The value of 53 investments completed with the support of PAIiIZ has amounted to €905.2 m. However, the average value of a single project in 2013 reached up to €17 m. That was less than in previous year - summarised director of the Foreign Investment Department Iwona Chojnowska. This is due to two factors: the increasing number of projects in the service sector, which do not bind with high capital and due to high share of reinvestments. Companies already operating in Poland do not have to bear with the high costs of the completely new projects. Director Chojnowska also stressed that the average number of new jobs created due to a particular project (358 new jobs) is much higher than in previous year.

From 53 inward projects completed in 2013, the majority came from: the US (17 projects), Germany (7 projects), UK (5 projects). In 2013 PAIiIZ has also supported three projects each from France, Belgium and Finland. The majority of completed projects in 2013 were provided by BPO & ICT (22 projects) and automotive sector(10 projects) and R&D (7 projects) sectors.

Currenntly PAIiIZ supports 164 investment project including three really big ones - argues S.Majman

- It is worth to note that the food sector, which during the last year became the engine of Polish exports, is getting more important. In 2013, we closed only two projects in this sector, but currently we are working on many other investments from this area - said director Chojnowska.

Not only in the food sector, but also in other industries PAIiIZ observes a clear trend of reinvestments. From the 53 projects completed in the past year, 42% (22 projects) are reinvestments. It is a very good sign which confirms that foreign companies appreciate the investment climate in Poland and are ready to stay in Poland for longer. Majority of investors that completed projects in 2013 have mostly chosen Dolnośląskie, Śląskie and Mazowieckie provinces. 28% of all projects were located in the SEZs.

Poland gets more projects from business services sector, noted PAIiIZ President Sławomir Majman. As he argued, in the past year 23 of all 53 investments were dedicated to that business activity. President Majman also noted the increasing dominance of American capital.

Press conference on investments in 2013

PAIiIZ is currently providing 164 investment projects (more than a year ago) with a total value of €3.3 billion, which in the future can create 30 487 jobs. Among the supported projects, majority come form US, Germany, China and Japan. Sectors that dominate in the newest investments are: BPO & ICT, automotive industry, R&D sector and aviation. - Among the supported investments there are few really big projects - revealed president Majman.

- The activity of PAIiIZ goes far beyond the investments. The Agency supports not only foreign investors but also the Polish companies - added Sławomir Majman, recalling the large promotional projects as GoChina and GoAfrica.

Last year, the investment climate in Poland remained at 3.4 points in the five-point scale. Poland as a place for investments is perceived better especially by large and medium size companies. (PAIiIZ)

The meeting was led by PAIiIZ president Sławomir Majman, who started the event referring to a recent World Bank Report. It shows that Poland can achieve 2.8% of GDP growth in 2014. Investment and exports are the factors that stimulate the growth, he stressed.

Meeting of PAIiIZ representatives and Korean students

Poland with 13,111 new jobs was ranked as one of the European leader in terms of jobs creation. PAIiIZ confirms that trend. Thanks to the investment projects supported by the Agency in 2013, 18,963 new jobs are going to be created in the nearest future.

The meeting was attended by 30 students from Korea who study in Poland in: Warsaw School of Economics, University of Warsaw, Koźmiński University.

More information: www.paiz.gov.pl/20130108/korean_students_train_in_paiiiz. (PAIiIZ)

BTH Import Stal declared the will to spend the biggest amount of capital reaching PLN 47m. Moreover, the steel producer plans to hire 20 new employees.

The second biggest investment in KSE, with a value of PLN 22m, will be delivered by Becker Industrial Paints - a part of The Beckers Group. Beckers is going to create 10 new jobs.

Separator's, that produces and distributes spare parts for oil separators, heat exchangers and auxiliary devices, will invest PLN 7m and hire 10 new employees.

