There are few areas of economic and social life where the "Made in Poland" sign means as much outside Poland as in the case of the production of horse-drawn carriages. Today we present the GLINKOWSKI brand, the largest and most renowned manufacturer of carriages in the world. To a large extent, the company is responsible for the fact that the term "Polish carriage" has become synonymous with quality and genuine craftsmanship in the world.
A reportage about our plant was published in a prestigious Polish magazine dedicated to the equestrian industry called: "KONIE I RUMAKI". We cordially invite you to read :)
The Glinkowski brand represents three generations of a family manufacture that began producing horse-drawn carriages in 1956. The first impression after visiting the production part of the plant is enough to say that it is not a traditional manufacture. Although many elements of the carriages are handcrafted by experienced craftsmen, the main part of production is the result of a modern production process, which includes automated robots, numerically controlled machines and advanced IT systems for production management and accounting.
- Every year, we invest in technologies that increase the quality of production processes, have an impact on the level of performance of individual elements of the carriage, and thus guarantee high final quality of the carriage in terms of comfort, durability and safety of use - says Hubert Glinkowski, member of the Management Board responsible for the sale of carriages – They also allow to increase production efficiency to meet the growing sales of carriages - he adds.
In this industry, you will not find another such plant anywhere in the world. Former carriage dealers, German or Dutch manufactories have either collapsed or reduced their activity. They could not withstand competition and today they are far behind the plant located next to Gostyń when it comes to the number of carriages produced.
It is here in Sikorzyna, next to Gostyń in the Greater Poland Voivodeship, where about 1000 carriages are produced each year. Before the pandemic, it was up to 1,500 carriages. In 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic slowed down the global demand, suspended the organization of equestrian competitions, and the production of sports carriages is the most important production segment for the brand. However, the last few months are already signs of a return to normality. The number of orders is rising, and the family hopes that the new epidemic waves will not stop this trend.
As they say, they were well prepared for a pandemic. When the competing companies were laying off employees, GLINKOWSKI was hiring new people and investing in the future. Today, Glinkowski is a group of brands which, apart from carriages, also produces specialized buckets for construction excavators and agricultural trailers. In each case, customers come from all over the world, which translates into great peace in the plant, which in turn allows for drawing new investment projects and further, organic increase in the market share.
However, the most important in the group are carriages. The sports ones. Throughout its history, the brand has had its own equestrian team. It has always cooperated closely with talented Polish and foreign drivers. The innovativeness of the Glinkowski company was known to the world in 2004 during the presentation of the Double Sport model. The carriage, designed for high-performance marathons, had a unique design and original chassis solutions. It was the carriage which built the brand's current position on the world market of horse-drawn sports carriages. Thanks to this carriage Bartłomiej Kwiatek, the brand's factory rider, won the 2018 World Champion title in single-horse carriages. This is the only world champion title in this category so far in the history of Polish driving. In addition, Glinkowski carriages were driven by such world champions and vice-champion as Rainer Pointl, Thorsten Zarembowicz or Stan van Eijk.
HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE FOR MARATHON - GLINKOWSKI X-TREME
The brand's viability is evidenced by the constant development of the offer and innovation, which is ensured by an experienced engineering team, together with the doyen of the family, Henryk Glinkowski, who still supervises the production. Currently, the bestsellers are the "Falcon" and "X-Treme" marathon carriages, as well as the Speider Ultra Light demonstration carriage.
- "Falcon" is characterized by modern air suspension and unique design, "X-Treme" is a carriage dedicated to competitors who appreciate luxurious finish of details. - emphasizes Damian Glinkowski, the member of the Management Board responsible for production matters - Speider Ultra Light, in turn, is characterized by extremely low weight, setting a new standard on the market of carriages for dexterity competitions. - he adds.
The aforementioned Bartłomiej Kwiatek, the brand's factory rider, emphasizes the company's professionalism in every field and an excellent understanding of the specifics of driving. And this is not just anybody's opinion. Apart from the World Champion title, Bartłomiej Kwiatek is also a 15-time individual Polish Champion in the "single" category and 2-time in two-horse and four-horse carriage driving. It is worth noting that he is also current champion, because in 2021 he defended the titles of the Polish Champion in the first two categories.
The offer of the plant in the field of carriages goes beyond their professional purpose. It also includes classic, recreational and commercial carriages. Models such as Vis a Vis, Landauer, Cinderella, Berlina or Planwagen find customers all over the world. These types of carriages are used for tourist transport, and we can find them in places such as Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Copenhagen, New York or Sydney. To this day, the plant reminds the history of the Landauer horse-drawn carriage ordered by the world-famous jewelry brand TIFFANY. The carriage was used to… deliver Christmas gifts around Paris.
There are many more such orders, firing the imagination and best reflecting the position of the brand on the global market of carriages manufacturers. Gilded, classic carriages for customers from the Middle East and the USA, a gilded sleigh sent to Russia, or a reproduction of the carriage of the third US President Thomas Jefferson. Finally, a pioneering project in the industry from last year. Eco-carriage equipped with a modern photovoltaic installation, providing a natural source of power.
- "Made in Poland" carriage is today a synonym for quality, innovation and the highest craftsmanship in the world - says Krzysztof Glinkowski, the member of the Management Board responsible for financial matters - Undoubtedly, we have our part in it - he proudly emphasizes.
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