The genesis of the engineering plant Banská mechanizácia a elektrifikácia Nováky (Nováky Mine Mechanization and Electrification), which is a part of the joint-stock company Hornonitrianske bane Prievidza (Prievidza Upper Nitra Region Mines), is closely connected with the development of mining in the Upper Nitra Region. Its foundation in January 1982 was prompted by the need for a more operational and higher quality production and repair activities.

 

Since mining in the Upper Nitra Region has deep roots, it is obvious that such a requirement had existed before. The new plant was not founded on a “green meadow”, but utilized all the valuable experience of the mining machinery workers of Bane Cígeľ (Cígeľ Mine), who later formed the core of the  work team at BME Nováky.

 

At the beginning, the production programme was mainly focused on the repairs of reinforcements, tunnel and cutting combines, various machines and the production of spare parts needed for mining operations. The new economic conditions at the beginning of the 1990s prompted the plant management to consider carefully the possibility of another perspective. The engineering experts were not content with what they already knew and started to innovate the production programme for non-mining technology as well.

 

The urgent need for coal for the developing industry after the end of World War II in 1945 was strongly reflected in the development of coal mining in Slovakia. There were demands for the constant increase in the volume of mining, which could only be ensured by the establishment of new mining plants and the introduction of mechanization into all mining activities.

 

With the start of the 1970s, the rapid development of the coal mining industry began, with an even greater need for machines, especially mining mechanized reinforcements, tunnel and cutting combines. Therefore, the construction of an engineering basis for the concern ULB (Uhoľné a lignitové bane - Coal and Lignite Mines) began to be very urgent.

 

By the decision of the General Manager, Ing. Šenkárčin, on 1st January 1981 a mining mechanisation plant was established, with a special management regime, incorporated to the concern Baňa Cígeľ (Cígeľ Mine). The year 1981 was also a year of preparation for the foundation of a new, independent economic organization. The construction of the mining machine plant, due to its scope and, in particular, the preparation for future operation, determined the establishment of a new enterprise to be the direct investor of the mining machine plant.

 

By decision of 21 December 1981, the Minister of Fuels and Energies established a new organization called BANSKÁ MECHANIZÁCIA A ELEKTRIFIKÁCIA, koncernová účelová organizácia (MINE MECHANIZATION AND ELECTRIFICATION, a concern-based special-purpose organization), based in Nováky, with effect from 1 January 1982.

 

 

On the day of the establishment, on 1 January 1982, the centre of mining machine production from Baňa Cígeľ (Cígeľ Mine) was incorporated into the organization, with a total of 108 employees, of which 99 were workers and 9 were technical and economic employees. The main purpose of the affiliation was to create a staffing potential that would gain the necessary experience in the field of production and repairs mining machines, and in the production start in the new mechanization and electrification plants it would make the smooth production start possible.

 

On the day of its establishment, the new organization employed 142 employees, of which 118 were workers and 24 were technical and economic employees. The first director of the organization was Ing. Ľudovít Jančich, the technical and production assistant manager was Ing. Walter Stiffel, the manager of the machine production and maintenance department was Jozef Mečiar.

Already in the first year of delimitation, the work and production programme focused on the repairs of mining reinforcements, cutting combines, the production of spare parts for these machines and conveyors, the production of small machines. And the end of the year, 3 pieces of functional models of the new BMV 2-3,2 mechanized reinforcement were produced, designed for the mining of the overburden, developed under the effective cooperation of the machine maintenance and production department, the department of the technical preparation of production and Banský výskumný ústav (Mining Research Institute) in Prievidza.

A year later, the number of employees as well as the volume of production and repairs increased. The production concept and the production program were extended by the requirement to produce 20 pieces of a new type of the BMV 2-3,2 mechanized reinforcement.

The construction of the mining machine plants was completed in December 1986. During the first half of 1987, the inspection defects and deficiencies were completely removed. The test operation started in the current production of spare parts on 1 July 1985 and in the other plants in January 1987.
The year 1989 was designated as the target year for the start of the production capacities to the projected performance.