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We introduce a new interview format, where we gradually bring you closer to the people who form the heart of our company. Our firm is not just about machines, technologies, and numbers – behind every success stand unique individuals who work here, bringing innovative ideas and passionately dedicating themselves to projects.
In this series, we will showcase their stories, their daily work, and the motivation that drives our successes.
VUMZ Group, established nearly 20 years ago, is today among the leading technology companies specializing in engineering and energy solutions for industry and waste management.
In an interview with its founder, you’ll learn about his inspiring journey – from studying aeronautical engineering to building a successful business. This interview will reveal not only the origin and development of the company but also the personal visions, motivations, and values that contributed to its success.
What motivates a person to get up every day and work passionately?
What advice would he give to young entrepreneurs aiming to succeed in the technical world?
Find these answers and more in this article.
1. What was your journey like before the VUMZ project (studies, previous jobs, experiences, etc.)?
I graduated in aeronautical engineering at the university in Košice. Since the aviation sector in Slovakia and the Czech Republic was very limited in scope, I tried to apply the knowledge of theoretical aeronautical systems to industrial applications, which led naturally to energy solutions in industry (gas turbines, cogeneration systems, and utilizing their waste outputs for heat or electricity production, including consumption). I worked professionally on projects and in the energy sector until 2016, when I devoted myself fully to VUMZ.
2. How did the idea of founding VUMZ come about? What were the circumstances, or what inspired you to build a now successful company?
Back in 2004, I was launching the energy base for Veolia at the PSA plant, where I was responsible for new energy operations for the entire Zavare plant. Alongside this work, I had been considering starting my own business, where I could utilize my engineering and energy expertise while pursuing my passion for project execution. The trigger for this idea came from a friend in Moravia, who offered collaboration with Czech VUMZ a.s., a successor of the former Research Institute of Mechanization in Prague (hence the acronym VUMZ), specializing in machinery production, mainly for construction applications. After detailed preparation, I established a company with the same name but with the suffix SK in spring 2005. Following the presentation of my plan and securing a loan, we built the first administrative and production premises, hired the initial staff, and began manufacturing machines for the Czech partner.
In those challenging early years, I was greatly supported by my father and brother, both excellent engineers – without their help, I would not have sustained the company and its dynamics. Over time, the company shifted towards manufacturing machines for the waste industry, which remains our focus today. We design and manufacture machines and entire sorting lines across the former “Czechoslovakia,” often as turnkey general contractors. Each project feels like a fresh challenge, and I look forward to its realization and, even more, to the results of operating our equipment, which confirm the functionality and comprehensiveness of our solutions.
Today, our group employs around 150 people, and thanks to excellent staff, we are able to offer and create top-notch technological solutions with added value.
3. VUMZ has been operating for 19 years. What was the toughest year for you and why?
Next year will be significant as we celebrate our 20th anniversary. It’s a time to reflect since we’ve designed, manufactured, and delivered hundreds of orders for various industrial applications, from the simplest to the most complex. As a general contractor, we’ve implemented more than 20 technological line projects, particularly in the waste industry in recent years. However, success didn’t come immediately. Like many companies, we’ve faced tough times, and I admit that during the first crisis in 2010, I stood at a crossroads, questioning whether to continue or sell the company. It was a period when we had delivered an order of machines to Russia but had no other open orders, while operational costs still needed to be covered.
4. What project or achievement in your career at VUMZ SK do you consider the most significant and why?
It’s hard to pinpoint one most significant thing. Every success, big or small, was a piece of the mosaic that grew into something larger. Be it the early achievements from well-executed contracts, hiring the right staff who formed an excellent team, or satisfied clients who helped us build the reputation of a stable company under the VUMZ brand.
5. What is your vision for VUMZ SK’s future? What would you like to work on with your team in the coming years?
My vision is twofold: to continue developing and executing projects in industrial automation, which still represents the VUMZ brand, and to explore opportunities for diversifying our business activities. This would strengthen and expand our presence into other areas, contributing to the company’s stability and sustainability.
6. What excites you most about working in this field, and what motivates you to get up and work every day?
I ask myself this question every day and always find a similar answer. I enjoy working on exciting projects with a skilled team, the company’s dynamic growth, and daily challenges and meetings. Each day is filled with new tasks, and by the end of it, I see results, whether in the form of new production management systems, completion of new facilities, or a successfully implemented project.
2. How did the idea of founding VUMZ come about? What were the circumstances, or what inspired you to build a now successful company?
Back in 2004, I was launching the energy base for Veolia at the PSA plant, where I was responsible for new energy operations for the entire Zavare plant. Alongside this work, I had been considering starting my own business, where I could utilize my engineering and energy expertise while pursuing my passion for project execution. The trigger for this idea came from a friend in Moravia, who offered collaboration with Czech VUMZ a.s., a successor of the former Research Institute of Mechanization in Prague (hence the acronym VUMZ), specializing in machinery production, mainly for construction applications. After detailed preparation, I established a company with the same name but with the suffix SK in spring 2005. Following the presentation of my plan and securing a loan, we built the first administrative and production premises, hired the initial staff, and began manufacturing machines for the Czech partner.
In those challenging early years, I was greatly supported by my father and brother, both excellent engineers – without their help, I would not have sustained the company and its dynamics. Over time, the company shifted towards manufacturing machines for the waste industry, which remains our focus today. We design and manufacture machines and entire sorting lines across the former “Czechoslovakia,” often as turnkey general contractors. Each project feels like a fresh challenge, and I look forward to its realization and, even more, to the results of operating our equipment, which confirm the functionality and comprehensiveness of our solutions.
Today, our group employs around 150 people, and thanks to excellent staff, we are able to offer and create top-notch technological solutions with added value.
3. VUMZ has been operating for 19 years. What was the toughest year for you and why?
Next year will be significant as we celebrate our 20th anniversary. It’s a time to reflect since we’ve designed, manufactured, and delivered hundreds of orders for various industrial applications, from the simplest to the most complex. As a general contractor, we’ve implemented more than 20 technological line projects, particularly in the waste industry in recent years. However, success didn’t come immediately. Like many companies, we’ve faced tough times, and I admit that during the first crisis in 2010, I stood at a crossroads, questioning whether to continue or sell the company. It was a period when we had delivered an order of machines to Russia but had no other open orders, while operational costs still needed to be covered.
4. What project or achievement in your career at VUMZ SK do you consider the most significant and why?
It’s hard to pinpoint one most significant thing. Every success, big or small, was a piece of the mosaic that grew into something larger. Be it the early achievements from well-executed contracts, hiring the right staff who formed an excellent team, or satisfied clients who helped us build the reputation of a stable company under the VUMZ brand.
5. What is your vision for VUMZ SK’s future? What would you like to work on with your team in the coming years?
My vision is twofold: to continue developing and executing projects in industrial automation, which still represents the VUMZ brand, and to explore opportunities for diversifying our business activities. This would strengthen and expand our presence into other areas, contributing to the company’s stability and sustainability.
6. What excites you most about working in this field, and what motivates you to get up and work every day?
I ask myself this question every day and always find a similar answer. I enjoy working on exciting projects with a skilled team, the company’s dynamic growth, and daily challenges and meetings. Each day is filled with new tasks, and by the end of it, I see results, whether in the form of new production management systems, completion of new facilities, or a successfully implemented project.