Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers!

This, the next in this year, brochure of the Foundry Overview will reach the hands of the Dear Readers at the beginning of the 2^nd quarter of 2024.

With this brochure, we open the spring season in foundry engineering. It will be filled with a variety of regular events, both trade fairs and meetings during industry conferences.

On the eve of the calendar spring, two very important celebrations took place for the foundry industry and association activities.

The first of these took place on 4 March 2024, it is World Engineers’ Day. It was organised once again by the Federation of Associations of Science and Technology of the Polish Federation of Engineering Associations, this year celebrated under the headline: “Engineering solutions for a sustainable world”. This celebration is intended to highlight the role of technology developers and the importance of their work to society. More and more technical communities, including Polish universities, are getting involved in popularising this important celebration under the patronage of the Federation, and they are preparing a wide-ranging programme of World Engineers’ Day celebrations on their own.

On 2 March 2024 in Elbląg, a meeting of representatives of engineering communities in Elbląg was organised for the second time by the Regional Council of the Federation of Engineering Associations NOT and the Academy of Applied Sciences in Elbląg as part of individual celebrations of the Engineer’s Day. The meeting was focused on the subject contained in the title of the conference “Engineers of Elbląg – their contribution to shaping the future of the city and the region”.

The second one also took place on 4 March 2024 in Warsaw, accompanied by the celebration of Engineers’ Day with a Gala, during which the next edition of the plebiscite organised by the Technical Overiew (Przegląd Techniczny) for the title of Golden Engineer was summed up. The Golden Engineer is a title awarded to innovative technology developers and inventors. The award promotes the achievements and accomplishments of Polish engineers and highlights their role in developing a modern and competitive economy. Awards were given in eight categories. The Diamond Engineer 2023 was awarded to Prof. Jerzy Lis, PhD – scientist, didactician and science organiser, specialist in materials engineering and chemical technology, correspondent member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, rector of AGH. Active member of the Association of Engineers and Technicians of the Building Materials Industry. Our sincere congratulations, Mr Rector!

On 5–8 March 2024, the Foundry Chamber of Commerce organised a business mission to the MECSPE trade fair in Bologna, Italy. This is another event of this type, organised in collaboration with the Italian SENAF Institution. The economic mission was an excellent opportunity for many meetings, during which new business and social acquaintances were established and old ones were refreshed.

We publish reports from these celebrations, as well as from the Trade Fair in Bologna, in the pages of this brochure.

The next important meeting of foundry professionals will be the 16th conference “Innovations in die casting”, which this time will be held in Opalenica near Poznań on 13~15 May 2024, and is organised by the STOP Branch in Łódź. The subject matter of the conference includes issues related to die casting.

On 4–7 June 2024, the ITM Industry Europe trade fair will take place in Poznań, this year under the headline: “Trade fair for industry in the digital era”, during which the association will bring together both Polish foundries and companies cooperating with the foundry industry at its new stand.

And finally, at the end of this year’s spring, on 17–18 June 2024 in Kielce, we will meet with the management staff during the next Forum of Foundry Presidents and Directors in Poland. The Forum is an exclusive meeting of the main players in the foundry market. We invite Presidents and Directors of all Polish foundries and companies that are suppliers for the foundry industry to participate.

This year’s programme of the Forum will include several subject sessions, including a discussion panel with the participation of domestic and foreign experts, devoted to the current challenges faced by the foundry industry. The organisers of the next edition of the forum are the Technical Association of Polish Foundry Professionals and the Foundry Chamber of Commerce. You are welcome! It’s worth being here!

In the brochure of the Foundry Overview 3–4/2024, in addition to reports on the spring meetings and events that have already taken place and invitations to those events that will take place in the future, you will also find articles:

• Eurocast Industries represents Joest in Poland,
• Advancements in software tools in the digital manufacturing era, authored by Jiten Shah,
• A new METAL Trade Fair Interview with Piotr Pawelec – Project Director, Targi Kielce SA,
• Innovations of the FRECH Group for long-term success! authored by Tobias Just,
• 2^nd Polish Foundry Championships in Skiing and Snowboarding,
• MECSPE fair in Bologna, authored by Witold Dobosz,
• Record number of registrations: further growth for CastForge,

as well as a lot of brief information from the national and international industry.

Enjoy your reading!

Tadeusz Franaszek – Editor-in-Chief