Company History

In the late 19th century a production plant was established in Niechlów.
It was further expanded until 1907.

The company thus established processed potatoes and operated a rettery.
It continued in this form until 1939. The production plant was partly destroyed during the Second World War.

After the Second World War, on November 26th, 1946, the state authorities took over the real estate and the remaining assets of the then starch factory, and a Polish company by the name of ‘Państwowe Zakłady Przemysłu Ziemniaczanego "Sokółka"’ was established in Życz municipality, Góra Śląska district.

Upon the takeover of the plant by the Polish authorities, the repair of war damage and the preparations for the launch of production begun.
The first production campaign after the Second World War was launched in September of 1949.
The processing capacity of the first campaign amounted to ca. 120 tons of potatoes and 25 tons of potato starch a day.
Over the first years of the company's operation it focused on potato starch production. Scanty modernization works conducted at the time did not allow a large increase in production.

Over the following years the company's name was changed several times and finally in 1970 Przedsiębiorstwo Przemysłu Ziemniaczanego w Niechlowie [Potato Industry Company in Niechlów] was established, which consisted of two plants: in Niechlów and in Kąty Wrocławskie.
The registered office of the company was located in Niechlów. In the 60's of the 20th century the production of the so-called fancy foods, i.e. Silesian dumplings, potato dumplings and other similar products, was launched. In the 70's of the 20th century, the starch factory underwent the first full modernization.

Thanks to (the then) innovative machines, the potato processing capacity was increased to ca. 560 tons a day.
The modern centrifugal devices used at the time included vertical centrifuges, Alfa Laval separators and a new refining station.
This allowed achieving top potato starch quality parameters.

In 1982 the Company was divided into two separate entities in Niechlów and Kąty Wrocławskie.
In the early 80's of the 20th century a starch derivatives unit was established in Niechlów.
Thanks to the use of cylinder dryers and reactors, the production of cold-water-soluble modified starch for the food concentrates, meat, paper and textiles industries was launched.
The Company in Niechlów was the first company in Poland to endeavour to recover potato protein. In the 80's the production of wheat starch, its derivatives and vital wheat gluten was launched.

In 1995 the Company in Niechlów was privatized and since October 1, 1995 it has operated under the business name Przedsiębiorstwo Przemysłu Ziemniaczanego SA w Niechlowie.
After the year 2000, the starch factory underwent thorough modernization - world's most innovative machines meeting all the sanitary requirements for the food industry were installed.
As a result of these developments we are able to produce top-quality potato starch, with a processing capacity of 1000 tons a day.