In Brief: Agora; Fabryka Mebli Forte; ComputerLand; Betacom; TUP

The president of the media concern Agora, Wanda Rapaczyński, announced during the European Leadership Forum that her company was still planning to purchase a television broadcaster and was also considering taking over a foreign newspaper or radio station. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B1)...Furniture producer Fabryka Mebli Forte will set aside EUR 10 million for constructing a factory in Russia. It expects that the new plant will produce revenues of $20 million annually. (Parkiet, p. 5)...ComputerLand, jointly with HP Polska, will implement a central IT system in Lukas Bank. The value of the contract exceeds zł. 15 million and the project should be finished by the beginning of 2005. (Parkiet, p. 3)...Warsaw-based IT company Betacom is awaiting permission for an IPO from the Securities and Stock Exchange Commission (KPWiG). The company plans to raise over zł. 10 million, which will be spent on maintaining its current growth. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B4)...Trans Universal Poland (TUP), a domestic and European transport company, is taking over its competitor, the Polish-Danish CJ International at a cost of EUR 3.8 million. TUP should end next year in the black for the first time in five years. The company, majority owned by British investment company Eagle International Trading, is currently finishing its restructuring processes and is changing its strategy. TUP will turn from being a typical transport company with its own fleet, into a company managing external fleets and offering a wider portfolio of logistics services. M.M.