| POLISH INFOMATION AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT AGENCY | |||||||||||||
NEWSLETTER December 18th 2008, Number 102-103 | |||||||||||||
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TABLE OF CONTENTS NEWS
INVESTMENTS IN POLAND
FROM THE REGIONS
DID YOU KNOW...?
FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers, In today’s Newsletter we recommend to read an account of a meeting organised by PAIiIZ to sum up Polish EXPO 2010 preparations and an account of a price giving reward organized by the “Rzeczpospolita” daily to celebrate winners of the best Polish brand titles. Moreover, we inform about new foreign investments in the Mielec and Kraków SEZs and about the new multiannual plan envisaging financial help for Samsung and accepted recently by the government. At the end of the issue you will find information on the new fast tram and modern transport solutions in Kraków and the plans of hotel infrastructure development in Poland. Today’s double issue is also the Christmas issue of our Newsletter. Warmest wishes of joy and happiness for a Marry Christmas and a lot of successes in the coming New Year. Pleasant reading! PAIiIZ’s editorial team NEWS Polish Preparations for EXPO 2010 On Thursday, December 11th, 2008 a meeting summing up Polish preparations for Shanghai EXPO 2010 took place in Warsaw.
The cocktail was attended by, among others, the Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Economy Rafał Baniak; the Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure Anna Wypych-Namiotko; the Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of the Infrastructure Olgierd Dziekoński and representatives of the PAIiIZ management board: Mr Robert Kwiatkowski and Mr Sławomir Majman, who is in charge of the Polish Section of the World Exhibition EXPO 2010 Also a numerous group of artists, among others, composer Piotr Rubik, author of a suite created especially for the Polish pavilion for EXPO 2010 as well as Andrzej Fidyk and Krzysztof Kopczyński who realize films promoting Poland in China attended the meeting. Other co-authors of the concept for the Polish participation in the 2010 event i.e. the authors of the Polish pavilion: Wojciech Kakowski, Marcin Mostafa and Natalia Paszkowska, the Commissioner General of the Polish Section of the World Exhibition EXPO Saragossa 2008 Maciej Pawlicki and the former Commissioner General of the Polish Section of EXPO 2010, Anna Kamińska turned out. During the cocktail participants could see a 3D visualization of the Polish pavilion, presented and discussed by professor Maciej Kysiak - Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology. Moreover, guests could enjoy a presentation of outfits prepared for the staff of the Polish section for EXPO. The fashion show was organized by Michał Starost and managed by a fashion critic Jagoda Komorowska. The outfits were selected from among numerous projects. The main award was granted to a set designed by Viola ¦piechowicz. The cocktail served also as an occasion to present the 15-minute suite created by Piotr Rubik especially for the Polish participation in the exhibition in Shanghai. World exhibitions EXPO rank among the most important, the most prestigious and the biggest promotional events of the world. The exhibitions, unlike other commercial exhibitions or fairs, host countries and international organisations. The World Exposition Shanghai China 2010 will take place from May 1st to October 31st 2010 and is expected to be the biggest in the history of the World Expositions ever. Round 70 million people are envisaged to visit the event. (PAIiIZ) Get the Value for Money in Poland For the second time ever Poland was included in the prestigious Country Brand Index (CBI) ranking and classified on a high 5th position in the category “Value for Money”. Poland beats the USA, Malaysia, Turkey, South Africa and Hungary. The country made its debut only last year in the ranking’s the “Rising Star” category.
Countries included in the category “Value for Money” were assessed for the offer and possibilities open to tourists in return for the price they pay. The ranking has been published every December since 2004. This year 2700 people from 9 countries like: the USA, the UK, China, Australia, Japan, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Germany and Russia were surveyed. The ranking, managed by a PR agency Weber Shandwick and by a consultancy firm FutureBrand, classifies countries into 30 categories. This and other rankings published this year, enough to mention the reports by Ernst&Young and the World Bank, classify Poland among the most attractive investment localisations, a place effectively maintaining a considerably high level of competitiveness in this part of Europe. (Ministry of Sport and Tourism) Polish brands according to the “Rzeczpospolita” daily On December 9th “Rzeczpospolita” pulished its 2008 ranking of the most valuable Polish brands.
