We can be proud of all our people, because they all take safety extremely seriously,” Dürr concludes. 

04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

At Břidličná, innovation is a key element of major projects. Technology is always the best form of prevention. “Every new project must address safety as well as performance,” Prchlík notes. Strojmetal is implementing the LOTO system, which prevents unintentional machine start-up during maintenance. “It provides practically one hundred per cent protection for the worker,” Dürr adds.

04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

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Vladimír Rada

CEO, Sellier & Bellot

Povrly Copper Industries through the eyes of a satisfied customer Uninterrupted production, stability and quality – these are the foundations on which the Czech ammunition manufacturer Sellier & Bellot has stood for two centuries. A key part of that is its long-term cooperation with Povrly Copper Industries. “Over the course of our cooperation, we have effectively moved from standard business relations to a fully-fledged partnership,” says the company’s CEO, Vladimír Rada.

We appreciate that Povrly Copper Industries maintains its quality, customer-centric approach and very good communication.

What role do deliveries from Povrly Copper Industries play in your production?

Cooperation with the production plant in Povrly is very important for us, as it is one of our largest suppliers of brass. The reason is twofold: a close and very long history of cooperation, and the wide range of strips and cups in many variants. That really helps our production, which includes a broad portfolio of small-calibre ammunition across various calibres and designs. Their geographical proximity in the same country is another major advantage.

In what respect is MTX Group a superior partner compared with other suppliers?

We appreciate that Povrly Copper Industries maintains its quality, customer-centric approach and very good communication – even in more complex cases. Let’s take the example of claims. Although these represent a very small percentage of our cooperation, they handle them very proactively and constructively. From another perspective, their focus on price and the provision of information on how prices may develop are crucial, as is their ability to offer contracting solutions.

Another advantage is the option of working with a target price where there are significant fluctuations in key commodities on the exchange.

How has this cooperation helped you advance your production or business over the years?

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For us, the key factors are quality and stability of deliveries. What we view very positively and truly appreciate is the reliability of deliveries even at critical moments. That applies to unexpected outages or the recent floods, for example. We are also one of the prioritised partners with whom Povrly Copper Industries proactively seeks solutions so that the supply chain is affected as little as possible. I also value their flexibility in response to order changes, as we too need to respond quickly to developments on the market.

Do you have a specific example where joint efforts resolved a particular requirement or innovation?

On a general level, the company is able to accommodate our requests that help us move forward. One example is larger coil windings, which result in more efficient utilisation of our production machines with fewer stoppages. Another is logistics: we are working to digitalise this process, and through pallet labelling we can track and trace material throughout the production process. That makes tracing it back from end to start a lot easier.

How important is it for you that both companies have Czech owners? Does that bring any advantages?

There is certainly a major advantage in being located in the Czech Republic, meaning a shorter distance between us. I firmly believe that we would coordinate our steps very closely if there was a threat to or an attack on the Czech Republic – though I hope that situation never arises. The main advantage is simply that we speak the same language.

What plans does Sellier & Bellot have for the future – expansion, new markets or products – and what role might Povrly play?

Sellier & Bellot aims to continue developing and expanding its presence on global markets, and to keep working closely with our business partners across our product portfolios. This also includes other companies within the Colt CZ Group, with which we maintain strong ties.

We are confident that Povrly Copper Industries will at least maintain its current level of quality, reliability and timely delivery. These are the fundamental building blocks for us and allow us to focus more on our own production and business. 

04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

Sellier & Bellot has almost two centuries of ammunition production behind it – what makes you unique and gives you a competitive edge?

Sellier & Bellot is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year. What makes this anniversary unique is the fact that production has never been interrupted, and that we still manufacture what Louis Sellier and Jean Maria Bellot founded the firm to produce. Our vision rests above all on quality, trustworthiness and stability. That requires long-term business partners, whether in the commercial sphere or in the armed forces. Reliable suppliers of materials and production units are indispensable too, and Povrly Copper Industries is undoubtedly one of them. We highly value partners like them.

