History
Year 1992
In 1992, the State Fire Service was established in Poland and the biggest forest fire in the country’s post-war history occurred near Kuźnia Raciborska. These events were the trigger for establishing a private company, “Budowa Pojazdów Specjalnych Zbigniew Szczęśniak, Special Vehicles Constructing of Zbigniew Szczęśniak”. The primary goal we’ve set for ourselves was to produce reliable fire trucks that would ensure the safety of firefighters and efficient rescue operations.
In the first period of our activity, we were repairing fire trucks from various manufacturers which enabled us to gain the necessary experience and, in the future, to produce our own superstructures.
Year 1993
We made the first medium-sized water-foam firefighting vehicle based on the Star 244L chassis with a crew cab. All work, including self-assembly, was carried out according to our own design and construction.
Year 1994
In the first years of our activity, our offer included three main groups of vehicles: firefighting, for the armed forces and the special ones which contained mobile laboratories for testing water samples, convoy vehicles for the prison service and workshop vehicles for the energy, gas, water and sewage services. We’ve always paid a big attention to the diversification of our production since we’ve begun our activity.
Year 1995
We were the first company in Poland to start producing video monitoring vehicles for services responsible for ensuring safety during mass events. Our offer has also included light rescue and firefighting vehicles for extinguishing forest fires on pick-up chassis.
Year 1996
In 1996, the company moved to a new production plant with an area of 5,200 m2 located in Bielsko-Biala, in the Wapienica district. More modern facilities, equipment and technology, enabled an increase in production and an expansion of the range of vehicles offered.
We made high-pressure units and pneumatic lighting masts in our plant.
Year 1997
The unusual projects have become our specialization and we are still the leaders today. Simultaneously, in order to diversify production, we started producing four-door crew cabs for the Daewoo Motors Poland, dedicated for Lublin II vehicles. The cabs were supplied to the civilian market and were also widely used in the production of light rescue and firefighting vehicles. These vehicles were mainly used as the equipment for Volunteer Fire Departments. We were the only company in Poland to obtain homologation for extending cabs.
Year 1998
We have made the first superstructures on foreign brand chassis such as: MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Renault and Volvo.
The production of standard rescue and firefighting trucks, including powder firefighting vehicles, as well as technical rescue ones, was developed. We were the first company in Poland to launch the production of firefighting vehicles on Mercedes-Benz chassis.
Year 2002
The Polish Armed Forces received Tarpan Honker 2000 (4×4) vehicles built in our company for detecting chemical contamination. The Municipal Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Kraków has received the only vehicle in the country for a specialist high-altitude rescue group based on a Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5000 (4×4) chassis.
Year 2005
We’ve delivered the first compressed foam vehicle in Poland on a Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3341 A (6×6) chassis to the Arcelor Mittal Poland Plant Fire Department. Furthermore, we’ve prepared a Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 4000 (4×4) for the PSP NCO School in Bydgoszcz, a heavy airport vehicle Mercedes-Benz Arocs 2746 A (6×6) for the army and a batch of light Mitsubishi FE659 Canter 75 (4×2) rescue and firefighting vehicles for domestic firefighting units.
Year 2006
Delivery of vehicles for the Central Mine Rescue Station on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 516 CDI (4×2) chassis. The Plant Fire Department in Slovakia received Scania P340 (4×4) bodied vehicles, the Czech Republic got Iveco Daily 65C18D (4×2) and a user from Belarus received Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3341 A (6×6) chemical rescue vehicles.
Year 2007
Delivery of Melex light electric vehicles for the EDURA foundation.
Subsequently, similar vehicles used to serve in the Fire Brigade Department units and vehicles on the MAN TGM 15.280 BL (4×2) chassis were delivered to the firefighters in Brno, Czech Republic.
The first airport vehicle on the Scania R480 (6×6) chassis was built for the Łódź airport and GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. received another batch of workshop vehicles on the Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5023 (4×4) chassis.
Year 2008
The company of “Budowa Pojazdów Specjalnych Zbigniew Szczęśniak, Special Vehicles Constructing of Zbigniew Szczęśniak” transformed into a limited liability company changing its name to “Special Vehicles Zbigniew Szczęśniak Sp. z. o. o.”.
Year 2009
During the most prestigious defence fairs in the world, the Paris Eurosatory 2009 exhibition, we presented the prototype of the KWZT-1 Mamut Tatra T815-7Z0R9T (8×8) Wheeled Technical Recovery Vehicle that was produced together with the Military Institute of Armoured and Automotive Technology in Sulejówek. The vehicle had a level II armoured cabin according to STANAG 4569 and was designed to evacuate damaged or immobilized wheeled vehicles from the battlefield. The presentation of the KWZT-1 Mamut was one of the two most important Polish premieres at the Paris exhibition.
Year 2010
We were one of the first companies in the industry to implement the Environmental Management System according to ISO 14001 and the Internal Control System (ICS) which enabled import and export of military products.
Year 2011
Our offer was expanded to include medium-sized vehicles on the Iveco Euro Cargo ML150E25WS chassis. The first vehicle went to the Prochowice Volunteer Fire Department and the next eighteen to the Military Fire Department. We have also produced 10 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 4000 (4×4) vehicles for the Latvian State Forests and 14 Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3344 K (6×4) container carriers for the Czech Rep. Fire Department.
Year 2012
The last year of manufacturing in the plant in Bielsko-Biala district of Wapienica.
Year 2013
In 2013, in the Katowice Special Economic Zone S.A. in Bielsko-Biala (in the Komorowice Krakowskie district), we put into operation a modern production plant which was designed with the principles of production planning, friendly to the environment and convenient for the employees.
