The establishment of the factory was connected to the activities of the well-known Johnes family from Łódż, a manufacturer of textile machines and metal parts. Józef John, a German emigrant from the Czech Republic founded a small, modest mechanical workshop which, at the beginning, employed a sparse group of workers. At that time it was named “Machinery Factory and Iron Foundry - J. John”. The perseverance and consistency of the owner’s efforts as well as favourable circumstances meant that after a couple of years the company won renown and recognition not only in Poland, but also abroad. In the textile monoculture of the City of Łódź, such a plant was an exception.
1873-1876
During these years, the company was renamed and took on the name “Machinery Factory and Iron Foundry - Berendt & John”. By following business trends which were common at that time, the factory was manufacturing a lot of ordinary, non-specialized products of too many types.
1889
The board of directors realised the problem and the need for specialization in the factories. That is why they focused their activity among other things on the products including transmission equipment. By ensuring the quality of products and their reliability J. John was investing first of all in technical knowledge and employed experienced and well-educated technical specialists. Furthermore, while striving for the wholesale production the company was investing in specialist machinery, with which thanks to the technology of that time they were founding metal models of iron, such as elements for transmission devices, bearings, steam wheels and clutches. For machining products, the factory possessed a variety of machine tools, chucks and fixtures which were very modern for that time. Thanks to this, the parts of driving systems supplied by the factory were well known for their high accuracy and precision.
1903-1908
The activity of the factory was extended by the production of machines for glazing paper and fabrics (calendars). After having gained new professional experience in this field and the recognition of clients in 1908, a plant for the construction of glazing machines was established as the first such factory in the country. In the same year the factory was equipped with the most modern machines and machine tools. It enabled the factory to manufacture paper and fabric glazing calendars of various types.
1909-1911
The Machinery Factory and Iron Foundry was awarded with a lifetime achievement diploma of merit for being”Exemplary paragons of: iron foundry, transmission factory and machinery factory – focussed on construction and manufacture”. After Józef John died, the plant was inherited by his son Adolf. In 1911 Adolf made in the factory a cast of the so called “Zygmunt Bell” ordered by Łódź city craftsmen, factory owners, and ordinary city inhabitants for Lódź cathedral.
1914-1945
During the First World War the J. John’s company of metalworking and foundry industry was transformed into a joint-stock company. In 1929 the company took over the Chojny plant “Russian Factory of Boilers of Strebel type” which from that time on it operated as one of the divisions of the Machinery Factory and Iron Foundry. When Poland was under occupation during the Second World War the factory was adapted first of all for the production of armaments for the requirements of German army.
1946-1967
After the war, in 1946, under the scheme for the rational disposal of formerly German assets, J. John’s factory was nationalized and passed to State ownership. It resumed its pre-war activity under the name “Józef Strzelczyk Mechanical Plant - State Enterprise”, and after that it functioned as the“Conglomerate Plant of Machine Tools for Abrasive Machining ‘PONAR-JOTES’ - Józef Strzelczyk Mechanical Plant in Łódź”. In 1992 the enterprise was transformed into a joint-stock company and took on the name “Factory of Grinders JOTES S.A.”
1968-70
Construction of the present headquarters in Łódź, on Papiernicza Street.
1973
Start of the partnership with SCHAUDT Company from Stuttgart in the scope of the construction and development of grinders for shafts, which is still in action up to today.
1975
Start of the partnership with SCHAFFER Co. (USA) in the scope of the manufacture and sale of rotary table surface grinders.
1994
Commencement of the production of thread-rolling machines for exclusive orders placed by W.W. MENN, a German company.
1995
Creation of a commercial agreement with Schleifring Maschinenbaum GmbH German-Swiss group concerning the long-term supply of sub-assemblies and spare parts for grinders. Taking over from SCHAUDT Co. from Stuttgart the responsibility for documentation, production, and the sale of the grinders of E group for the shafts on all the global markets. Construction and implementation of the production of the SPJ-80 grinder for high efficient grinding of large surfaces, a product unique in the Polish market. Manufacture of SAB100W grinder based specialist machines for the grinding of refractory ceramics.
1997
Memorandum of agreement with ZAG (USA) on the exchange of ideas and technical documentation for the construction of grinders for shafts. Establishing of cooperative collaboration with the Italian company Tacchella concerning the production of components and grinders for shafts at the end of nineties. Starting of partnership with the Italian company Favretto and manufacture of surface grinders with numerical control for them.
1998
Confirmation by TUV auditors of the compliance of the quality system maintained by the factory with ISO 9001 standard and thereby obtaining ISO 9001 Quality System Certificate.
2011
Since 4 August Complex Marketing Sp. z o.o., a company that is part of COMPLEX Corporate Group took over an organized part of JOTES Factory of Grinders S.A. At present the activity of JOTES S.A. is run by JOTES Machinery Factory S.A. which also belongs to the COPMLEX holding.