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Customers demand quality without compromise At the TAPA plant in Tábor, quality always comes first. Every single packaging product must pass strict inspection – from incoming raw materials to the final output. Led by Eva Svitáková and Dominika Hybrantová, the quality department ensures that everything meets the highest standards. In this interview they explain why the highest quality is taken for granted by customers, how new products are developed and what changes European regulations are leading to.

How would you briefly describe the TAPA plant?

Eva Svitáková The plant was established in Tábor back in 1912. At that time the plant made glue, and later it produced refined paper. Our business today is the production of highly sophisticated printed flexible packaging based on plastics, aluminium, paper and combinations of those materials. It is a completely different world from the original one.

How important is quality in your production?

Dominika Hybrantová Over the past twenty years our export share has grown to account for more than half of our output. Most of this goes to western Europe. Quality is non-negotiable for our customers. Any mistake, even a minor one, can mean the end of a business relationship and damage to the company’s reputation. The importance of references cannot be overstated.

Can you put some figures on that?

Eva Svitáková We produce 8,000 tonnes of products a year, which corresponds to roughly 15,000 print jobs. The potential for errors is therefore considerable. And that is why we

have detailed in-process inspections and technological standards in place. These ensure that we keep the share of complaints below 0.3 per cent of turnover.

Do you hold any quality certificates?

Dominika Hybrantová Of course. Quality certification is essential in the food industry. For some business partners, especially large retail chains, these certifications are often a fundamental precondition for doing business together. We currently hold four certifications. The first is BRCGS Packaging, the key standard for food-related packaging, and we passed this year’s recertification with the highest AA rating. The second is ISO 9001, an international standard forming the basis of quality systems.

The third is FSC, which guarantees that raw materials come from responsibly managed forests. And the fourth is ISCC PLUS, confirming that raw materials originate from sustainable sources – we received that certification in 2024.

In addition, we undergo recertifications every year, and surprise BRCGS audits take place once every three years.

Any mistake, even a minor one, can mean the end of a business relationship and damage to the company’s reputation.

How large is the team responsible for quality?

Eva Svitáková Our laboratory, which is located in the production plant itself, has four employees, plus the two of us. We take care of incoming, in-process and outgoing inspection. We also support the sales department – by issuing technical data sheets, completing customer questionnaires, analysing samples, and the like. The quality department also handles customer audits, complaints, and the recertification and maintenance of established standards. Another important part of our work is demonstrating compliance with specific legislative requirements applying to materials that will come into contact with food.

What new developments have you introduced in packaging production, and what plans are there?

Dominika Hybrantová Three years ago we launched finished-bag production, which represented an entirely new segment for us and required new control mechanisms. For these products, the tolerance for error is zero, so we had to learn quickly, identify critical points and create a comprehensive inspection

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Quality Specialist, Tapa Tábor

system. Alongside our large finished-bag lines we are launching two new lines this year for stand-up pouches known as doypacks. These are laminated pouches, usually with a zip seal and a transparent window, whose barrier properties keep the contents fresh and protect them from air and moisture. This new segment places new demands on production, technology and the quality department, but it also opens new opportunities.

Do environmental regulations affect your work?

Eva Svitáková A true sea-change in the packaging industry will come from PPWR, a regulation that aims to support the transition to a circular economy. This process entails new material structures and redesigning packaging to improve recyclability and meet requirements for minimising packaging. The regulation also introduces stricter rules for chemical substances contained in packaging, minimum recycled content, labelling rules, and so on. PPWR also sets targets for the reuse of transport packaging. Packaging used for transport within a single business group inside the EU will have to be 100 per cent reusable, for example. The cost-

Eva Svitáková

Quality Manager, Tapa Tábor

liest requirement, in our view, will be the minimum recycled-content threshold. Its price is already twice that of primary virgin plastic. The new PPWR rules will thus necessitate an array of changes for companies – from materials purchasing to processing technologies and proving material suitability for food use. These regulations will have significant administrative and economic impacts.

