Apr 23 2012, no 475
23.04.2012, 18:02
Highlights from this issue:
TOP STORIES
- Europe's largest biomass plantation in the making (page 14). US investors International Paper and GreenWood Resources are to create Europe's largest biomass plantation near Kwidzyn in the north of Poland. With a planned area of 10,000ha, the project will supply hybrid poplar biomass to replace coal at International Paper's power & steam boilers. Read more here
- New player to shake up oilfield services sector (page 8). Backed by private equity fund Enterprise Investors, US entreprenurs and experts, the Warsaw-based United Oilfield Services seeks to revolutionize Poland's shale gas sector. The company, which has already ordered more than USD 118m worth of cutting-edge drilling and hydraulic fracturing equipment from top US suppliers, is to recruit 1,000 proffessionals.
- Production slows in March (page 22). Although not exactly unexcpected, March's substantial decline in industrial production has proven that the Polish economy is not immune to the European slowdown anymore. Companies are beginning to feel the bite of shrinking orders from Germany.
MANUFACTURING
- Consumer products giant Unilever to invest EUR 23m at Bydgoszcz factory
- Polish Polpharma acquires Polfa Warszawa from the state for PLN 815m
FINANCE
- State Street to create 600 jobs at Krakow financial services centre
- Banking profits rise 38% in 2012, outlook remains rosy
PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION
- German developer ECE to build EUR 170m retail centre in Bydgoszcz
- Skanska invests EUR 155m in Poland, more to come
ENERGY & RESOURCES
- New major player in oilfield services to invest USD 118m and create 1,000 jobs
- Swedish Stena Recycling opens new plant near Wroclaw
TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS
- US FedEx to acquire Polish parcel delivery company Opek
- Swedish Greencarrier takes over Polish freight company Transpoint
- Maersk launches train connections from Gdansk
FOOD & AGRICULTURE
- US investors to develop Europe's largest biomass plantation in Poland
- Danish confectionery company Toms relocating packaging to Leszno
- Israeli coffee chain to open 25 branches in Poland
IT & TELECOM
- TVN to sell Poland's leading web portal Onet.pl
- TPSA turns Orange as fixed-line sector keeps shrinking
- German ECM experts Prime Force open Warsaw office
RETAIL & SERVICE
- Itella Information opens outsourcing centre in Torun
- Temping sector expands as businesses fear slowdown
- Swedish Adding Value introduces Prince2 training to Poland
ECONOMY & POLITICS
- Sluggish growth in output signals slowdown ahead
- Polish companies post record results in 2011
KEY FIGURES pages 24-26
- Wages, inflation, consumer price index, producer price index, industrial output, construction price index, residential construction, commercial property market, retail trade, sentiment indicators, currency, credit, interest rates, money supply, stock exchange, foreign trade, current account, GDP, FDI, unemployment, real earnings, regional data and key economic data forecast 2011-2013.