zachodniopomorskie

The region is an ideal place for rest and relaxation. Wonderful beaches, a clean sea, lakes, rivers, forests and National Parks, that are all unspoilt by human activities - these are true oasis’ created for peaceful rest. History and art lovers will be truly enthralled by the treasures of the Western Pomorze region. The Zachodniopomorski voivodship borders with the Baltic Sea to the north and with Germany to the west. Some of the continent’s most important trade routes criss-cross each other here – it’s close to Berlin, Copenhagen and Stockholm! People can reach the area by aeroplane, car, train and by ferry. The voivodship’s capital is Szczecin, which with its maritime, industrial and scientific background has a role that’s far greater than that of a border town. Until recently the region was only thought of in connection with the shipbuilding industry and farming. Today it endeavors to develop many sectors, in particular those connected with modern technology. The voivodship’s pride is its steadily increasing use of renewable sources of energy and the region’s landscape is being changed by the generation of electricity from modern windmills. Sources of thermal water are being utilized at an increasing rate. Szczecin’s history as a port and the needs of the market, favour continuity of the tradition of maritime education, including in higher education the Szczecin Marine Academy, as well as that in secondary education. In particular, the development of higher education in the voivodship is illustrated not only by the emergence of an increasing number of education entities, but also the increasing participation in them by students from Germany and Scandinavia.

The Zachodniopomorski region is a borderland between cultures, styles, influences, which is proud of its turbulent history and building itself a new identity founded upon an extra-regional presence.

• direct access to the sea,
• situated at the junction of important international north-south and east-west transport routes; lies on the internal EU border with Germany,
• extensive infrastructures to the ports and other industries,
• large rural areas and woodlands,
• well developed higher education system and scientific base,
• dynamic development of business support institutions,
• rapidly developing private sector, including the service sector,
• well developed agro-tourist infrastructure.

The region’s great potential in education and the availability of qualified personnel, operations within the framework of the voivodship development strategy to 2015, the links between science and business on the basis of strong centres for integration under the framework for the Zachodniopomorski Centre for Advanced Technology and the availability of cheap office space, are factors favourable to the development of the BPO sector in the voivodship.

Favourable climate conditions within the industry, the necessary source of the raw material and a well developed technical industry related to the wood industry (saw mills, carpentry workshops…), has meant that this field of industry has itself developed dynamically.

The large reserves of human resources, and a numerous amount of potential partners and sub-contractors in the furniture and timber industries, have increased the attractiveness of this sector.

In terms of logistics the voivodship’s location alone will ensure success for an investment in the sector. In the Zachodniopomorski region are the Baltic Sea ports that are located the closest to the Atlantic Ocean. The district has a great potential for development, including the 60-kilometre long Odra river estuary adapted for the use of sea going ships – there’s further access to the navigable river, enabling connection with the whole inland waterway system of Western Europe. Links to the motorway and rail networks in Western Europe, are also undoubtedly plus factors.

When considering the region’s centuries old tradition of fitting out ships and delivering freight, with the R&D environment, the human resources supply in logistics, the utilisation of the ports and the economics of transport; when also focusing on the enormous capacity for loading at the docks – the Szczecin, Police and Świnoujście group of ports, is the largest sea port complex in Poland - then with all certainty we can state that the Zachodniopomorski voivodship is the most perfect area imaginable for logistics investments.

The regional agricultural tradition and the favourable natural conditions for the development of food production and processing, together with the provision of the necessary background in education and R&D, provide a favourable environment for new investments in the food sector. An additional factor favouring development in this sector, is the large number of potential partners in food production, the well developed infrastructure and as a result of its favourable location, superb access to export markets.