To conclude, I would add that, for us, quality is not just about numbers or standards. It is an approach that shapes every step of production – from raw materials to delivery to the customer. Our aim is that every packaging product carries not only the TAPA name, but also the assurance that it is the very best we can offer. 

04 — Cooperation, people, personal growth

Dominika Hybrantová

05 — Sustainability, efficiency, responsibility

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05 — Sustainability, efficiency, responsibility

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05 — Sustainability, efficiency, responsibility

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Lenka Mrkvičková

ESG Development Manager, METALIMEX

From declarations to real data and decarbonisation The Group has completed a year of intensive work in sustainability, moving from double materiality analysis and quantitative data collection all the way to calculating its carbon footprint and preparing the Path to Net Zero decarbonisation framework. ESG has thus become an integral part of strategy rather than just a compliance obligation. More details are provided

by Lenka Mrkvičková.

7 pillars of ESG

❷ Digitalisation, automation and machine learning

❸ Product and process development

❺ Reducing energy intensity

❻ Use of renewable energy sources

❼ Brownfields as spaces for business development

❹ Circular economy

How would you describe the biggest shift the Group has made in ESG? The biggest change is that we have moved from general declarations to real data. We have completed the double materiality analysis in line with ESRS and set up a data-collection methodology, including clear rules and processes – both for quantitative ESG metrics under the CSRD directive and for the data needed to calculate the consolidated carbon footprint for 2024. The data collected cover the full spectrum of topics – from HR information such as employee numbers, training or OHS, through human rights compliance and internal policies, to water, materials and energy consumption, as well as volumes of purchased goods, services and travel. Although such an extensive data-collection process requires intensive coordination across all departments and companies, it gives us a solid foundation for systematic, long-term ESG management.

What proved to be the most challenging part of setting up these processes?

Integration was the toughest challenge, because every company has different processes and levels of experience. That’s why explaining why the numbers matter, how they’ll be used and what they mean for the Group’s strategy was a crucial part of the process. ESG is sometimes seen

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as a compliance task, but we want to show that it also represents an opportunity – for greater customer trust, better access to financing and greater attractiveness as an employer. A well-designed system also allows us to respond flexibly to legislative changes and the growing number of customers with specific ESG requirements.

logistics, environmental teams and many other areas. Every single data point is important and forms part of the bigger picture. Each company has its own ESG representative, and we work with them regularly to discuss next steps.

Without their involvement, we would not be where we are today.

What are some of the specific projects you worked on?

One of the key projects was calculating the carbon footprint and preparing the first Sustainability Report in line with ESRS. For the time being we are working with quantitative data and gradually ensuring their alignment with the standards, which is a crucial step in preparing for future audits. Thanks to intensive cooperation across all departments and companies, we successfully gathered the necessary data and prepared the consolidated GHG Protocol-based footprint as well as the baseline sustainability report. This foundation then led to the development of the Path to Net Zero decarbonisation framework, which links concrete measures with the Group’s business development strategy.

How visible is this progress?

The progress is clear – we have moved from values to numbers, from intentions to methodology and consolidated data. That is a huge shift. Sustainability has existed within the Group for some time, but it is now much more integrated into strategy and decision-making. The data also form a basis for real change, not just regulatory compliance. This enables us to respond quickly to new challenges and adapt to customer and regulatory expectations.

How important is teamwork in this context?

It’s absolutely essential. ESG cannot be managed in isolation. Data come from finance, HR,

What are the next steps?

We are now focusing on finalising the methodologies and fully embedding them in the dayto-day practice of the individual companies. We want to establish regular reporting and ensure that ESG becomes a natural part of our corporate culture and day-to-day work. We see it as a marathon rather than a sprint – but each year we can see clear progress. And that matters for us, our partners and our employees. 

