Company description
In Torokszentmiklos it was Janos Labassy, a master smith who started the production of agricultural machines in 1848.
Compared to the technical level of the time, products, ploughs, harrows and hoes of excellent quality received valuable recognition and prizes at several local and national exhibitions. These tools were sold to the farmers of the region. The founder and owner managed the company for almost 40 years, until 1886, and the company remained at a small-scale level. Its success was proved by the fact that it reached such a technical level, that besides producing agricultural machines, which were considered to be modern at that time, the company took a large part in the production of the components of Ford’s T-model, which then was regarded as a car of the world.
Due to the performance of his successors Alajos Feher and Istvan Umbach, the foundry was transferred to the property of the Szolnok County Funds in 1918, and operated as the „Labassy-fele Mezogazdasagi Ipar es Gepgyar Rt” until 1942.
Written proofs of iron founding originate from 1912. The oil-fired, iron-melting Ungar furnace was set to work in 1916, which was replaced by a cupola furnace with a performance of 1t/hour. The scope of activities of the company has been broadened with activities entirely different from the production of agricultural machinery (for example trading with lime, cement, charcoal and others). The number of employees ranged between 50-120.
In 1942 the company became the property of the „Elso Magyar Gazdasagi Gepgyar RT” – EMAG –, and in 1944 the staff reached 200 due to war prosperity.
After the war, the factory operated as a cooperative, then as a joint venture and later again as a cooperative. In 1948 it was nationalized, and in 1949 the “Torokszentmiklosi Mezogazdasagi Gepgyar Nemzeti Vallalat” was established. This was followed by a significant improvement, the staff multiplied, the development made good progress and more up-to-date machines were produced. The casting production was increased and in 1957 a new foundry was established.
The factory operated in this organizational form until 1963. It was then, when the „Budapesti Mezogazdasagi Gepgyar” was founded and the foundry became its subsidiary. In 1967 the foundry remained at its original premises, while the machine production unit moved to a new site.
In 1970 further modernizations were introduced. A pair of self-designed, hot blasting cupola furnaces with a diameter of 900 mm was built, with a Schack-system based recuperative furnace. The more up-to-date melting-technology allowed the development of the production of nodular castings. We are among the first who mass-produced nodular iron castings in Hungary from 1974.
The „Szolnoki Mezogep Vallalat” was established in 1976 with a centre in Szolnok and with one of its factories in Törökszentmikló, which expanded to 3 premises meanwhile. The reconstruction that took place between 1983-85 made the further development of the foundry possible. The „Ontodei Gyar” operated as an independent profit centre from 1987.
After the political transformation there were reorganizations carried out at the company. In 1992 the „Szolnoki Mezogep Vallalat” became a joint-stock company. It wound up the units which did not fit into its main profile of production and were unprofitable, centralized the production and sold its premises which became superfluous. There were initiatives to sell the Ontode Gyar, but were not realized. 01. 02. 2001, was an important stage in the recent history of the foundry. The „Torokszentmiklosi Ontode Ipari, Kereskedelmi es Szolgaltato Limited Liability Company” was established to operate the foundry. In the beginning it rented the premises with all the production equipment from the Szolnoki MEZOGEP RT, but now, it already owns them. It continues the production without changing the workforce.
Our Customers
IKARUS ENGINEERING LTD London
scaffold elements, pump components
DISA AG Switzerland
components of shot blasting machines
FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SA Barcelona
pump components
CLAAS HUNGARIA LTD
foot-type bearing blocks, V-belt sheaves, crown wheel hubs
BOSCH REXROTH LTD, Eger
hydraulics fixing elements
MEZOGEP RT, Oroshaza
gear boxes, bearing blocks
Agrikon Rt, Solt
Bearing blocks, gear boxes, wheel hubs
Szolnoki Mezogep RT, Szolnok
V-belt sheaves, bearing blocks, wheel hubs
Local governments
Nostalgic benches
Liftimpex Ltd. Szolnok
driving pulley