In addition, PLN 1m will be invested by the IT company VoiceFinder that provides services related to the use of modern technologies in the process of biometric searching and indexing of audiovisual resources. The investor will hire three new employees. (KPPT)

The project consist of a construction of a warehouse with a production hall and a call centre. BWK will provide there a complex logistics services including innovative solutions for managing the process of commissioning.

The company plans to open the logistic centre at the beginning of 2015. (LPPT)

Weidenhammer Kutno Poland will build a food packaging plant in Łódź SEZ. Until the end of 2015 company plans to invest at least PLN 25 m and hire 31 new employees.

The second packaging company will operate in Radomsk Sub Zone. VPK Packaging will provide production of cardboard packaging there. The expenditures for this investment will reach PLN 58.8 m. The company plans to employ at least 30 new employees. (ŁSEZ)

Łódź Special Economic Zone (source: ŁSEZ)

The production hall for advances machinery will be build as a new investment. At the beginning, the company will employ 10 new members of staff. The final number of new jobs is expected to rise to 30 in the nearest future. The total value of Q4Glass ABJ investment is PLN 9 m.

The company specialises in the production of glass mainly for construction sectors. (PARR)

The Forum is organised on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the economic transformation of Poland. The aim of the meeting is to promote Polish economy and achievements of companies in particular sectors: furniture, cosmetics, yachting, fashion, IT and ICT, recreation and spa industries.

An exhibition of Polish products and country’s economic offer will be prepared as a part of the Forum. Participants will also have a chance to take part in B2B meetings with Belgian entrepreneurs.

More information: www.brussels.trade.gov.pl. (TIPS)

The meeting is addressed to Polish entrepreneurs cooperating with Indian partners or interested in starting such cooperation. During the seminar, current economic linkages between the two countries will be presented. Participants will also discuss prospective areas of providing business and trade as well as opportunities of investment cooperation.

More information: www.kig.pl/znajd-zagranicznego-partnera/bwzz/3744.html. (KIG)

In November 2013, retail sales in the European Union increased by 1.2% compared with October 2013. Among the countries of the European Union the highest increas4e of total retail sales on a monthly basis were recorded in Portugal (+3.1%), Luxembourg (+2.3%), France, (+2.1%), Spain and Poland (both +1.9%).

chris-Fotolia.com

Spherical Panoramas have been made by a special unmanned aerial vehicle called “drone”, from about 200m above the ground. The high-resolution photos includes the most important points on the hybrid map of SSEZ as well as the outline of all available plots with their acreage. Due to that, the investor obtains basic information about the potential investment areas straight from the sphere map. Moreover, one can move smoothly from one map to another, comparing plots, getting wider view of the area, or checking the location of the competitors and the distance to the local authorities’ office.

Spherical Panorama of SSEZ

Panoramic views are available on: pansfer.sse.slupsk.pl. (PARR)

Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity is organised annually by WOŚP Foundation as a one-day public fundrising all over Poland and in many parts of the world. Every year, nearly 120,000 volunteers raise money to buy advanced medical equipment on saving lives and provide medical treatment for particular group of patients, especially the youngest and the oldest ones. During the last finale of the event, WOŚP Foundation raised PLN 50,6m ( $16,4m)

According to the latest Brand Asset Valuator™ WOŚP is at the top of a list of Poland’s strongest brands. The survey, conducted by BAV Consulting, Young & Rubicam and Millward Brown, covered 1500 brands form the Polish market, assessing their differentiation, relevance, esteem and the knowledge people have about them. (WOŚP)

NeuroOn is to be the world's first mask supporting a polyphasic sleep - a kind of sleep that is divided to several shorter sleep sessions throughout the entire day rather than one long rest of the night.

The device’s casing features electronics that study your brainwaves, eye movements and facial muscles tension. Next, the data are sent to a smartphone that analyses the information and charts one’s sleep. It records when our sleep is the deepest, how often we wake up or if we suffer from sleep apnoea. Also, the software can gently wake you up in the morning during the light phase of your sleep, or even advice how to get over the jetlag as well as “program” everyone into polyphasic sleep. www.poland.gov.pl.