Celebration of 120 Years Anniversary

The production of high-pressure steel cylinders, which are exported worldwide by the Cylinders Holding group, is now 120 years old. The first documented written mention of production in Ostrava, thanks to which the Czech Republic now has the world's largest manufacturer of high-pressure steel cylinders on its territory, dates back to 1905. The presentation of the historical "Minutes of the Miners' Council" and the 45 millionth steel cylinder brought more than 150 representatives of 58 companies from five continents to Dolní Vítkovice in Ostrava this week.

Cylinders Holding operates three strategic manufacturing plants – Vítkovice Cylinders (Czech Republic), Vítkovice Milmet (Poland), and ECS (Germany), with the latter joining the group last year. Sister companies operate in a number of other countries, including the US, the UK, and the United Arab Emirates. Annual production exceeds one million high-pressure seamless steel cylinders.

The cylinders are used in all areas – they are designed for technical and medical gases, for oxygen for breathing and relaxation, for transport (especially CNG or hydrogen), for the transport and storage of rare gases such as helium, for energy (in hydrogen storage tanks), for the food and catering industry, and for sports activities such as diving and mountaineering. They are also used by firefighters and rescue workers.

"Each of the cylinders produced currently has a service life of over 50 years. What's more, they are fully recyclable. So when we celebrate our 150th anniversary, our products will still be readily available on the market," said Jan Světlík, CEO and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Cylinders Holding. Over the past five years, the group has invested CZK 184 million in further strengthening the safety and service life of high-pressure seamless steel cylinders, including non-destructive testing, which reduces customers' costs for cylinder "circulation." At the same time, Cylinders Holding participated in research projects worth CZK 314 million aimed at reducing the weight of cylinders and developing technologies for hydrogen storage.

The group has also long focused on smart cylinder bundles, high-capacity transport containers and trailers with steel cylinders, hydrogen technologies, and special CO2 cylinders. This year, Cylinders Holding centralized its logistics, purchasing, and compliance with the highest standards in the areas of environment, social responsibility, and corporate governance (ESG).