Former astrophysicist shines as brokers printer
But after Poland's transition to a market economy, Proszynski decided to shoot for more lucrative galaxies.
With $25,000 of their own money, he and three colleagues founded magazine publishing and printing concern Proszynski i S-ka. They also started a brokerage firm, Kant IMM (named for the German Enlightenment philosopher) that bought and sold compensation certificates issued by the Polish government. The company just sold the brokerage to Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, but has no plans to get out of the magazine business.
Today, Proszynski is a shining star in the domestic magazine market, publishing 14 monthlies and one bi-monthly. But the influx of foreigners in the Polish market has taken its toll on the company, which had an annual turnover last year of zl. 79 million ($33.6 million). It just published its last edition of Kwak, a children's magazine, which was losing money.
Proszynski said he cannot afford to raise prices and said that for every title his company launches it doesn't take long before competitors pop up. "The magazine market is overheated, it is saturated," he said.
While increasing competition has taken its toll on his magazine business, the printing side is flourishing.
Proszynski owns two printing facilities on Poland, SUPERKOLOR SA in Warsaw and Zaklady Graficzne in Pila.
Starting with one press, the company now owns six. While Proszynski could not give an exact amount for the investment, he did say that the price of a new press could run as high as $10 million. Clients include the Polish Red Cross and Gazeta Wyborcza's weekly magazine. (Donnelley Polish American Printing Co. prints half of Gazeta Wyborca's magazine).
Sometimes, Proszynski's plants are totally booked and he has to sublease other plants. Currently, the company prints one of the 16-page sheets of Poradnik Domowy on someone else's press.
Proszynski expects the need for web-offset printers to expand in the next few years since there are only about 24 in the country. He added that his company is looking to expand capacity and is getting ready to purchase another offset press.
With $25,000 of their own money, he and three colleagues founded magazine publishing and printing concern Proszynski i S-ka. They also started a brokerage firm, Kant IMM (named for the German Enlightenment philosopher) that bought and sold compensation certificates issued by the Polish government. The company just sold the brokerage to Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, but has no plans to get out of the magazine business.
Today, Proszynski is a shining star in the domestic magazine market, publishing 14 monthlies and one bi-monthly. But the influx of foreigners in the Polish market has taken its toll on the company, which had an annual turnover last year of zl. 79 million ($33.6 million). It just published its last edition of Kwak, a children's magazine, which was losing money.
Proszynski said he cannot afford to raise prices and said that for every title his company launches it doesn't take long before competitors pop up. "The magazine market is overheated, it is saturated," he said.
While increasing competition has taken its toll on his magazine business, the printing side is flourishing.
Proszynski owns two printing facilities on Poland, SUPERKOLOR SA in Warsaw and Zaklady Graficzne in Pila.
Starting with one press, the company now owns six. While Proszynski could not give an exact amount for the investment, he did say that the price of a new press could run as high as $10 million. Clients include the Polish Red Cross and Gazeta Wyborcza's weekly magazine. (Donnelley Polish American Printing Co. prints half of Gazeta Wyborca's magazine).
Sometimes, Proszynski's plants are totally booked and he has to sublease other plants. Currently, the company prints one of the 16-page sheets of Poradnik Domowy on someone else's press.
Proszynski expects the need for web-offset printers to expand in the next few years since there are only about 24 in the country. He added that his company is looking to expand capacity and is getting ready to purchase another offset press.
