The work in the laboratory was varied, and every sample and analysis was vital to the smooth running of the entire plant. Over time, I also became increasingly involved in monitoring processes carried out directly on the installations.

The age of new technologies
 

Over time, further changes took place. One of them was the introduction of a selective furfural refining plant. Previously, the refinery had used cresol refining, but with the new type of crude oil, furfural produced better results. It was a modern technology that we were only just beginning to understand, and it required precision as well as constant monitoring of operating parameters.

We analysed the products obtained from the process and observed how it worked in practice. Shortly afterwards, we commissioned a solvent-based oil dewaxing plant using a mixture of acetone, benzene and toluene. The plant was built under a Romanian licence.

It was a period of rapid expansion for the refinery. Initially, the plant had a processing capacity of around 500,00 tonnes of crude oil per year; this was later increased to as much as 700,000 tonnes. Looking back today, it was an incredibly interesting time: many things were being built from scratch, and the people working at the plant felt that together they were creating something important.

Behind all the installations were real people: mechanics, electricians and workshop staff who kept the equipment in good working order, carried out repairs and responded to emergencies.

The refinery in the life of the family and the town
 

The refinery has been part of our family’s life for four generations. Even before the war, my grandfather worked there, as did my mother’s eldest brother. In 1938, my father found work at the refinery. Later, my mother’s younger brothers also began working there. The family tradition continued: my brother, my daughter, two of my cousins and I all worked at the plant.

That is why it was difficult to see the refinery merely as a workplace. We lived and breathed that factory: what happened there, the changes that took place and the events that affected the workforce. All of this also shaped family life.

For many residents of Czechowice-Dziedzice, the refinery was their main source of livelihood. In many families, several members worked there, and ties to the plant were passed down from one generation to the next. It was one of the most important factories in the town, so its significance extended far beyond production alone.

The company helped repair roads, supported local initiatives and assisted various organisations, including the health service. In those days, whenever there was a pressing need, people often turned to the refinery.

People, memories and difficult times
 

When, years later, I think back on my time at the refinery, it is the people I remember most of all. It was my first job, and I have always had fond memories of the atmosphere there. Of course, the daily tasks were important, but I also remember the conversations, the teamwork and the everyday moments that were part of life at the plant.

The carnival celebrations organised by the Supreme Technical Organisation also remain a fond memory. They were very successful events, prepared with great dedication. They gave us the chance to meet outside work and spend time together in a completely different atmosphere.

I also remember many of the people I worked with. I particularly recall the moment when, after my first year on the job, I sat my probationary exam and passed it with distinction. I later took up my first independent managerial post during the tenure of director Kazimierz Klęk. In the years that followed, I also had the opportunity to work with directors Alojzy Wasyl, Andrzej Żurek and Ryszard Chrapek. Each of them left their own mark on the refinery’s history. Later, I worked very well with the CEO Piotr Dudek, as well as with Marek Lesisz and the head of production, Marian Dytka.

And now for the most important memory. One day, a very pretty girl appeared in the laboratory; a little while later, she became my wife.

However, the most harrowing memory remains the refinery fire of 1971. It was an extremely painful event, one that deeply affected not only the workforce but the whole of Czechowice-Dziedzice. The scale of the tragedy meant that it remained etched in the memory of everyone connected with the plant for a long time.

Looking back over the years, I realise that the refinery was more than just a place of work. It was part of many people’s lives, a place where different generations came together and where a shared history was forged over decades. It was the people — their work, their dedication and their relationships with one another — who made this plant so special.