October 17 saw the official opening of the DBT offices in Ostrava, permanently representing the company in the Czech Republic. DBT mining technology is already well known in the mines of that country. DBT has supplied Czech coal mines with longwall technology since the 1970s. The new office has the goal of further strengthening DBT’s co-operation with Czech customers. Its establishment also reflects the importance that DBT attaches to this key east European market. Both the Czech mining industry and that of neighboring Poland offer DBT good sales prospects in the area of longwall technology.

All the large mines of mining company OKD in the Czech coal district – the CSA, CSM, Lazy, Darkov and Paskov mines – are now DBT customers. Plows, longwall conveyors, shields and other longwall equipment are in use.

Guests at the opening ceremony included numerous representatives of OKD, the directors and senior managers of the individual mines and representatives of partner companies. Representatives of the “Svatá Barbora” (Saint Barbara) foundation – an organization that looks after the families of Czech miners who have lost their lives in mining accidents – were also invited. DBT Executive Vice President Jürgen Krekeler presented a DBT donation of some €1,500.