Joskin Polska marks 25 years of growth in agricultural manufacturing

As a family-run business led by founder Victor Joskin – who began his career as an agricultural contractor – the company has produced more than 130,000 machines across 76 models, available in 396 versions with 1,200 options.

Today, Joskin operates on a global scale, exporting products to 60 countries from facilities in Belgium, France and Poland. Notably, the Polish factory in Trzcianka celebrated 25 years of operation in 2024, marking an important milestone in the company’s long history.

On arrival customers enter the 2400m² showroom displaying machinery to explore before purchasing, with didactic materials and promotional items

The founding of Joskin Poland

Joskin Polska traces its origins back to the late 1980s, when increasing production costs and a shortage of skilled workers in Belgium pushed the company to search for a more cost-effective solution.

The era’s transformative events – including the fall of the Berlin Wall and the establishment of the European single market in 1993 – created new opportunities in Eastern Europe.

Rather than merely outsourcing production, Victor Joskin envisioned a new production hub that would both lower costs and maintain high quality. With its proximity to Belgium, a rapidly growing agricultural sector, and a cultural environment supportive of private enterprise, Poland emerged as the ideal candidate.

The High Warehouse, 72m long, 12m high storage facility for parts before and after welding, with 355 spaces and over 339,000 parts After numerous site visits and careful evaluations, Joskin acquired an abandoned six‐hectare plot in Trzcianka in 1999 and took over a struggling welding company in nearby Piła.

Despite challenges such as relocating staff, adapting to cultural differences, and reorganising operations, Joskin quickly gained full control of the venture.

Initially, Joskin Polska focused on welding sub‐assemblies for factories in Belgium and France. However, as confidence and capabilities grew, the site evolved into a full‐scale production facility.

Tank section edging, allows steel sheets to overlap for easier assembly and stronger external welds Poland’s entry into the European Union in 2004 accelerated the growth of Joskin Polska. The increased demand for high‐quality agricultural machinery, along with access to subsidies and a broader sales network, transformed the modest operation.

What began as a six‐hectare site with 43 employees soon expanded into the Joskin Group’s second largest facility, now covering more than 25ha.

Jigs align tank sections and walls, with hydraulic pressure ensuring a precise fit using pre-made edges Today, the Polish unit specialises in the manufacture of galvanised components and the complete assembly of agricultural machinery. Its product range now spans slurry tankers, muck spreaders, tipping trailers, livestock trailers, rotary pasture toppers, injectors and spreading booms.

With a workforce of 380 – including nearly 90 highly skilled welders – Joskin Polska now operates eight dedicated assembly lines. The facility covers over 72,000 m² of production space, featuring modern production lines, automated warehouses and specialised centres for testing and demonstration.

Automated welding for Betimax trailers, WAGO bale trailers, and muck spreaders, ensuring faster, high-quality welds

Strategic investments

A major milestone in the evolution of Joskin Polska was the launch of the Joskin Ocynkownia galvanizing plant in 2010. Prior to this, the company had depended on several distant galvanizing plants, a situation that complicated logistics and sometimes compromised quality control.

The new in‐house facility – recognised as one of Europe’s most modern and eco‐friendly galvanising plants – now ensures a consistent and high‐quality coating for all Joskin machinery.

Automated welding for Betimax trailers, WAGO bale trailers, and muck spreaders, ensuring faster, high-quality welds The Poland facility expanded in 2022 with the construction of a new 12,000m² storage and testing centre. Victor Joskin has described the Polish facility as the ‘transmission’ driving the group’s overall operations, and as the company looks toward future projects – including a new site in Luxembourg and possible redevelopments in Belgium – Joskin Polska remains a strategic asset.

The Scottish Farmer was recently invited to a guided tour of the Joskin Polska factory, which provided a firsthand look at a state‐of‐the‐art industrial complex. During the tour, several key stages of the manufacturing process were showcased.

Joskin Ocynkownia galvanizing plant, with holding area for Joskin and customer parts before galvanistation

Metal cutting

At the heart of the production process is metal preparation. The facility handles over 15,000 tonnes of flat steel sheets, varying in thickness up to 20mm.

High‐precision laser cutters operate around the clock, slicing through steel with accuracy. One laser cutter, among the fastest in the world, is capable of processing 6mm thick high‐tensile steel at a rate of 12 meters per minute.

The use of robotics in this stage minimises human error and maximises production efficiency, ensuring each cut is precise and consistent.

