THE COOPERATIVE LOCALIZATION AND OBJECTS.

The Cooperative was established in 1876 and all time it is situated in Bielsko-Biała Town inside the quarter of the following streets: Paderewskiego, Legionów, Komorowicka and Piłsudskiego. Apart from it, the Cooperative possesses a building at 14 Szkolna Street, formerly used by "SANAX" Company and taken over on 22.09.1950. The main seat of the Cooperative, including administration, there is at 7 Paderewskiego Street. About 50% of its buildings are dated from before the Second World War.

The second part of its buildings and rooms was set up in result of rapid development of the Cooperative after the Second World War. These ones built before the Second World War, were many times repaired and modernized according to changing needs and requirements of manufacture process. Between 1946 and 1999, the following buildings and rooms were entirely modernized: heat center with cloakroom and sorting room, ring brushes room, some production departments, wooden handles warehouse, administration and quality control.
Just then, some other investment objects have been built: sorting plant, garage umbrella roof, Service Department building, drying building in Komorowicka Street, kiosk with reception, four steel umbrella roofs and storied lacing between buildings.

TECHNICAL BACK-UP FACILITIES.

At first "SENNEWALD BROTHERS" factory not only has inconspicuous buildings but was very scantly equipped with machines as well. The turning point, regarding the problem, was 1893 year when the factory was enlarged and workshops making machines for brush industry were activated there. About 1913 the number of machines was considerably increased. A good example of it can be Woodworking Department where many machines were installed. At the same time, both repair and woodworking shop came into being.

During nazi occupation, stock of machine tools has been devastated. Just after the war, machines and their equipment were obsolete and there were neither spare parts nor proper tools for them. Step by step, new machines and their equipment replaced the old ones but the real progress took place in the middle of sixties when belt drive of machines was eventually replaced with electric drive. Many automatic and semi-automatic machines for producing brushes and other special machines, for example for producing toothbrushes, household brushes, brooms etc. were imported then.

The greatest progress in the Cooperative's history in putting into practice the new technical back-up facilities was achieved between years 1976 and 1998. New Woodworking Work in Kozy with complete social rooms and technical equipment was put to use, then. When objects in Bielsko were being modernized, many machines and devices were bought. They had a positive effect on the work efficiency and quality of products, lightening work exertion at the same time. Taking under consideration specific work conditions, almost all machines and devices were adapted to needs and possibilities of handicaps employed there. Work safety was improved not only by purchase of new devices but thanks to many works done by the repair service department, also. For instance: installing ventilating hoods and suitable lighting at work places, putting lift to use, etc. Work conditions were improved in such a degree, that nowadays there are no work places harmful for health. To assure uninterrupted production and to make full use of machines, the repair service department was developed and equipped with many necessary machines and devices. The repair shop was equipped with modern milling machines, lathes, bench drills and other devices. To do work easier, many power trucks and small electric cranes came into use. Examples given above speak well for efforts made by the Cooperative to find its place among not only the leading firms of domestic brush industry but the best rehabilitation enterprises, also.

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

Thanks to such considerable technical back-up facilities and highly motivated staff, it was possible to achieve such productive and financial results that set our Cooperative in the forefront of domestic brush industry. At present, the Cooperative produces over 10 million brushes of about 750 types. It is proper to remark, that decade 1976-1986 was the period when the Cooperative achieved the greatest growth trend. The fact is the consequence of both transition to Co-operative Movement of Disabled and changes in management. It is noteworthy that years 1980-1992 were not easy because of: difficulties with purchase of products and goods in whole country, socio-political crisis and big staff fluctuation. Despite these difficulties our Cooperative grew not only number but value of its products also. Majority of other enterprises could not boast better trend of growth, from 1981 to 1999. It was possible because of better organization of labour and fulfilling duties by all our members and employees. Even during the worst years, no production decline was recorded. There was only downward tendency regarding export of our products. Every year our Cooperative implemented new products adjusting its production to still increasing requirements of both domestic and international markets. Nowadays, we produce a wide range of products consisting of:

• household brushes: for sweeping, for polish, for mud, for clothes, for cleaning animals, for scrubbing, for sweeping streets, for washing cars, sets of brushes for clothes, brushes for hats, for carpets, for ceilings, for bottles, for dishes, for cakes,
• cosmetic brushes: shaving brushes, for hair, for human body, for sauna, for hands, toothbrushes, medical brushes,
• painting tools: brushes with ferrule, ring-shaped brushes, flat brushes, angular brushes, wall paint-brushes, ceiling brushes, wire brushes, bore brushes for furnaces, chimney brushes, painting pails, painting foil, europaints, paint rollers made of fur, polyurethane, flock, for ceilings, sponge, perlon, malerstreif, girpant, structural, velour, string, lamb skin, school brushes, brushes for wallpapers,
• building tools: long floats made of foamed polystyrene, plastic, stainless steel, triangular and trapezoidal trowels, trowels for joints, xxx and building containers, mixers for paint, derby floats and others.

The Cooperative makes to special orders: brushes for car washes, for juice extractors, for cleaners, for cleaning, for cans and many others. To save raw materials and respond market expectations our Cooperative produces household brushes of waste materials.