Fluid Management and Condition Monitoring under one roof

ARGO-HYTOS has been supplying quality products all over the world from its Zator site for almost ten years now. A strong demand and good sales results prompted the move away from the previous Wadowice site to Zator.

With 1,700 square meters, Zator offers sufficient space for production and enables a flexible and fast response to customer needs as well as today’s market demands. Hydraulic blocks and systems are shipped as prototypes or in smaller quantities to the ARGO-HYTOS entities in Northern and Eastern Europe. The Polish entity established a network of twelve distributors due to its market presence over the past years. This network covers the most important parts of Poland and enables about 30% of sales. The rest of the business is done directly with OEMs or end customers.

Products for future markets
While the German site concentrates on filtration, Poland has developed into a center for the development and production of sensors for Condition Monitoring in hydraulics. The expert fields of Fluid Management and Condition Monitoring are united under one roof. The attractive product portfolio serves as one of ARGO-HYTOS’ most important future market offerings. The impressive growth rates of 30% in each of the years 2020 and 2021 prove this potential.

Despite difficulties caused by the crisis such as disruptions to the supply chain, Zator continues to be on course for success in a market characterized by a high pace of innovation. More and more customers are demanding plug-and-play sensor technology while the trend moves toward standardized systems such as iLink, remote software and cloud solutions. Hydraulic service is also developing as a business sector where Zator is excellently equipped.

Attractive and well connected
The central and convenient location proves to be an important advantage: Zator is close to important highways and the Krakow Airport. The area is known to tourists for its nature and history while also being an attractive place to live. Around 70 people are currently employed at the entity, about a third of whom are engineers.

The proximity to the university cities of Krakow and Katowice has a positive effect on the search for specialists. ARGO-HYTOS provides fluid management equipment free of charge to the teaching institutions, thus actively promoting employer branding in the region. The Zator entity is a very attractive employer for students who have completed their training. A full-time position is on the horizon – with a renowned global player.

Mateusz Krupnik, Designer and Software Engineer at ARGO-HYTOS in Zator, talks about his job and future opportunities:

What are your responsibilities at ARGO-HYTOS?
I work as a Designer and Software Engineer. Currently, I am focusing on a project in the Condition Monitoring field where I am mainly responsible for engineering and product support. For example, we use intelligent sensor technology to monitor the condition of a machine to increase efficiency and minimize costs through optimized machine utilization.

How did you become part of the ARGO-HYTOS team?
During my studies at AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, I completed a summer internship at ARGO-HYTOS in Zator. Since I enjoyed the work a lot and could also develop professionally, I applied for an apprenticeship in the technical department next to my studies. They not only gave me this opportunity but also offered me a permanent position later on.

What did your training look like?
I learned about all departments during my training: from assembly and technical support to the design of simple hydraulic power units and blocks or complex hydraulic power units. This allowed me to gain valuable experiences in hydraulics, mechanics, automation and programming, which I still apply in my current role.

What makes your work in an international company special?
The job is very diverse, exciting and creative as different experiences and backgrounds come together in an international team. Naturally this leads to different and innovative approaches. Additionally, there is the unique opportunity to brush up and improve one’s language skills. Overall, ARGO-HYTOS really allows me to develop my professional perspectives in a decisive manner.