Prussian times The beginnings of the company date back to 1868, when
Carl Fiebrandt established a locksmith's workshop in Bromberg (as
Bydgoszcz was called) at then "4 Bahnhoffstraße" (today's 11
Dworcowa Street). Initially, Fiebrandt's workshop dealt with the repair and production of agricultural machinery but expanded in the 1870s to the manufacturing of safety devices for railway traffic. In 1875, the factory moved to the suburban village of Okole (now a district of Bydgoszcz), at today's 30
Grunwaldzka Street. The entity became in 1898 a
Limited Liability Company, one of the shareholders being the enterprise "
Siemens & Halske". Carl Fiebrandt handled alone the company until 1901, when he established a management led by two building advisors, Baum and Bothe. Carl Fiebrandt died on June 15, 1912. Thanks to its
licences, the firm produced setting devices and line blockades for the state railways throughout the
German Empire. It was the first large enterprise in Bromberg (Bydgoszcz) in the electrotechnical and engineering business, then employing about 150 people. The production mostly relied on licenses from two companies: Siemens and "Vereinigte Eisenbahn-Signalwerke" from
Berlin. In the years 1924–1925, on the initiative of the Ministry of Communications, the factory was significantly expanded and equipped with the newest machines. In the 1920s, the plant employed about 500 workers and 100 managers; In 1942, Siemens moved its "Department of electrical flameproof and explosion-proof device for mining" moved to Bydgoszcz. This decision allowed "BZP" to start handling the production of electrical switches for mines and airports. In April 1945, the plant's equipment was intended to be transported back to
Soviet Union and the site was occupied by
Red Army soldiers to that end. but also to
India and
Spain. In 1974, the company merged with
Pomorski Zakłady Aparatury Elektrycznej'-"Apator", based in
Toruń, the ensemble being managed by the
Union of Electrical Machines and Apparatus-"Ema" (). In 1981, the alliance split up, with on one side "Apator" and on the other side the new firm named
Bydgoskie Zakłady Elektro-Mechaniczne-"Ema-Belma" (). In 1989, Poland began a policy of steadfast
economic liberalization which caused BELMA to enter a debt spiral. To end this crisis, a staunch recovery program was implemented: reduction of employment by half (down to 800 people), reduction of the then-generous social benefits, suspension of contributions to the
Social Insurance Institution, suspension of investments. Furthermore, the scheme included massing the production in one site only (i.e. Białe Błota) and selling part of the assets (the cultural center in Bydgoszcz and holiday and recreation centers). In 2009, 85% of the capital was owned by the group
Bumar (purchased in 2011 by
Mesko holding) and 15% by the employees. Since 2015, Mesko group has been a division of the holding
Polish Armaments Group (). During the 2017
International Defence Industry Exhibition organised in
Kielce, "Bydgoski Zakłady Elektromechaniczne "Belma" S.A." was awarded the
Defender prize, for its "Controlled Anti-Tank and Anti-Transport Explosive Charge"
Tulip, highlighting the product's originality, technical innovation and operational value. In June 2018, BELMA celebrated its 150th anniversary. ==Name==