The History of the SECO/WARWICK Group
Today, the SECO/WARWICK Group is an international organization with strong local roots and a global reach
Our history spans several countries – the United States, Germany, China, India, and Poland – where we have expanded our operations by building new structures and acquiring well-established, experienced companies.
We are a combination of experience and expertise from various markets, as well as the legacy of companies such as Elterma (founded in 1950, acquired by SECO/WARWICK in 2003), CAMLAW Ltd. (in 2002, SECO/WARWICK acquired the intellectual property — CAB technologies), and Retech (operating since 1963, fully part of the Group since 2010). The acquisition of Retech System LLC marked a strategic milestone, as the Group entered the top-tier segment of titanium and superalloy melting technologies. The complete takeover of Retech represents one of the strongest technological synergies in global vacuum metallurgy and shaped the Group into five key technology areas.
These elements form the foundation of SECO/WARWICK Group’s shared story – a story of continuous growth, innovation, and global expansion.
The Group’s Polish Origins
Our history in Poland has very specific roots: Lubuskie Zakłady Termotechniczne Elterma (founded in 1950), from which the co-creators of SECO/WARWICK emerged. In 2003, Elterma S.A. formally joined the Group, strengthening us with expertise in atmospheric and aluminum furnaces and – just as importantly – with an engineering culture and a team that remains our advantage today.
It was the people of Elterma who made the “American dream” come true in Świebodzin. Their courage and craftsmanship were at the origins of Trans VAC and the joint venture with a partner from the USA—this was the moment when GPW was established in Poland and the first email was sent.
American Roots in Meadville
The American thread of history runs through Sunbeam Equipment Corporation in Meadville. In 1958, Sunbeam acquired the Westinghouse furnace division and moved its operations to Pennsylvania.
In 1984, a group of managers bought out Sunbeam Equipment Corporation and Warwick Furnace Company, creating SECO/WARWICK — a name that combines “SECO” (Sunbeam Equipment Corporation) and “Warwick.” Since that moment, SECO/WARWICK has continuously operated under its current brand in Meadville.
It was from Meadville that collaboration flowed to Świebodzin, resulting in a joint venture, SECO/WARWICK Corporation, with the Polish Trans VAC (est. 1989) in 1991. This is how SECO/WARWICK was formed, and we consider this day (June 1, 1991) to be the symbolic beginning of the Group — since then, we have been developing technology, opening subsidiaries, and implementing solutions worldwide.
Today, the SECO/WARWICK Group has subsidiaries in Poland, Germany, China, India, and the United States. Our innovations have resulted in dozens of patents, numerous industry awards, and thousands of implementations in over 70 countries worldwide.
Thanks to this foundation, SECO/WARWICK is well-positioned to be a technological leader in heat treatment and vacuum metallurgy – and the first choice for our Partners.
Get to know our history
01 January 19851985
SECO/WARWICK is registered trademark 
01 January 19911991
SECO/WARWICK created a join venture company with Trans-Vac in Poland, creating SECO/WARWICK Ltd. 
31 March 20022002
SECO/WARWICK purchases the intellectual property of CAMLAW Ltd. 
31 March 20032003
SECO/WARWICK Ltd. acquires ownership of ELTERMA S.A. 
31 March 20042004
Establishment of SECO/WARWICK Moscow service and sales office 
31 March 20062006
SECO/WARWICK enters into a Joint Venture agreement with Tianjin Kama Elevtric Thermal Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd. to form SECO/WARWICK (Tianjin) Industrial Furnace Co., Ltd. 
31 March 20072007
SECO/WARWICK S.A. is established; the SECO/WARWICK Group includes SECO/WARWICK S.A. as world headquarters (Poland), SECO/WARWICK Corp. (USA), ELTERMA S.A. (Poland, and SECO/WARWICK Industrial Furnace Co., Ltd. (China) 
31 November 20072007
SECO/WARWICK debut on Stock Exchange 
31 September 20072007
SECO/WARWICK S.A. Sign Strategic Alliance Agreement with Retech Systems LLC in Ukiah, CA (USA) 
31 March 20082008
Joint Venture formed with Allied Consulting Engineers Pvt. Ltd. (India) to create SECO/WARWICK ALLIED Pvt. Ltd. 
31 September 20102010
SECO/WARWICK RETECH Thermal Equipment Mfg. (Tianjin) Co. Ltd. established 
01 January 20112011
ELTERMA S.A. corporate name changed to SECO/WARWICK ThermAL S.A., Retech LLC is wholly owned by the SECO/WARWICK Group 
31 December 20112011
SECO/WARWICK GmbH in Germany, Stuttgart, was founded as a JV (51% of shares) 
31 February 20122012
SECO/WARWICK creates one company for the production activities of both SECO/WARWICK S.A. and SECO/WARWICK ThermAL S.A. in Świebodzin/Poland named SECO/WARWICK Europe S.A. 
31 August 20122012
SECO/WARWICK S.A. acquires 100% ofthe shares of SECO/WARWICK GmbH 
31 December 20122012
SECO/WARWICK GmbH acquires 100% of the shares of NESPI International GmbH in Kleve, Germany, and renames the company into SECO/WARWICK Services GmbH 
31 March 20132013
SECO/WARWICK do Brasil Ltda. in course of incorporation, Sao Paulo, Brazil 
31 March 20152015
SECO/WARWICK service and sales office in France was establish 
31 March 20162016
SW Services was established - SWS is dedicated of professional services 
13 February 20172017
Introducing Seco/Vacuum Technologies, the new North American Vacuum Furnace Company 
13 May 20172017
SECO/WARWICK Systems & Services (INDIA) Pvt. Ltd. was established 
01 January 20182018
Katarzyna Kowalska the new Managing Director at SECO/WARWICK Services 
05 June 20192019
Sławomir Woźniak - The new President of SECO/WARWICK Group. 