A meeting organised to celebrate the publication was attended by Adam Szejnfeld the Secretary in the Ministry of Economy. Mr Szejnfeld said that the rewarded companies build the future of the Polish economy and informed that the government perceives the creation of the brand “Poland” to be of utmost importance. - We want our country to become a well-known brand all over the world. It is not possible to achieve the goal without recognisable brands of Polish companies. - emphasised the Minister. To this end the Ministry of Economy prepared a bill on a consolidated promotional system for the Polish economy. The programme will make it possible to coordinate activities of various institutions responsible for positive image creation of the country abroad. Moreover, there are plans to create a Strategy for Economic Promotion of Poland. Both documents are thought to form a basis for the country’s promotion and boost business trust towards the Polish economy: products and services rendered by Polish entrepreneurs worldwide. The Secretary in the Ministry of Economy encouraged the rewarded companies to make further efforts - Everybody becomes more and more aware of the fact that competitiveness depends largely on a company’s brand being highly recognisable on the market.” - Mr Szejnfeld said - I do hope your companies will continue developing and strengthening their brands and that other companies in Poland will follow suit.
330 brands were included in the “Rzeczpospolita” ranking. Paweł Lisiecki, the editor in chief of the daily, emphasized that the joint value of the first 300 brands rose by 25% when compared to last year’s results. Which means that within the last year the Polish brand market experienced a very dynamic development. - In the analyzed group as many as 230 brands gained on value - he added. This year’s was the 5th edition of the ranking and included over 400 companies. In 11 categories the title of the Strongest Brand 2008 was granted to: Bebiko, E. Wedel, Żywiec Zdrój, Żywiec, Apart, Wólczanka&Vistula, Luksja, Allegro.pl, TVN, ERA, PKO BP. (Rzeczpospolita, Ministry of Economy) INVESTMENTS IN POLAND The Council of Ministers accepted a multiannual programme envisaging financial help for Samsung Samsung Electronics Polska invests in a Centre for Research and Development in Warsaw.
On November 10th, the Council of Ministers adopted a resolution to support the investment and grant financial aid in the frame of a multiannual programme. The company will invest close to 25 million and hire 250 university graduates. In Warsaw Samsung plans to open a Telecommunications R&D Centre - the most important centre for new generation cell phone software development. In the years 2009-2011 the company declared to invest 42.6 million PLN in new jobs creation. That is why the government decided to grant the enterprise a subsidy of 3.7 million PLN. The Ministry estimates that thanks to the new investment the national and local budget may gain round 7.5 million PLN in the years 2009-2011. During the time the multiannual programme is force and 5 years after the programme has been completed the budget proceeds are bound to reach 24.5 million PLN. At the moment the Ministry of Economy has been preparing 21 new multiannual programmes which are expected to help companies invest 2.4 billion PLN and create 8 thousand new workplaces. (Ministry of Economy) Goodrich invests in the Mielec SEZ The American concern producing plane components was granted a permission to start economic activity in the Mielec Special Economic Zone. The company declared to invest 131 million PLN and create 250 new workplaces.
According to information revealed by the Euro-Park Mielec, the company plans to construct a factory in a sub zone Trzebownisko, in the vicinity of Rzeszów-Jasionka airport. The plant will manufacture components for undercarriages in passenger planes e.g. for Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. The factory is to be located on a 5ha lot and will be equipped with special machines and devices for mechanic and chemical processing. The factory is planed to be completed by 2012. This is not to be the first Goodrich factory in Poland. In Krosno the company manufactures plane undercarriages for, among others, Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, and Bombardier. The Krosno-based plant closed the year 2006 with a net profits reaching 7 million PLN. The investor is a branch of a Goodrich Corporation, an international concern producing systems, components and providing services for the aviation and defence industry. Goodrich products have been installed in almost every type of aircraft in the world, both military and passenger planes. The Mielec-based SEZ closed 2008 with numerous successes. This year investors declared to jointly invest 1.15 billion PLN. Among the biggest investors attracted to the zone in the recent time there is Ball Packaging Europe, a producer of metal beverage packages who is about to invest 200 million PLN. To date, the zone has been a host to 101 Polish and foreign companies. (Euro-Park Mielec) Gubin to host a new investor The Kostrzyn-Słubice Special Economic Zone will host a new investor. Tekra, a company from metal industry will construct a factory in the Gubin sub zone of the SEZ.
The investing company was established by DEPA GMBH - a crane producer who plans to build a factory in a 2.8ha lot in Gubin. The plant will manufacture metal and steel structures for industrial machines and especially for telescope cranes. The investor declared to invest 13.5 million PLN by 2011 and to create 30 workplaces by the end of 2009. Staff number is planned to ultimately be increased to 200 persons.
