Industrial scale pottery production began in Koło in 1824 in a factory belonging to Zielinski. Establishing a factory in this city gave access to the Russian market. In 1842 Jozef Freudenreich and Henryk Wendler bought a factory building in Koło and started production. Two years later they already had 3 kilns and 31 employees.
The factory produced initially faience, porcelain and glass. In 1880 management took over August, Jozef's son. In 1884 he owned two factories in Koło. One of them produced faience and another one stoneware. Next owners were Stefan and Czeslaw, August's sons, who led the company since 1904. Czeslaw and his daughter were killed in 1939 by Germans because of his Polish patriotic activity.
The outbreak of WWII interrupted further development of factory. It was almost completely destroyed in 1944. In 1945 the factory was nationalized. In the 1950 - 1961 period it acted as independent entity Zakłady Fajansu „Koło” w Kole (Faience Factory "Koło" in Koło. In 1963 it was merged with another factory and named Zakłady Ceramiki Koło (Koło Ceramics Factory)
In 1974 the factory became a branch of a ceramics factory from Włocławek. In 1990s it was privatized. New entity was named Janpol Faience Factory. Later they used name Stanpol. In 2008 production was stopped.
Koło faience tradition is still supported by a small factory operating at Zielona Street.
The best Kolo faience marks guide is prepared by the Koło Museum can be downloaded here.
