Dear Readers,

The time for a well-deserved summer rest is behind us; it was also time for reflection on how much and how fast things are changing around us, both in Poland and around the world. With the start of the school and academic year, we are back to intensive work.

The political and economic situation has remained dynamic in recent months. In such realities, the role of industry associations, which not only integrate the community, but also promote the exchange of knowledge, represent the interests of the sector and create platforms for cooperation between science and industry, assumes particular importance.

The end of the summer was a time of exceptional activity for our Association. We participated in the International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) in Kielce, where we presented the potential of the Polish foundry industry. Our stand became the venue for many talks, business and scientific meetings.

During MSPO in Kielce, representatives of the Polish Armament Group (PGZ) met with representatives of Polish foundries to discuss the development of the country’s defence supply chain. The aim of the talks was to strengthen domestic production capacity and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.

The PGO SA Group also participated in the meeting, presenting its competences in the production of ammunition and armament components, including the first all-Polish body of a 155mm calibre artillery shell. This was one of the issues we discussed with Group vice-president Andrzej Bulanowski.

Representatives of the Association also took part in the 65th International Foundry Conference in Portorož (Slovenia) where key issues related to decarbonization, energy efficiency and the future of the industry in the context of the circular economy were discussed.

The World Foundry Summit 2025, organised by the World Foundry Organisation (WFO), took place in Chantilly (France). This prestigious, event was dedicated exclusively to top foundry executives, who represented leading companies in the industry. The main topics of the meeting were digitalisation and artificial intelligence in foundry processes, the impact of CBAM on the foundry industry, the phenomenon of nearshoring and supply chain restructuring, and the economic outlook and challenges of global trade.

There were also educational activities – we organised several industry training courses for engineers and technicians. Thanks to these initiatives, the Association remains an important link in the process of training human resources for industry.

The start of the academic year is also an excellent opportunity to remind people of the importance of cooperation between industry and technical universities. Together with universities, we are continuing to promote engineering faculties, support young scientists and popularise the technical professions.

Magdalena Baryła – Vide Editor-in-Chief