Only this year the Kostrzyn-Słubice Zone issued 14 permissions for economic activity. Companies granted the permissions declared to invest 842.7 million EUR. The overall number of permissions issued by the SEZ reached 169. (KS SEZ) Danish investment in Tarnów The management of the Kraków Special Economic Zone issued another permission for business activity in the Tarnów sub zone. Berendsen Textile Service will be able to benefit from public aid in the form of tax exemptions.
The Danish company will invest at least 12.5 million PLN in constructing an environment-friendly dry cleaner's and will ultimately create 70 new jobs. The company is a well known brand in Europe and has also been rendering B2B services to a number of companies in Poland since 1996 Berendsen Textile Service is the 9th company this year and 67th in the history of the zone that decided to invest in the Kraków SEZ. This year’s investors declared to incur investment costs to the tune of 1.05 billion PLN and to create 250 new workplaces. (Krakow Technology Park) MACROECONOMIC POLAND
Source: www.nbp.pl FROM THE REGIONS Fast tram inaugurated in Kraków Since Friday, December 12th Kraków’s residents may use the first Fast Tram, which connects the northern and southern parts of the city.
During the ceremony opening the first line of the tram the Kraków’s President Jacek Majchrowski declared that in the next few years fast trams will reach also other parts of the city. - Next year we want to start preparations for the construction of a track leading towards the Golikówka district, which in the long run would go over a train artery to reach the Wielicka Str. The already existing tracks will be modernised to suit the needs of the new means of transport. Interestingly enough, the Krakow Fast Tram rises interest not only among the city’s residents. - The project, especially the tram tunnel, attracts attention of city representatives from Central and Eastern Europe. - emphasised the Krakow Deputy President Tadeusz Trzmiel who only recently took part in the Vienna Forum for Dialogue dedicated to municipal economy. The tunnel constructed under the Kraków Communication Centre results to be a unique structure on the continent. The underground tunnel not only is the longest tram tunnel in Europe but additionally is located in direct vicinity of the Old Town and effectively contributes to streamline the traffic flow in one of the most jammed spots of the city. - It is the tunnel that makes it possible to reach the two opposite edges of the city i.e. 15km in no more than 30 minutes. - said the Deputy President. It is worth emphasising that a special control system will be responsible for ensuring the trams’ right of way at all crossroads of the vehicle’s track. New generation low-floor tram carriages will be equipped with information systems and a card readers for the Krakow Karta Miejska (electronic transport ticket).
DID YOU KNOW...? Central Statistical Office: 500 new hotels to 2012 According to the Central Statistical Office (GUS), last year 75 new hotels were built in Poland. Companies monitoring the hotel market forecast that 500 more will have been constructed by 2012.
According to analyses carried out by the Polish Institute of Tourism the upcoming years are bound to witness growth in demand on hotel services in the country both on the part of Polish and foreign tourists. Interest in new hotels, guesthouses and leisure centres is expected to rise, especially in regions without a sufficient infrastructure of the kind. The European Football Championships in 2012 co-organised by Poland are to serve as a challenge and an additional stimulus for the whole hotel industry. Experts claim that in order to be able to receive 1.5 million sports fans, the country should increase the amount of accommodation units by 30 thousand. Another important challenge of the industry consists in reassuring a sustainable development of the sector which would encompass hotel infrastructure of all regions at a similar level. The existing infrastructure tends to be centralised in several regions i.e. in the Mazowsze, Małopolska, Lower Silesia, Western part of Pomerania and Silesia. The Central Statistical Office informed that since the year 2000 450 new hotels were constructed in Poland i.e. within 8 years the number of hotels rose by 50%. Also the standard of tourist facilities has been on the rise: the number of one-star hotels has been dwindling and, in turn, the number of hotels of medium and high standard were becoming more numerous. The number of four-star hotels in 2007 was four times higher than such facilities as of 1996. In March and April the greatest percentage of investment plans in the tourist industry was declared to be realised in the Mazowsze (280) and Lower Silesia regions (208). (PIT, GUS) 
Editorial office: Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency, 00-585 Warsaw, Bagatela Street 12 Economic Promotion Department, tel: (+48 22) 334 98 15, fax: (+48 22) 334 99 98, e-mail: redakcja@paiz.gov.pl | |||||||||||||
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