Hosting beams used to hang components before transporting to the treatment line for processing and galvanising

Bending and shaping

Following cutting, the steel sheets are transferred to a dedicated bending area. Both fully automatic and semi‐automatic press brakes are employed here.

The facility’s six digital press brakes can handle tables up to four meters in length. For components exceeding four meters, bending operations are outsourced to a specialised facility in Belgium.

After cooling, galvanised parts are unhooked, checked, deburred and carefully stored

Tank section formation and welding

Tank sections are then formed using a CNC‐controlled bending machine, equipped with a suction pad system to ensure perfect positioning of the steel sheets.

Once bent, the sections undergo a hand pre‐weld process to reinforce their structure. Robotic welding stations, featuring semi‐automatic pulsed welders, then perform consistent, splash‐free welds in an automated process.

In parallel, a manual welding line, staffed by 90 skilled welders, addresses components up to three meters in length.

Pre-treatment line with 13 baths for washing, rinsing, pickling, and fluxing, supervised and tested daily for quality. The drying and annealing furnace ensures optimal zinc penetration and reduces thermal shock.

Surface treatment and assembly

Once welding is complete, components move on to surface treatment – a crucial step in enhancing durability and preventing corrosion. This stage involves either galvanising or a combination of shot-blasting and multi-layer painting.

At the heart of the process is an in-house, 8,000 m² galvanising plant, where parts receive a protective coating through immersion in a carefully controlled molten zinc bath.

After galvanising, parts are quenched in water to halt the steel-zinc fusion, strengthen the galvanised layer and recover heat for the treatment baths

Before this, a final primer check ensures optimal adhesion. The zinc bath itself is formulated for exceptional bonding, long-lasting shine and high mechanical strength.

Heated to 450°C by continuous burners, the bath operates under strict conditions, with parts submerged at a precise angle and speed. Immersion times vary depending on size, thickness and type, lasting only a few minutes.

Parts are immersed in a 450ºC zinc bath for optimal adhesion, durability, and appearance. Weekly samples are tested, and the bath is maintained with special zinc alloys and regular cleaning for a glossy finish To maintain consistency, weekly samples from the zinc bath are sent to the laboratory for chemical analysis. The bath’s formula has remained stable for years, with special zinc alloys added to enhance gloss and ensure an aesthetically pleasing finish.

Once galvanised, some parts are rapidly quenched in water to halt the steel-zinc fusion process and reinforce the protective layer. This step also helps recover residual heat, pre-warming the treatment baths for energy efficiency.

The assembly area for Betimax R and RDS models, ranging from 5 to 9 meters in length, specific to the Poland factory After treatment, automated handling systems transport components to designated storage areas, including a cutting-edge, automated warehouse.

Here, inventory is carefully managed to ensure that all parts are readily available for the final assembly phase. Advanced computer-aided systems then coordinate precise deliveries to the assembly lines, where everything from livestock trailers to muck spreaders come together.

The livestock trailer floor is coated with a 3-component resin, providing anti-slip and soundproofing properties The assembly process brings together a diverse range of components from various dedicated warehouses and workshops to construct finished machines with precision.

In Poland, the Betimax livestock trailers – ranging from five to nine meters – are fully assembled, with semi-finished products sourced from specialised storage areas. The trailer floors are coated with a durable, anti-slip resin, enhancing safety and soundproofing.

The Joskin Wago WTG10000T21 features a 21t loading capacity Meanwhile, the WAGO bale trailers and low loaders are assembled, with galvanised models produced in Poland and painted versions manufactured at the Leboulch factory in Normandy, France.

Across different assembly lines, muck spreaders, including the Siroko, Tornado, Ferti-CAP and Ferti-SPACE models, are meticulously put together. Slurry tankers, from standard Modulo2 models to custom-built ‘à la carte’ configurations, are also assembled, accommodating capacities from 2,500 to 28,000 litres.

Throughout the process, wheels, axles and small accessories such as lights and macerators are fitted as required. Advanced computer-aided management ensures seamless inventory control, with components arriving just in time for integration. Finally, before any machine leaves the facility, it undergoes rigorous inspection and, if necessary, last-minute modifications to meet customer specifications.

Storage area for axles used in current and future production, including the ADR Group’s Teknoax range

Conclusion

Joskin Polska has grown from a small operation in Trzcianka to a key part of Joskin’s global production. With advanced technology, skilled workers,and ongoing investment, it plays a vital role in manufacturing high-quality agricultural machinery. As Joskin expands, the Polish facility will remain central to its success.