Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers!

We entered last weeks of the ending 2023 year.

This year is the last one in the successive term of statutes authorities. It is already the 87-th year of operations of our Association. During this time we experienced several difficult periods:  rebuilding after the First World War,  the Second World War and many years of dependences from the East influences. Only the last thirty years we have been operating in the free country and market economy. We managed to pass the transformation period with success, obtaining good economic results, which were even surprising for partners from the EU and USA.  During the last years we battled against the epidemic of Covid-19 and Russian invasion against Ukraine. As the results of these events we had to face a high inflation, high energy prices, disturbances of supply chains and decreases of castings production. All these events had a huge influence, unfortunately mainly negative, on the Polish foundry industry and companies operating and cooperating with it. It influenced also operations of our Association.

During whole this period our Association cooperated with the Polish foundry industry, supporting it in problems requiring interventions of the state authorities. The end of the year  2023 does not end positively several problems and their optimistic changes should not be expected. Only a blockade of fuel and energy prices as well as some market prices – signalled by the government – are a little optimistic.

We are hoping, that all troubles being the results of political and economic turbulences will be finely positively and efficiently solved.

Having this in mind, we will celebrate the annual holiday Polish Foundrymen’s Day full of hope that all our good wishes will come true.

During the past term, regardless of several limitations, we tried to realise resolutions of XXXIV  General Meeting of Delegates. We managed to issue all numbers of the Foundry Journal and to publish texts informing our readers  about important for the foundry industry events, innovations and solutions.

In the last issue of the Foundry Journal 11–12/2023, we publish the in-depth paper authored by Katarzyna Liszka on the life and activities of Tadeusz Franaszek, entitled: „The Association – my second love.  History of the thirteen President of STOP”, to honour his long-standing service for the Association.

In addition, in this issue of the Foundry Journal, we are printing the paper concerning the present state of the Polish foundry engineering and predictions for its future. This paper allows to present moods prevailing in the foundry sector.

We would like to encourage our Readers to the remaining publications.

• Summary of the activities of the Association in 2023, authored by its President Tadeusz Franaszek,
• HOLLOTEX* EG RUNNER ST – light alternative for ceramic inlet systems, available currently also for cast steel, authored by Andreas Baier and Stephan Giebing,
• Moisture content of green sands – the factor determining susceptibility to burn-ons and pittings on iron castings, written by Jerzy S. Zych and Jan Mocek,
• Carbon dioxide capture, use and storage: an overview of solutions and prospects for Poland, authored by Rafała Dańko, Wojciecha Nowaka, Magdaleny Strojny, Pawła Gładysza,
• Special meaning of metals in the circular economy, authored by R. Deike,
• Meeting of the Executive Circle of foundry sector: good start,
• Metal Fairs and other fairs related to „Industrial Autumn” will be again in the Kielce Fairs Calendar for 2024!

We hope that the coming 2024 year will allow to improve activity of the whole world economy, which will positively influence the Polish economy and Polish foundry engineering.

We also hope that this year will provide the opportunity of operating under conditions free of restrictions and will allow to organise and to realise new and former activities and that our potential clients – entrepreneurs, will be able to utilise fully their potential.

Ending my long-term activity as the President of the Polish Foundrymen Technical Association, I wish all foundrymen, members of STOP and partners of our Association further, fulfilled professional activities and thank all of You, very sincerely.

Tadeusz Franaszek – Editor-in-Chief