| POLISH INFOMATION AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT AGENCY | ||||||||||||
NEWSLETTER February 19th 2009, Number 110 | ||||||||||||
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TABLE OF CONTENTS NEWS
FROM THE REGIONS
ANALYSES AND REPORTS
DID YOU KNOW...?
FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers, The Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency organised a conference on “The automotive sector in Poland in 2009- current condition and future trends.” For more information on the event go to the News section of the Newsletter. This week we inform about new investment projects realised in the Świdnica Technology Park and in the Podkarpacie Science and Technology Park Aeropolis. It is worth to have a look at the Reports and Analyses section to read about the Polish preparations to join the euro zone. We have the pleasure to inform you that the number of PAIiIZ Newsletter users exceeded 9 000. We welcome all your help and opinions. Pleasant reading! PAIiIZ’s editorial team NEWS Conference “Automotive industry in Poland in 2009” The Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency organised a conference on “The automotive sector in Poland in 2009 - current condition and future trends.” The event enjoyed the patronage of the Minster of Economy.
The conference took place on February 17th in the Ministry of Economy. The aim of the event consisted in exchanging experiences and information on the current condition of the automotive sector in the context of the ever more difficult economic situation. The meeting was opened by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Waldemar Pawlak who emphasised the role of the one single European market and effective co-operation of all EU member states in the current economic condition. The economy minister recommended the introduction of a mechanism which would promote new car acquisition in the country: “To date Poles were convinced that they should own their cars. It is now a good moment to promote consumer leasing with substantial final value for individual clients.” Ms Grażyna Henclewska, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Economy, stressed the importance of governmental support for initiatives concerning employer-oriented changes in the Labour Law, investment credit guarantees and domestic demand support in the times of crisis.
In the first discussion panel PAIiIZ President Paweł Wojciechowski summed up projects realised by the Agency in the automotive sector last year. Mr Wojciechowski emphasised the value of the sector for the Polish economy and presented expected trends in the industry. Ms Solange Olszewska, President of the Solaris Bus&Coach management board emphasised the fact that the first hybrid bus was produced in Poland and that the country ranks among the four biggest bus manufacturers in Europe. Poland’s production is mainly directed to Germany. Mr Antonio Francavilla, Director at General Motors Manufacturing Poland spoke about the situation of the GM Gliwice-based factory and emphasised the need to introduce changes which could exert vital influence on the sector, among others, changes concerning the excise and VAT tax, flexibility of the Labour Code as well as the need of an improved technical monitoring of all the cars on the Polish roads. The condition of the automotive sector in Poland was also commented on by Mr Jakub Faryś, President of the Polish Automotive Industry Association and Mr Roman Kantorski, President of the Polish Chamber of Automotive Industry. The speakers stressed further needs to introduce incentives concerning old cars scraping, new cars acquisition and more dynamic integration of Polish end European regulations regarding the processes. In the second part of the meeting Mr Paweł Tynel, Ernst&Young Senior Manager presented information on public help for the automotive sector. Mr Jarosław Pawłowski, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Regional Development focused on the prospects of structural funds allocation for the sector’s investment projects. The overall domestic and European situation in the industry was commented on by Mr Grzegorz Stulgis, Member of the Alumetal’s Supervisory Board. Mr Krzysztof Kwaśny, General Manager at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Poland, presented a case study showcasing Toyota’s management approach in the new market reality. At the end of the meeting Mr Grzegorz Banakiewicz from the Wrocław Centre for Technology Transfer (WCTT) said that the future belongs to companies presenting a flexible and innovation-oriented approach, business entities applying a dynamic economic model including technological advancements. The conference was attended by numerous representatives of the automotive industry, producents and suppliers. (PAIiIZ) MACROECONOMIC POLAND
Source: www.nbp.pl FROM THE REGIONS Defalin in the Świdnica Industry Park Defalin invests over 50 million PLN in a new factory in Świdnica. On Thursday, February 12th the Defalin’s president informed that a new business entity will be created this year in the frame of the Invest-Park Development (IPD) project. IPD was set up last year and is now starting the construction of the Świdnica Industry Park.
