Interview with the CEO of NKO Machines

Since 2000, the NKO Machines name has become closely tied to professional beveling technology. What began as a small Czech engineering firm has grown into an international brand shipping beveling systems to more than 70 countries, and today the company is seen as one of the leading makers of beveling systems for steel fabrication, stainless-steel processing, welding preparation and heavy industry. We sat down with CEO Milan Richtr to talk about the company's story, its innovation, its global growth and where beveling technology is heading.

Mr. Richtr, NKO Machines has been around since 2000. What was the original vision?

The idea at the start was simple — to do things differently. Back then beveling was often treated as a secondary step, something the metalworking world tended to overlook. We saw huge room for innovation, better productivity and real technical progress. We never just wanted to sell machines; we wanted to build our own technological solutions and help shape the future of beveling.

Your technology is used worldwide now. Did you expect that kind of international growth?

Honestly, at the beginning nobody is thinking about exporting to dozens of countries. But we always had international ambitions and never wanted to stay a purely local maker. The goal was products that could go head-to-head with global brands on quality, reliability, innovation and performance. Today our systems run in shipbuilding, heavy steel fabrication, energy and power, welding production, industrial manufacturing, and infrastructure and construction projects — the result of years of steady development and strong partnerships.

What sets NKO Machines apart from competitors?

One of our biggest strengths is staying focused on real industrial practice. A lot of our solutions come straight out of feedback from operators, production engineers and industrial companies worldwide. We pay close attention to beveling efficiency, operator comfort, mobility and flexibility, automation, stainless-steel and hard-material processing, long machine life, and easy maintenance and service. Our machines aren't built for catalogs or exhibitions — they're built for real production floors.

NKO Machines has always been linked with innovation. How important is development?

It's absolutely essential. If you want to stay a leader in industrial technology, standing still isn't an option — development has to be continuous. Many of our technologies took years of research, testing and refinement before reaching the market, and some of them helped reset expectations across the beveling industry. We invest constantly in new concepts, automation, production optimization and advanced beveling technology for demanding applications.

How do you see the company's position today?

I think we've built a strong European industrial brand with genuine global reach, while holding on to the values that defined us from day one — engineering know-how, flexibility, innovation, direct communication, long-term partnerships and a close connection to real manufacturing. We're not a corporation cut off from production reality; we live industrial manufacturing every single day.

Where do you see the company's future?

Very international. We keep strengthening our presence across Europe, North America and other global markets, and we're developing new projects around manufacturing, automation, digitalization and international industrial cooperation. At the same time we want to keep pushing the limits of beveling technology. Beveling is often underrated, but it has a major impact on weld quality, production speed, operational efficiency, manufacturing cost and final-product precision — and that's exactly where we see our mission: bringing smarter, faster, more advanced solutions to modern industry.

What does being “a leader in beveling since 2000” mean to you personally?

Leadership isn't only about company size or sales figures. A real leader helps move the whole industry forward — bringing new ideas, inspiring innovation, setting technical standards and constantly improving what's possible. That's been our philosophy since 2000.