BSH opens its largest regional factory in Lodz

The factory, which is BSH's largest in the region, is expected to produce 130,000 washing machines this year and 400,000 units annually as of 2002. About 30-40% of the factory's production will be exported, mainly to Eastern European countries. "Prospects for development of the Polish home appliance market are favorable, because although washing machines and refrigerators are in 90% of households, 35% of them are more than 10 years old," said a BSH representative, adding that there also exists an enormous demand for spare parts. BSH has retail outlets in Warsaw, Poznan and Gdynia and aims to gain 8% of the Polish market in 1998 and 15% by 2000. (Zycie, page 11, Prawo i Gospodarka, page 5, Rzeczpospolita, page 10)