SSU

Address of the SSU chairman, June 6, 2025

Dear members of the Slovak Maintenance Society, supporters of maintenance,

allow me to address you all as the Chairman of the Slovak Maintenance Society.

In May 2025, the Board of Directors of the Slovak Maintenance Society (SSU) elected me as the Chairman of the Board of Directors so that we can together ensure the improvement of the quality of our association's services and improve cooperation between our members.

I would like to thank the SMS Board of Directors for their trust, and I believe that together we will raise the activities of the SMS to a higher level. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the former Chairman of the SMS, Ing. Gabriel Dravecký, PhD., for his dedicated approach and great contribution to ensuring the functionality of the Slovak Maintenance Society. Thanks also go to Assoc. Ing. Juraj Grenčík, PhD., who, as a former Chairman and newly elected Vice-Chairman, supports me with his experience and as the main organizer of the National Maintenance Forum conference every year.

As for my short introduction, after graduating from high school and technical college in Košice, I worked as a process engineer in the automotive company Getrag. Since 2006, I have been working at U. S. Steel Košice, s. r. o. in several management positions in the field of maintenance. I gained experience as the head of technical diagnostics, where I worked for five years. I worked as the main manager of maintenance reliability of the hot rolling mill and subsequently of the cold rolling mill for 9 years. I currently work as the equipment reliability manager with responsibility for the entire plant in Košice. Under the leadership of Ing. Peter Gazsi, a long-time member of the SMS board of directors, we successfully managed the maintenance transformation and subsequently implemented a new maintenance information system.

My professional maintenance life has always been joined with the Slovak Maintenance Society, where I have met with you, members and supporters of maintenance, since my doctorate studies at TUKE, under the leadership of Professor Dr. hc mult. prof. Ing. Juraj Sinay DrSc. I would like to acknowledge the support of Prof. Ing. Hana Pačaiová, PhD., who, with her approach and dedication to maintenance, influences students, colleagues and members of SSU, including myself.

The Slovak Maintenance Society has become my inspiration, scientific and technical support during my professional life, as a member of the Supervisory Board, later a member of the Board of Directors up to the current position of its Chairman. I am happily married and have three children who are my support.

The Slovak Maintenance Society celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. Currently, together with the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Board, we are working to improve its functioning and strengthen its position in Slovakia and in the European space. SMS, as a member organization of the EFNMS (European Federation of National Maintenance Societies), continues to build cooperation in several committees.

We are pleased that the membership of our society is growing, and we can boast a full spectrum of experts from large, medium and small companies as well as professors, associate professors, engineers and other specialists in various fields of maintenance, which gives us the basis for quality cooperation. There are 58 members in total and we are still growing.

We continue to maintain a high pace of fulfilling the set tasks, where among the main ones I would mention:

  1. organize conferences and seminars
  2. support universities
  3. provide maintenance audits and training for all interested parties, members and non-members of the SSU
  4. participate in EFNMS activities

 

Dear members of the Slovak Maintenance Society,

we will be happy if you contact us with a request for support or assistance in solving your problems, directly in your companies or at professional conferences, courses and workshops. Our effort is to maintain an active approach and up-to-date information, which you can find on our website www.udrzba.sk, on the LinkedIn platform and especially in person.

In these difficult times for the functioning of industry in Slovakia, the main need is to find solutions and answers to the tasks and challenges that maintenance in companies faces.

Let's find these solutions and answers together!

Please send us your requirements, observations or ideas to the following address: kysel@ssu.sk; grencik@ssu.sk;

In conclusion of my speech, allow me to wish you, on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Slovak Maintenance Society, good health and happiness in your personal and professional life.

 

Sincerely,

Branislav Kyseľ