History
The history of starch production in Horažďovice began at the same time when the industrial revolution captured the region of Horažďovice. At that time a sugar-manufactory was in operation and the town was famous for growing roses and breeding pearl mussels in the river Otava. In 1889 during business activity, Gellert and Gaus from Pilsen built a paper mill to the east of the town.
The license was originally granted for paper and carton production made of straw and the production of its own began on 20th October 1889. Unfortunately the paper mill was turned to ashes on 16th June 1897.
The paper mill did not recover from this disaster and the burnt area laid in ruin until 1906 when a new factory for starch production and a dextrin and syrup factory was established on the premises. The starch factory was opened-up by the name of The First Southwest Starch Factory and the first campaign started on 1st November 1906 and lasted to 30th March 1907. About 1 600ton of potatoes purchased for 50 thousand crowns was manufactured during this campaign.
The business success of the starch company in Horažďovice also brought its response. It meant a signal for farmers far and near to establish a starch co-operative. First in 1908 a co-operative by the name of Starch Purchasing Co-operative for Czech Region was established and that co-operative bought the First Southwest Starch Factory in spring 1912. Farmers owned the starch factory until 1946.
In 1946 the starch factory was rented to Mr. Josef Smeykal by Czech and Moravian Union. Mr. Josef Smeykal was a top starch expert. In October 1946 he overtook the factory and next year in spring the modernization was initiated. During the following two years the starch factory changed its general appearance step by step. February plot in 1948 influenced the development of the starch factory essentially and in October 1948 the starch factory was nationalized.
In Brief How the History Went On:
- 1950 - The starch company was included into the national enterprise Amylon Havlíčkův Brod as a production plant.
- 1952 - The starch factory became an operation of the national enterprise South Bohemia Starch Factory.
- 1958 - The starch factory was a part of the national enterprise West Bohemia Distillery and Cannery in Plzeň Božkov.
- 1960 - The starch factory became a plant of the Branch Enterprise of the Starch Factory Havlíčkův Brod.
- 1968 - Dextrin operation started
- 1986 - A new starch operation was started and Polish technology introduced
- 1992 - The production plant transformed into Škrobárny Horažďovice, a.s. in the frame of voucher privatization.
- 1994 - The Starch Factory Horažďovice, a.s. and a Swedish firm Lyckeby Stärkelsen established the firm LYCKEBY AMYLEX, a.s.
- 1994-1996 - Rebuilding of the starch operation
- 2002 - Multiplication of the starch manufacturing capacity, production of cationic starch started in a new operation.
- 2003 - A new firm LYCKEBY CULINAR a.s. was allocated from LYCKEBY AMYLEX, a.s. The new firm deals with its products in food industry.
- 2006 - 100 years have passed since the first starch production began in 1906.
- 2009 - The company Škrobárny Horažďovice, a.s. merged together with LYCKEBY AMYLEX, a.s. Herewith consolidation, the company Škrobárny Horažďovice, a.s. dissolved and LYCKEBY AMYLEX, a.s. took all its activities.
LYCKEBY AMYLEX, a.s. takes part in the system of waste packaging material utilization in co-operation with EKO- KOM, a.s.