Polish People's Republic (1947–1989)
On 4 April 1945 the plant was taken back by Polish authorities. The Soviet military forces had included the plant on the list of 30 economic facilities in Bydgoszcz which equipment was to be exported to USSR.[6] Finally, the deportations were avoided thanks to the intervention in May 1945 of the Polish officials towards the representative of the Economic Mission of the USSR in Warsaw: however, two modern lathes and ten engines were lost.[6]
With the operations resuming, the metal department was kept active until 1946: be that as it may, the site had lost 80% of its production capacity during the war.[3] That year, the factory was nationalized and in 1947, its name changed to Wytwórnia No. 10 Kauczuk: the employment rose from 483 people in 1948 to 745 in 1954 (among whom 310 women).[7] In 1950, the plant was renamed Bydgoskie Zakłady Przemysłu Gumowego "Kauczuk" while the number of employees soared to 2,500 people in 1970. At its peak, this number reached 2,800 to 3,000 people.[8]
From 1958 to 1982, the production site was incorporated to the centralized Union of the Rubber Industry "Stomil", based in Łódź.[9]
In 1960, a new hall was unveiled, allowing production of mining conveyor belts, as well as medium- and high-pressure hoses.[2]
Since 6 October 1971 the company had operated under the label Bydgoskie Zakłady Przemysłu Gumowego "Stomil", with branches in Podgórzyn near Zielona Góra (Podgórzyńskie Zakłady Przemysłu Gumowego "Stomil") and in Łabiszyn (Zakłady Chemiczne Przemysłu Terenowego ).The overall production culminated in the 1970s, in quantity as well as in diversity (e.g. high-pressure hoses, gaskets, jar rings, bottle seals, rubber wheel linings, PVC conveyor belts, rubber linings...); part of it was exported (Canada, West Germany, France, Netherlands, Finland, Greece, Austria, Soviet Union, Cuba).[2]
In 1976, the plant faced an issue related to the poor quality of the products: as a matter of fact, due to pressure from the central administration, Stomil had to use low-quality Polish artificial fibers in place of foreign and more expensive equivalents.[10] In the second half of the 1970s, the company also lacked brass-plated wire needed for the production of high-pressure hoses: as a result, the manufacture line was suspended until receiving the much expected material.[10]
During this period, the plant company offered many social advantages to its employees, subsidized not only housing, but also holidays and camps for children.[8]