01 February 20202020
Katarzyna Sawka the first female Vice President responsible for marketing 
26 January 20212021
Opening of Retech Systems LLC sales and customer service office, in Buffalo, USA 
31 May 20232023
Opening of SECO/WARWICK USA. sales and customer service office, in Meadville, USA 
31 May 20232023
Opening of SECO/WARWICK, sales and customer service office, in Zielona Góra, Poland 
27 March 20242024
SECO/WARWICK to establish an office in Monterrey, Mexico, to serve regional heat treatment Partners better 
17 April 20242024
SECO/WARWICK increases manufacturing capacity in India 
17 April 20252024
Retech, a division of SECO/WARWICK Group, has acquired ReMelt Scientific 
05 June 20252025
SECO/WARWICK Consolidates Operational Structure in the USA 
02 November 20252025
The 5,000th technological solution has rolled off SECO/WARWICK’s production line 
Sławomir Woźniak, CEO SECO/WARWICK
Our values
The SECO/WARWICK values are similar to human DNA. They are inherent to the company and their roots come from the vision and values of its founders. They create a DNA chain with our and our partners’ DEVELOPMENT as the primary genotype.
Our innovations are not limited to creating modern furnaces or production lines with advanced technologies. INNOVATION means to take actions leading to the development of new or better products, processes, technologies or organizations. We know that innovation is omnipresent, therefore we want it to be visible in our thinking, approach and performance, anywhere in the world, at any workplace and in any operation. In the relationships with our customers, suppliers and employees, we put the interest of the other party first.
PARTNERSHIP means that for us, a mutual obligation of the parties is founded on respect and responsibility, and feedback is part of our development because it enables us to design SAFETY AND STABILITY in all reliable products that we deliver. What is more, the creation chain involves people whom we wish to provide with stable jobs and continuous development. And for our partners, we want to be a sure and business-sound option because you shall not disappoint your partner. Therefore, another one of our values is RELIABILITY so that we do not disappoint you as people, partners, and technology providers. This makes us CREDIBLE, one of the global business community’s critical challenges. Such a broad perspective, also considering the impact on the environment, people’s needs and social responsibility, allows us to achieve long-term SUSTAINABILITY in our economic and organizational growth.
Corporate social responsibility
in SECO/WARWICK’s DNA
According to us, being socially responsible is not limited to meeting formal and legal requirements. For years, we have been creating a coherent model of responsible business and focusing on supporting the local community, the environment and building generations. We treat broadly understood issues relating to CSR activities as an investment and a source of development for the company and its stakeholders.
“We are an organization that focuses on CSR activities that have not only a financial dimension, but also a social one that engages us, the employees. We consciously involve our employees, partners and customers in helping. This is the key to understanding responsible business, and thanks to this we support the idea of partnership and a sense of community” – underlines Katarzyna Sawka Vice President of Group Marketing.
Distinguished
innovation leader
We have received many renowned and recognized (by the industry and by business) awards and distinctions for our broad research and development activities (INNOVATION LEADER and MERIT FOR INVENTIVENESS); confirming our financial transparency and particular achievements for the economy (BUSINESS GAZELLES); for the reliability of our
services and untarnished opinion among customers and business partners (TRUSTWORTHY COMPANY). HSBC listed SECO/WARWICK among a few companies developing their activities worldwide and has awarded the title of Hidden Champion, whereas the EXPORT BRAND distinction recognizes the company’s development activities on global markets.
Our awards
01 January 19991999
Business Gazelle 
29 March 20002000
Business Gazelle 
02 March 20012001
The Winner of the 8th edition 
31 September 20012001
Brussels Eureka Award 
31 March 20022002
Business Gazelle 
31 September 20022002
Deutsch - Polmisher Innovationpreis 
31 December 20022002
The Lubush region companies ranking 4th place 
31 March 20032003
Business Gazelle 
31 March 20042004
Business Gazelle 
31 June 20042004
Pillars of Polish economy 
31 September 20042004
No 70 of Rzeczpospolita's TOP 100 
31 November 20042004
QAD-award 
31 January 20052005
Business Gazelle 
31 March 20052005
Rzeczpospolita’s Largest Companies Ranking 
31 June 20052005
XI Edition of AS EXPORTS 
31 October 20052005
The Finalist of Small and Medium-sized 
31 November 20052005
Super Gazelle of Business in the Lubush region 
31 December 20052005
ELTERMA is ranked 10th in a ranking of Lubuskie Province companies employing more than 50 people. 
31 January 20062006
Business Gazelle 
31 September 20062006
Business Gepard 
31 October 20062006
The weekly Teleinfo names ELTERMA among Poland’s 100 best-computerised companies. 
31 January 20072007
The weekly Teleinfo names ELTERMA among Poland’s 100 best-computerised companies. 
31 September 20072007
Super Gazelle of Business 
31 September 20072007
Golden Laurel 
31 March 20082008
Super Gazelle of Business 
31 September 20082008
Business Gepard Competition 
31 December 20082008
Pillars of Polish economy 
31 March 20092009
Platinium Partner 
31 March 20102010
METAL ALUMINIUM & NONFERMET 
31 September 20102010
Medal in the Innovation Competition at Metal Trade Fair 
31 September 20132013
SECO/WARWICK "The One Who Changes Polish industry" 
31 March 20152015
Skillful developing of a strong global industrial company 
31 March 20162016
SECO/WARWICK - „Trusted Company” 
05 September 20222022
Good Company 
22 August 20222022
Most Dynamic Business Leaders 
