Tradition and passion in the fourth generation - Rojek, classic woodworking machines

We love stories, even if the starting point is classic woodworking machinery and not some Cosan. We want to find out how a brand came into being, who was the first to set out on this journey and what drove them to do it. Each milestone in time says something about the passion with which the machines were built and about continuity, about tradition. Some time ago we were talking about Altendorf, inventor of the first moving table circular. This time we tell the story Rojek, a Czech manufacturer of classic woodworking machinery, now run by the fourth generation of Rojek. The story was told to us by Nika Machinery, representative Rojek in Romania.

Birth of a brand

The First World War made it possible Josef Rojek with internal combustion engines. He developed a passion for them and learned to repair them, making it a profession after the war. He saved some money, with which he bought a piece of land from a countess in Častolovice, on which he built a house and a small workshop. Immediately after the war, a period of reconstruction began, and carpenters and small workshops were faced with large demands, many of which they could hardly cope with. But things went slowly because there were no machines to process wood quickly. This prompted Josef to think of a machine that would make work easier and speed things up.

It was 1921 when he conceived, designed and built the first woodworking machine - a universal carpentry machine that cut, drilled and milled wood - which he named after himself, Rojek. A period of rapid development followed, and soon machines under the Rojek brand name were spreading beyond the borders of the Czech Republic to countries in northern Europe - Sweden, Finland, Norway - and other continents (Australia, Canada). Even in times of crisis and during the Second World War, the company continued to develop and produce its machines, which were increasingly appreciated throughout the world for their robustness and precision. By the end of the war, the Czech woodworking machinery company Rojek was producing table circular saws, vertical band saws, planing (abricht), roughing (thicknessing) and drilling machines.

Unfortunately, the Czech Republic, like the rest of Eastern Europe, came under the domination of the Soviet Union, and soon fell under communist rule. Josef continued to produce machinery under a socialist form of organization, Dřevostroj, which he founded and ran until his death in 1958. Shortly afterwards it was nationalized and became part of Kovodružstvo Rychnov nad Kněžnou, which continued to manufacture and sell machinery under the Rojek brand until 1980.

1991 - another beginning

After Josef's death, no family members worked in the company he founded and now state-owned, but the desire to continue the tradition has survived in his descendants. Soon after the fall of communism, Josef's grandson Josef, Jiří Rojek, he began the steps to recover the factory founded by his grandfather. It was a difficult process with many procrastinations and intermediate stages, but in 1991 the cooperative founded by Josef was separated from the one that had incorporated it, and the Rojek company, founded in the meantime by Jiří Rojek, bought it. It was a heartfelt purchase to honor the memory of the grandfather. But several technological improvements were needed to bring the company to its current level of competitiveness.

The first car produced was a combined machine - KDR MSP 300 - with 300 mm table. The machine was improved several times over the years and the 410 mm table version - MSP 410 - was built. The construction of other classic woodworking machines started - moving table circulators, mortising and milling machines.

Jiří Rojek, together with his two sons, started a process of reconstruction and international expansion of the company. Other production lines were added, such as that of central heating units. Production increased with the entry into other markets and it was necessary to build another factory in Kostelec nad Orlicí. Rojek's woodworking machines can be found in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia, and the company has a solid network of distributors.

Now, after the death of Jiří Rojek, the company is run by Evžen Rojek, fourth generation Rojek.

Rojek machines on the Romanian market

The most popular machines produced by Rojek are:

• Table circulars ROJEK PK 250 A / ROJEK PK 320 A / ROJEK PF 350 / ROJEK PF 400,
• Milling machines ROJEK FSN 300 A / ROJEK FSN 550 A,
• Roughing machine ROJEK RFT 630,
• Wood planing machines ROJEK RFS 410 / ROJEK RFS 510,
• Combined straightening and thickness planing machines ROJEK MSP 415 / ROJEK SP 410,
• Universal carpentry machines ROJEK KPFN 300 A / ROJEK KPSN 300 A / ROJEK KPSN 400 A.

The machines are reliable and robust, which is why they are also appreciated by customers in Romania. They were designed to simplify carpentry production, so all configurations are complete, ready to use as standard (options only enhance the machine). Rojek continues the tradition of 'lifetime' machines, with many of the machines produced by Josef Rojek in the past still in operation.

"Rojek machines are highly appreciated by our customers. They are like a good friend you can always rely on. With their solid construction and wide range of products, Rojek machines meet all machining needs, making them ideal for both individual workshops and large factories. Their attractive price also allows them to be included in numerous European-funded projects, including StartUp Nation." - Cristian Brosiu, administrator Nika Utilaje

Future plans

The company's future plans are primarily focused on the near future, i.e. next year, when the 100 years since the first Rojek machine was manufactured, 100 years of woodworking machinery building tradition. They want to honor the event with a number of improved machines:

• A superior technical level of the professional circular saw with 3-axis control,
• An innovative way to change drills in chuck,
• Innovative support frames for table circulators

and many other improvements to existing machinery.

Future plans include the development of the company in both directions - woodworking machinery and heating plants - and the expansion of the dealer network so that Rojek will be a globally recognized brand. Bold plans backed up by the determination of generations of enthusiasts and the 'legacy' of a resonant name in the wood industry.