Contractors look to industry, infrastructure for profits
General contractors are typically hired by developers to manage the entire construction process, from making the original bid on a job to setting timetables and hiring subcontractors when needed.
But, anxious to get a foothold here, foreign construction companies have also acted as developers rather than wait around for orders in Poland's high-end office building market. Examples include Ilbau - contractor for the LIM Center, Aktyn, Ilmet, IPC, and Baltic Business Centre; Skanska with Business Center Wola, and the newest entrant Bouygues with a project at Plac Teatralny.
Polish general contractors are pinning their hopes on growth in industry, retail chains and various infrastructure projects.
Dariusz Soltyszyk, director of the legal and organizational department of Exbud SA, said that his company's main orders are coming from foreign investors entering or expanding operations in Poland. The biggest contract was from Makro Cash & Carry, currently building a chain of wholesale centers throughout Poland.
Budokor won the contract to build the Ford plant at Plock, while Budimex has built two sites for Coca-Cola in Gdynia and Radzymin.
Another area where industry experts see great potential is infrastructure, and the $8 billion highway program in particular. Many of the Polish contractors on the list have formed consortia for the construction of sections of the various motorways planned to criss-cross the countryside.
Jan Paluch, director of construction consultancy Northcroft Poland, is very optimistic about the possibilities for the construction industry. "At the moment, contractors can make a ton of money," Paluch said. "Contractors are getting 15%-30% profits on a project - those are very high margins."
But, anxious to get a foothold here, foreign construction companies have also acted as developers rather than wait around for orders in Poland's high-end office building market. Examples include Ilbau - contractor for the LIM Center, Aktyn, Ilmet, IPC, and Baltic Business Centre; Skanska with Business Center Wola, and the newest entrant Bouygues with a project at Plac Teatralny.
Polish general contractors are pinning their hopes on growth in industry, retail chains and various infrastructure projects.
Dariusz Soltyszyk, director of the legal and organizational department of Exbud SA, said that his company's main orders are coming from foreign investors entering or expanding operations in Poland. The biggest contract was from Makro Cash & Carry, currently building a chain of wholesale centers throughout Poland.
Budokor won the contract to build the Ford plant at Plock, while Budimex has built two sites for Coca-Cola in Gdynia and Radzymin.
Another area where industry experts see great potential is infrastructure, and the $8 billion highway program in particular. Many of the Polish contractors on the list have formed consortia for the construction of sections of the various motorways planned to criss-cross the countryside.
Jan Paluch, director of construction consultancy Northcroft Poland, is very optimistic about the possibilities for the construction industry. "At the moment, contractors can make a ton of money," Paluch said. "Contractors are getting 15%-30% profits on a project - those are very high margins."