Expected investment outlays are bound to reach 54 million PLN by 2014. This year’s construction stage should absorb 10 million PLN and result in a fully automatic facility with a modern production line. Defalinet – Defalin’s daughter company created to manage the investment, will manufacture innovative nets used in the agricultural sector. This year the company plans to hire 30 persons and the ultimate staff number should reach 50. Recruitment process will start soon (operators, knitters, packers, warehousemen). Production will start in September/ October this year. The ultimate production capacity of the factory is expected to reach 5 thousand tons a year. - The project clearly shows that we are able to prepare an attractive offer for companies from a variety of sectors. The initiative will yet this year generate a several dozens new workplaces in the new Świdnica-based factory. That certainly is a good news. - says Świdnica’s President Wojciech Murdzek. The President emphasises that the initiative of the Świdnica Park and the IPD are both innovative projects promoted by the economic zones’ managements and local governments across the country. Defalin is a well know manufacturer of agricultural strings and nets as well as polypropylene packing tape (13 tones a year). The company distributes its products not only in Poland and in almost all EU member states but also in Eastern Europe, North America and in the Middle East. The new production facility, to be located at the Towarowa Str. in Świdnica, will include one store production floor, a warehouse and office space of a joint space of 5 thousand sq m. Invest-Park Development was established by the Invest-Park Wałbrzych Special Economic Zone and three cities i.e. Świdnica, Dzierżoniów and Wałbrzych. IPD will manage both the realistion and construction stages of the industrial facilities as well as the subsequent renting and managing of the constructed production and office space in the parks. ( Świdinica City Council) First company starts production in AEROPOLIS American Borg Warner Turbo Systems, manufacturing turbo compressors, is to be the 1st company starting production in the Podkarpacie Science and Technology Park AEROPOLIS (PPNT).
The Park has three major localisations i.e. Jasionka (close to an international airport); Rogoźnica and the city of Rzeszów where the academic pre-incubator hosts 15 enterprises created by students and academic researches from local universities. The Park offers a joint space of 123 ha for investment projects. In April this year MTU Aero Engines, a manufacturer of rotors for aircraft engines, will start production in the Park. The company is bound to generate round 400 new workplaces. Among other potential investors there are: Goodrich – manufacturing metal components for the aviation industry, OPTeam S.A – electronic card systems, Vac Aero – plasma spraying and heat treatment contractor for the aviation industry and Zelnar a tool producing factory. In general, procedures allowing investors to operate within the Park promote enterprises of highly innovative and academic profile. 18 new investors applied for business activity permissions to operate in the park. The second stage of the Aeropolis project is bound to start soon. Another 51 ha in direct vicinity of the local airport will be developed and an academic incubator facility with production floors and office space available for lease is planned to be constructed. Plans include also four specialist laboratories to be built at the Rzeszów University and the Rzeszów University of Technology. The facilities will support both the Polish science and help develop innovative solutions for companies operating in the region of Podkarpacie. (PPNT) Kraków Technology Park joins the prestigious EBN network Kraków Technology Park (KPT) is the first Polish organisation supporting innovative small and medium enterprises which is to join the European Business & Innovation Centre Network.
KPT has a chance to join EBN, a Brussels-based leading European network. EBN full membership offers new development opportunities in that it facilitates access to research tools, data bases, analyses, strategic guidance, financial engineering, internationalisation and sign-posting towards existing service providers and other support organisations. EBN was created about 20 years ago by the European Commission and European Industry leaders. Currently the network gathers 160 Business and Innovation Centres (B.I.C.s) and similar organisations and co-ordinates the activities of the members and provides services to them. BICs, being the network’s executing body, are a regional innovation tool for economic development aiming at ensuring that all required activities and services to favour the creation of new innovative businesses and help existing ones to innovate in a context of internationalisation are implemented with maximum efficiency. (KPT Sp. z o.o., EBN) ANALYSES AND REPORTS NBP publishes data on Polish preparations to enter the euro zone According to the report, adopting the European single currency may reduce currency risk and instability, reduce international transaction losses, decrease interest rates and stabilize prices in the country.
