Vitkovice Heavy Machinery carries on the tradition of Vitkovice Ironworks (former Rudolf Hütte) founded in 1828 by archbishop Rudolf von Habsburg.

After shutdown of the last blast furnace 1998, the electric steel plant followed in 2020 together with entire Vitkovice Heavy Machinery division.

Even though the dark rumble still can be heard in Vitkovice. There is still the forging division with state-of-the-art high-speed forging machine from 2011 (made by SMS Meer) and the old forge with the 6000 t steam hydraulic press manufactured in 1928 by Davy Brothers in England.