05 — Sustainability, efficiency, responsibility

❶ People and communities

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05 — Sustainability, efficiency, responsibility

Energy savings with tangible results Energy efficiency and switching to renewable sources are not just a vision for MTX Group – they are part of everyday reality. The past year has shown that, even in a challenging environment, it is possible to deliver projects at home and abroad, apply research in commercial practice and build strategic partnerships.

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ne of the most visible successes is the Mimosa hybridisation project in Andalusia. Combining wind, solar and battery technology, the project has now moved into its implementation phase, with construction progressing according to plan and already delivering its first results. “A further development is the involvement of the state fund COFIDES through its sub-fund FOCO, which has become another shareholder in the project. We see this as confirmation of our market stability with the support of the public sector, and at the same time as a signal that doors are opening for us in more markets,” says Ondřej Douša, Vice-Chairman of the Board & CEO, MTX Renewables. The project is scheduled to come online at the turn of 2026 and 2027.

Solar and wind

Substantial progress has also been made in the Czech Republic, particularly in the Moravian-Silesian Region, where the Group has the largest concentration of renewable-energy projects in the country. In Bruntál, a photovoltaic power plant – partly rooftop, partly ground-based next to the Strojmetal plant – is completed and operational.

“Since July, the plant has been using the electricity it generates itself. This helps us meet not only Strojmetal’s targets, but also those of the whole Group. For us and for our banking partners it’s important that our investment has successfully delivered the project and, above all the development work, which is not something the Group typically does,” Douša explains.

Finding the right location is anything but easy. We are fortunate not only to have the factory there, but also to have secured usage rights over a large area of land.

New technologies and innovation

Alongside these large-scale energy projects, the Group is also stepping up innovation. One innova-

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tion success is the commissioning of the pelletisation line, which can convert waste into an alternative fuel with a higher share of biogenic carbon.

“The outcome of the development work is a line we have already sold to our waste-management partners. It’s proof that our research projects have a practical impact,” Douša says.

Work is also going ahead on thermochemical decomposition technology and on preparing the Biotim project in Romania, where a major pellet plant for biodegradable raw materials is being developed. “We have set up a company and signed shareholder agreements, and the project is moving forward in the authorisations process,” Douša adds.

Energy savings in our plants

Energy self-sufficiency is already becoming a visible reality in our operations. In Bruntál, all the generated solar power is consumed by the plant, and there is a parallel battery system that helps to balance not only consumption but also deviations. Most importantly, it suppresses higher “harmonics”, achieving economic efficiency in the context of the plant’s reserved grid capacity and ensuring smooth, outage-free production.

“Usually, the problem is that products and contracts with existing suppliers are renegotiated.

This means that photovoltaics can negatively affect the standard power contracts covering electricity supplied from outside our self-generated supply, which we operate ourselves and control via the battery system. However, we managed to reach an agreement on the conditions under which the electricity stays within our plant without any negative impact. The battery then serves for commercial balancing – it responds to consumption and changing prices while helping to stabilise frequency levels,” explains Petr Koníček, Energy Business Unit Director, METALIMEX. On top of this, the system contributes to data infrastructure protection and cybersecurity, which has proved crucial during blackout situations, for example. “Shutting down production in metallurgical operations is always risky. That is why we look for ways to optimise consumption and protect our technologies,” adds Koníček.

From Andalusia to Bruntál, from developing alternative fuels to strategic agreements – the past year has shown that the MTX Group takes energy efficiency seriously and is capable of turning plans into concrete results.

“It is a journey that’s full of challenges but also enormous opportunities. What we are building and preparing today will shape our energy self-sufficiency for many years to come,” Douša concludes. 

05 — Sustainability, efficiency, responsibility

Further efforts are being directed at preparing wind projects in the Moravian-Silesian Region. The goal is to secure building permits as soon as possible, followed by screening and EIA procedures.