The report was presented at a press conference summing up the Polish preparations for the adoption of the one single currency The event was attended by Slawomir Skrzypek, chairman of the National Bank of Poland (NBP). The report indicates that adoption of euro could effectively limit macroeconomic risks in the country. Membership of the euro zone could help the Polish economy achieve greater stability and credibility as well as improve the general economic competitiveness in the long run. Euro should also boost foreign and domestic investment. -The question of Polish integration in the euro zone is still an open question. The intensity of potential benefits and costs Poland may face after the adoption are difficult to foresee. - said Mr Skrzypek on the Monday conference. He added that the instability results from the global economic situation. The report was devised by NBP experts and external economic specialists. (NBP, PAP) Market of value-added services in mobile communications to exceed 1 billion PLN The Polish market of value-added services in mobile communications will exceed 1 billion PLN in 2009. According to a report by PMR, it is the mobile payments, mobile TV and marketing that will develop at the fastest rate. Other value-added services in the branch include games and music applications for portable devices.
According to the report Multimedia and the added-value services in Poland 2009, the value of the market in Poland last year grew by 21.6% in comparison to 2007 and reached round 930 million PLN. This year the expected growth in the segment accounts for 24.1% and is bound to amount to 1.15 billion PLN. In the years 2009-2012 analysts expect further development in the industry. Advancement in the sector should derive from the added-value services effectively expanding ways of mobile phone usage e.g. mobile payments, mobile TV and programmes used in mobile marketing campaigns. PMR specialists claim the retail market of the services would continue to be controlled by the media and specialised service providers. It is mainly the provision of telecommunication infrastructure that provides revenues to mobile telecommunications companies. Interestingly enough, at the end of 2008 four major telecom operators - Polkomtel, Centertel, PTC and P4 – jointly entered the contest for the mobile TV operator. Operators expect the number of mobile TV users in Poland to reach round 100 thousand within a year of the service’s appearance on the market to ultimately achieve round 1 million users in the long run. A survey concerning the content of potentially provided services conducted among representatives of 100 companies in Poland indicates that it is the news services, sport (53%), music (48%), erotica (43%) and interactive entertainment (39%) that stand the best chance of attracting viewers. The operators declare readiness to jointly co-operate in the development of mobile payment services. Works on a common standard on mobile phone managed payments are in progress. Although mobile phones play a limited part in marketing communication in Poland, the tendency has recently been on the rise and should continue growing. Similarly, it is still mainly marketing agencies that constitute the majority of market players in the field which only starts attracting telecommunication operators. PMR is a publishing, consulting and market research company providing information, advice and services to international businesses interested in Central and Eastern Europe. (PAP) DID YOU KNOW...? The first Polish Life Science Park The first construction stage of the Life Science Park in Kraków completed.
Krakow Life Science Park, the first world-class bioscience facility currently realised in Poland, has been managed and commissioned by Jagiellonian Centre of Innovation Ltd (JCI). The first stage of the construction results in Poland's first high-value specialist real-estate product (round 6 thousand sq m) for the commercial Life Science markets. A consortium of companies - PM Group and the Wrocław Ekocentrum - manages the construction in co-operation with the Kraków-based IMB Asymetria. The Asymetria architect’s bureau produced the project’s functional analysis and devised a project for the specialist real-estate infrastructure for life science research activities as well as conducted a technical specification for the construction works organisation. The works at times involved up to 200 co-workers. The completed building is an independent and flexible facility capable of accommodating a wide range of companies to move in and start work. The facility forms part of a complex of research space available for lease in Kraków geared especially towards big companies oriented on costly, long term research projects. Next construction stages assume a specialist bioscience incubator and another flexible facility of 10 000 sq m to be built. The expected research staff capacity hovers around 500. The investment is located within the Kraków Special Economic Zone and is expected to be completed by the year 2010. (PM Group Polska) 
Editorial office: Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency, 00-585 Warsaw, Bagatela Street 12 Economic Promotion Department, tel: (+48 22) 334 99 49, fax: (+48 22) 334 99 99, e-mail: redakcja@paiz.gov.pl | ||||||||||||
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