50 Years of Wood Processing in Polomka
Where wood has been part of life for generations
Polomka is located in the heart of the Horehronie region, at the upper reaches of the Hron River and at the foot of the Low Tatras. The extensive forests of the region have shaped the community for centuries, along with forestry and wood processing.
A sawmill was established in Polomka as early as the 19th century. As demand for wood products increased, technology evolved as well. The original water-powered operation was gradually replaced by steam engines and larger production facilities. After the Second World War, the Slovak wood industry was reorganized. In 1948, the Polomka sawmill became part of the state-owned enterprise Pohronské píly, and in 1958 the site was incorporated into the state timber company Smrečina.
By the mid-1970s, nearly 200 people were employed at the plant, most of them from Polomka and the surrounding area. The main products were softwood lumber, but the facility also manufactured wooden packaging, formwork elements, and even brake blocks for the former Czechoslovak State Railways.
However, many of the buildings and machines had become technically outdated. A new era was about to begin for Polomka.
1976 – The starting point of the new wood processing complex
In the mid-1970s, wood processing in the Horehronie region was set for comprehensive modernization. As a result, the “Drevokombinát”, a modern large-scale wood processing complex, was built in Polomka, far exceeding the dimensions of the existing sawmill. The scale of the project was evident even during the preparation phase. As early as 1974, work began on relocating the course of the Hron River to make room for the new industrial site. By autumn 1976, a new bridge already crossed the redirected river.
The project was exceptional for its time. According to historical records, construction costs were estimated at 317 million Czechoslovak crowns (Kčs). To put this into perspective: the amount was equivalent to more than 11,000 average annual salaries in Czechoslovakia at the time. On 18 September 1976, the foundation stone was ceremonially laid. The event had originally been planned for the construction site, but several days of heavy rain forced organizers to move the ceremony to the Polomka Cultural Centre at short notice.
The project was of enormous importance to the region. The new plant was expected to create several hundred jobs and bring wood processing to a new industrial and technological level. Planned products included engineered wood products and components for the furniture industry, as well as pallets and large transport and packaging crates. Its social impact was also remarkable. More than 170 of the planned 553 positions were intended for women, at a time when there were very few industrial employment opportunities for women in Polomka and the surrounding region.
A site in transition
Over the following years, the large construction project developed into a modern production facility. A photograph from 1981 already shows the new plant clearly visible in the landscape of Polomka, surrounded by the forests and mountains of the Horehronie region.
Modern technology also found its way into the plant. Historical photographs document the installation of a new foreign production line, reflecting the technological transformation of the site.
In the decades that followed, much changed: political conditions, ownership structures, markets, products, and manufacturing processes. One thing, however, remained constant: Wood continued to be processed in Polomka.
Continuing the tradition
Another chapter in the site’s history began in 2004, when Helmut Rettenmeier succeeded in acquiring shares in the plant in Polomka and integrating it into the former Rettenmeier Group. Since 2011, the site has been operated as myWood Polomka Timber by the family branch of Helmut Rettenmeier. Today, Polomka is a modern production site with an international outlook. Yet behind its advanced equipment and global markets lies a history that stretches far beyond 1976.
When we celebrate 50 years of the Polomka industrial site in 2026, we are celebrating more than just a date. We are celebrating the development of a site and, above all, the people whose knowledge, dedication, and hard work have shaped wood processing in Polomka across generations. As myWood, we are proud to be part of this history and to continue the tradition of this remarkable site.