High-quality preparatory work is guaranteed through cooperation with global energy consultancy McKinsey, which is assisting with the economic and technical design of projects in Životice and Břidličná in the context of an extensive feasibility study.

“We have staked, so to speak, out a site that ranks among the best in the country – it has good wind conditions, is not in a protected area and we have secured grid connection. The investment in land and connection rights, which by itself runs into hundreds of millions of crowns, is in itself a huge added value, but the key step is obtaining the building permits,” says Douša.

Another milestone is a recently signed cooperation agreement with ČEZ Group for the development of renewable-energy projects. “We like to describe this as a big brother walking hand-in-hand with its smaller, but no less significant, brother in the energy sector. We see the partnership with ČEZ as crucial to developing our projects in the region,” Douša adds.

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05 — Sustainability, efficiency, responsibility

Working together for a good cause

EDUCATION

ICE. . . . . . Running technical clubs (robotics, programming) for primary and secondary school pupils ICE. . . . . . Running summer technical camps for children SAF. . . . . . Partnership with 3střední Bruntál SAF. . . . . . Collaboration with primary, secondary and higher education institutions SAF. . . . . . Ongoing negotiations on a partnership with the Trades Academy SAF. . . . . . Annual student placements (engineering, IT, economics, ecology, plumbing, electrical engineering) SAF. . . . . . Automation summer camp in cooperation with ICE – making plant facilities accessible for tours (including the Diagnostic Centre) OKK. . . . . Chemistry at the Castle 2025 – support for science and research PCI. . . . . . Presentations, excursions, part-time jobs, internships, placements PCI. . . . . . Copper Day at JEP University in Ústí nad Labem PCI. . . . . . A Day with PCI at JEP University in Ústí nad Labem PCI. . . . . . Support for SVK at UCT Prague PCI. . . . . . Support for Povrly primary and nursery School – purchase of sports equipment

SAF. . . . . . Strojmetal Aluminium Forging OKK . . . . . OKK Koksovny PCI. . . . . . Povrly Copper Industries AIB. . . . . . AL INVEST Břidličná ICE. . . . . . ICE Industrial Services

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CULTURE

SAF. . . . . . Advent concert in Kamenice church OKK. . . . . Support for Colours of Ostrava 2025 – festival partner METALIMEX . Karviná Festival METALIMEX . Miners’ Festival

SPORT

SAF. . . . . . Football tournament for employees and their families AIB. . . . . . Support for TJ Břidličná AIB. . . . . . Support for the Břidličná Biathlon Club AIB. . . . . . Břidličná Evening Run AIB. . . . . . Slezská Harta Dragon Boat Festival 2024 OKK. . . . . Support for HC Vítkovice – 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 seasons (starting 9 Sept 2025) PCI. . . . . . Brass Man METALIMEX . Support for golf at the Albatros Club

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COMMUNITIES

SAF. . . . . . Company ball, open to the public SAF. . . . . . Children’s Day SAF. . . . . . Sponsorship for gymnasts from Týnec nad Sázavou SAF. . . . . . Support for Children’s Day in Neveklov SAF. . . . . . Annual contributions to summer camps for employees’ children (27 children, totalling CZK 70,842) SAF. . . . . . Report cards presentation at SAF + excursion AIB. . . . . . FabrikaFest AIB. . . . . . Sponsorship of the pensioners’ club AIB. . . . . . Company ball, open to the public AIB. . . . . . Day camp for employees’ children at the RESORTu KOPŘIVNÁ AIB. . . . . . Charity event: Three Kings Collection AIB. . . . . . Earth Day AIB. . . . . . Sustainability Day AIB. . . . . . Chocolate Day OKK . . . . . Moravská Ostrava and Přívoz ball OKK . . . . . Implementation of the Support for the revitalisation and maintenance of urban greenery in Ostrava voluntary agreement OKK . . . . . Implementation of the Support for nature stays for children from Ostrava schools voluntary agreement PCI. . . . . . Support for events organised by the municipality of Povrly or the Povrly Community Centre (Christmas Tree of Fulfilled Wishes, Halloween Trail, Ice Carnival, Children’s Day, Summer Holiday Starter Event – Fairy-tale Trail, Pivofest, Povrly Fortress, Summer Holiday Closing Event Party, Italian Evening) PCI. . . . . . Support for the Povrly Volunteer Fire Brigade – Standa Enoch Memorial METALIMEX . Support for the Miners’ Festival

