Suchedniowska Huta Ludwików

Huta Ludwików (literally Ludwików Steelworks, often abbreviated SHL) is one of the oldest and best-known Polish factories of metal parts. Currently owned by a Kielce-based Zakłady Wyrobów Metalowych „SHL” , it is a major producer of, among other things, automotive parts for most European markets. In the past the name of the factory was primarily associated with various types of military equipment produced for the Polish Army, ranging from the wz. 34 sabres and wz. 31 helmet to SHL motorcycles. It was also the main sponsor (and the namesake) of the now-defunct SHL Kielce sports club.

In 1895 Ludwik Starke from Sosnowiec started a new iron foundry in Pstrążnica near Suchedniów. The new factory, since 1899 owned jointly by Starke, Tadeusz Jarmołowicz and Henryk Brunner, entered the markets of the Russian Empire with a variety of cast iron castings, including pots, frying pans, cast iron pipes and machinery parts. As part of the Old-Polish Industrial Region the new factory enjoyed considerable success and soon the crew rose to over 500 workers.

In 1907 Ludwik Starke's son, Stanisław, bought the Głęboczka farm at the outskirts of the city of Kielce with the intention of opening his own steelworks. However, it was not until the 12 August 1919 that the authorities of reborn Poland agreed to his plans. The new steelworks was named "Ludwików", after Starke's father, and remained part of the original joint stock company. Already in December of that year a provisional, wooden building of the first foundry became operational. The factory was powered by a single 65 HP traction engine built by Sächsische Maschinenfabrik. The first products were basic home appliances. The following year enamel workshop was completed and in 1922 the "Ludwików" works were expanded to include a power plant.

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