Alongside the change of address and headquarters, we rebranded our company by shortening its name to “SZCZĘŚNIAK Pojazdy Specjalne Sp. z o. o.” and introducing a new graphic symbol, referring to the letter “S” and the colour of firefighting as the main domain of the company.
Since that year, the characteristic symbol started appearing on the blinds of our vehicles roller shutters which ensured excellent recognition of the company and its products.
At that time, the first MAN TGM 18.240 (4×2) fire truck arrived in Georgia. We’ve also prepared a multi-purpose special technical emergency vehicle (Effer Slr 2750 accident crane) for Wrocław’s MPK on the MAN TGS 41.440 BB (8×8) chassis. The Military Police received the first batch of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 316 CDI (4×4) forensic ambulances and the Municipal Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Poznań got a medium-sized water rescue vehicle, Mercedes-Benz Atego 1329 AF (4×4).
Year 2014
The company has introduced a sustainable development strategy including customers and product portfolio diversification and export activities intensification.
We delivered six heavy MAN TGM 18.290 BB (4×4) rescue and firefighting vehicles to Romania. Moreover, Georgia received MAN TGM 13.240 BB (4×4) workshop vehicles for a local energy company and MAN TGS 33.360 BB (6×6) airport vehicles for the Kutaisi airport that serves the main tourist traffic from Poland.
In addition, a mobile barbed wire system was delivered to Asian Kurdistan.
Year 2015
The technological advancement of the production process has enabled the implementation of further large deliveries for the State Fire Service.
This year, we delivered 14 medium-sized water rescue vehicles Iveco Euro Cargo ML150E28WS (4×4) which are still used by specialist water and diving groups.
We have also launched the serial production of the KWZT-3 Tatra T815-7M0R98-37AP (8×8) Wheeled Technical Support Vehicles.
Year 2016
Increase in exporting our vehicles. MAN TGM 18.240 BB (4×4) command and communication vehicles were sent to the Philippines, MAN TGM 13.240 BB (4×4) workshop trucks were exported to Jordan and heavy rescue and firefighting ones reached Ethiopia.
At that time, the Modlin Airport received an Iveco Daily 70C18 (4×2) pyrotechnic vehicle.
Year 2017
The domestic offer, previously based on a medium-sized Iveco Euro Cargo rescue and firefighting vehicles, was expanded to include Renault Trucks D range vehicles. This was the first series vehicle offered with a bolted aluminium body. There was another 12 such vehicles that were built by the end of 2017 on Renault Trucks D16 chassis with 4×4 and 4×2 drive system.
A heavy Renault Trucks K440 (6×6) rescue and firefighting vehicle was delivered to a user from Iraq while a heavy MAN TGM 18.240 BB (4×4) rescue and firefighting vehicles and medium MAN TGM 13.240 BB (4×4) technical rescue vehicles were delivered to the Philippines.
Finally, we’ve prepared 20 medium-capacity Renault Trucks D12 (4×2) vehicles for the Polish Armed Forces.
Year 2018
In 2018, the company was expanding to include the second production hall and office space.
We were making plenty deliveries of equipment for the State Fire Service. They included medium-sized rescue and firefighting vehicles for extinguishing forest fires, as well as several dozen medium and heavy technical rescue, rescue and firefighting vehicles on Scania chassis from the new XT range.
Year 2019
In 2019, we handed over a new production hall and office space to be used.
The hundredth Renault Trucks D16 (4×4) medium rescue and firefighting vehicle was manufactured for KM PSP Kraków. We have also delivered a batch of six Iveco Daily 72-180 (4×2) light command and communication vehicles. Furthermore, we started production of riot control vehicles on the Scania P450 (6×6) chassis for the Police forces.
By regulation of the Council of Ministers of 20 September 2019, our company was signed into the register of entrepreneurs of special economic and defence importance, as the only one in the firefighting industry. This was a proof of recognition for our achievements and a great responsibility for us.
Year 2020
In 2020, we signed an agreement with the American Oshkosh Corporation becoming the representative and distributor of the Titan and Striker heavy airport rescue and firefighting vehicles in Poland.
Year 2021
Six vehicles manufactured in our factory supported Polish firefighters in the fight against forest fires on the Greek island of Eubea.
According to the order of the State Fire Service, we’ve also manufactured additional seven heavy rescue cranes (rotators) Renault Trucks K520 (8×4) dedicated for removing the outcomes of road accidents and disasters.
Year 2022
We celebrated the 30th anniversary of our company’s establishment!
As one of hardly a few companies in the world, we have produced highly technologically advanced vehicles (laboratories) for specialist chemical and ecological rescue groups of fire brigades.
Year 2023
We’ve started delivering almost 70 MAN TGM 18.290 (4×4) rescue and firefighting vehicles for fire brigade units in Lithuania. This is our next delivery to the Baltic countries and, at the same time, a proof of the quality and reliability of the vehicles supplied by our company to such a demanding customer.
Year 2024
The Beskid Chamber of Commerce rewarded us with the Golden Dedal 2024 award for the best company in the Southern Subregion.
We started delivering nearly 50 rescue and firefighting vehicles for fire brigade units in Estonia.
In response to needs and expectations of Polish Army, we’ve also delivered the first UDS 214.3 multifunctional excavator on a Scania P460 truck chassis to the 18th Engineer Regiment.
Year 2025
This is already the 33rd year of our business operation! And more challenges ahead…