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MTX Group – a high profile at home and abroad Major trade fairs in the Czech Republic and abroad, career events for young talent, coverage in prestigious media. The past year again showed that MTX Group has a high profile both in the regions where it operates and on the global stage – and that it can reach its audience virtually anywhere.

In the international spotlight

Support for students as the key to growth

The group devoted considerable attention to the younger generation.

In March, MTX Group companies presented themselves at the Czech Technical University’s Career Days, one of the largest events of its kind in the country. The group’s stands attracted dozens of engineering students interested in internships and placements. They were highly appreciative of the chance to meet MTX Group representatives, and especially the chance to talk directly with manufacturing specialists and get a detailed picture of their potential future professions. The Kariéra+ fair in Ostrava proved equally popular, helping MTX Group reach promising youngsters from the Moravian-Silesian Region. As usual, the strongest interest centred on automotive and aluminium, although other fields were represented as well. Both events showed that the group can appeal not only to future engineers and technicians, but also to a broader range of students seeking stable employment with scope for growth.

Several companies also took part in the 3Střední conference in Bruntál. The event showed students and parents alike that, thanks to the wide range of opportunities within MTX Group, attractive careers are to be had without leaving the Moravian-Silesian Region. The same approach underpinned the internal Meet & Learn workshops in Břidličná and Bruntál, which connected expertise across the group – from automotive projects to a modern forging line. Employees could share their experience, explore new technologies, and see how their day-to-day work ties into the group’s long-term strategy.

Strong media presence

The group’s activities attracted the attention of leading media companies. Forbes showcased Povrly Copper Industries as an example of successful modernisation in a traditional plant, highlighting that even companies with long histories can be innovation trailblazers. A feature interview in the same publication discussed MTX Group’s HR strategy as seen by Jana Zimová, showing how the group approaches recruitment and employee development. AL INVEST also made headlines in numerous regional and national outlets thanks to its recent billion-crown investments. The strong media interest confirmed that MTX Group’s activities reach far beyond the confines of industry itself. 

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The year began with the spotlight on the leadership of ICE Industrial Services, who attended the World of Concrete in Las Vegas, a trade fair focused on innovative solutions for sustainable construction. A month later, the company returned to the same city to showcase its concrete 3D-printing capabilities at the NAHB International Builders’ Show. The strong interest in its technology translated into new partnerships and real projects in the United States and Latin America.

Another major event was the Aluminium 2024 fair in Düsseldorf, where three companies from the group – AL INVEST, Strojmetal Aluminium Forging and METALIMEX – presented themselves. Together, they showcased a broad portfolio of products, from rolled aluminium to forged components for the automotive sector, once again confirming that MTX Group has a lot to offer across the entire supply chain. The event’s importance was underlined by the opportunity to meet representatives of leading European carmakers looking for reliable suppliers for the next generations of lightweight and durable components.

METALIMEX also partnered with the Global Carbon Congress in Prague, which addressed the future of energy and decarbonisation.

The partnership reinforced the company’s role in the professional energy transition debate and ensured strong media visibility. In October, METALIMEX followed up by taking part in the Wire & Cable Connections Summit 2025 in Prague, which broached the topic of energy infrastructure and the role of conductors in the transformation. Together with AL INVEST, the company attended the European FlexPack Summit in Barcelona, focused on the future of flexible packaging, and the spring IWA OutdoorClassics fair in Nuremberg, where METALIMEX representatives met partners from the outdoor and security sectors.

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PRO GR ESS