Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers!

With this volume, we begin the 85^th year of our Przegląd Odlewnictwa. Following optimistic forecasts with which we ended the not-so-easy year 2021, we enter the year 2022 with high hopes.

This is not encouraged, however, by the analyses of the news arriving from all over the world. We are still facing the pandemic and the mutating virus causing COVID-19 which, although milder, tends to spread much faster.

In Poland, we are experiencing growing inflation in prices of everyday goods and foods, which enforces the need for raising the salaries, as well as increase in the prices of materials used in various industry branches, which makes it difficult to decide on investments, and even to carry on with business.

Furthermore, “black clouds” gather over our eastern border. First, this was caused by the growing inflow of illegal immigrants, while currently by the probability of military conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

All this makes it difficult to return to normal, and creates many situations that render it hard to proceed with our tasks, inhibiting the organisation of training courses, technical-scientific conferences, and events that would require cooperation with major groups of participants.

Another problem is the fact that the economy sector has reduced its investments and inventions, which significantly affects its competitiveness.

Despite all this, The Polish Foundrymen’s Association has adopted a very ambitious action plan for 2022, hoping to achieve it and to satisfy our Colleagues, our Sponsors, Readers, and Authors.

In support of this action plan, in the first volume of Przegląd Odlewnictwa 1–2/2022, we publish the following:

•       The foundry of the future. Technology, materials, and machines  international conference by K.          Liszka,
•       WÖHR moulding mechanisation by P. Wagner,
•       Dynamic development of chemar sa foundry. Interview with President Mariusz Gajowiec,
•       Record LHL: Laempe realized world’s largest core shooter,
•       Employees at the focus of attention. HR operations during the pandemic. Interview with                    Aleksandra Łozowska, training and development manager – psychologist, pgo group hr                    department,
•       The history of the Evans brothers foundry in Warsaw (part 1) by Marek Skowron,
•       METEF 2022 the “Infinite” applications of aluminium.

Enjoy reading. We wish you all good health, patients, and endurance in overcoming all the difficulties outside our control. Let the next 85 years of our operation be friendly and happy to the Przegląd Odlewnictwa Journal and to the Polish Foundry Business.

Tadeusz Franaszek – Editor-in-Chief