2005 The year in brief: FEBRUARY
Rautaruukki buys stake
The Rautaruukki Corporation purchases a 50-percent stake in Metalplast-Oborniki Holding, the leading Polish producer of metal construction panels. Rautaruukki also offers to buy the state's 31-percent holding. The corporation hopes the acquisition will strengthen its position in Central and Eastern Europe. (Poland A.M.)
Michelin in Olsztyn
The northeastern Polish town of Olsztyn attracts a EUR 253-million investment by French tire producer Michelin. Michelin Polska's spokesperson says the contract is just the beginning of the company's investment process. Michelin also wants to build a logistics center and warehouse, as well as expand its manufacturing facility.
Visa hopes
President Aleksander Kwaniewski meets George Bush in the US. Hopes are high that the visit will end visa requirements for Poles visiting the States. Bush expresses his support for Prime Minister Marek Belka's plan, but adds that it is not he who decides who can enter the US visa-free, but Congress.
Centralwings airborne
LOT Polish Airways' low-cost carrier, Centralwings, takes to the air. According to the airline's chief executive, Piotr Kociołek, the company's website has received one million hits, and 20,000 reservations have been made. Centralwings runs in cooperation with its German counterpart Germanwings, offering flights from zł.45 all over Europe.
MNI on WSE
Rebranded as MNI SA, Telecom Szeptel SA debuts on the WSE. Since acquiring Media Net Interactive on January 1, the company has offered premium SMS and MMS services for mobile phones. It announces that it will focus on additional telecommunication services. (Poland A.M.)
