More than just mining
Katowice is breaking with the Silesian stereotype of coal mines, steel works and heavy industry, said the city's representatives at EMPEX 2006. Now it encourages investment in the service sector, IT, agriculture, and the revitalization of post-industrial areas. "We are here to promote the changed image of Katowice," said the manager of the investor assistance center in Katowice City Hall, Mateusz Skowroński.
Investors have already noticed the attractiveness of Katowice and the Silesian region, which is reflected in the fact that lšskie voivodship is second only to the Mazowieckie voivodship in terms of the volume of foreign investment it receives. Among the largest investments in the Katowice Special Economic Zone are General Motors' Opel car plants, Isuzu Motors, Elektrolux, and the Hungarian Trigranit, which also owns Silesia City Center. One of the greatest advantages of Katowice, according to Skowroński, is its location and transport connections, both within the country and across the borders. The A4 and A1 motorways and EUR 30 and EUR 65 railroads are all nearby. Furthermore, there are six European capitals within 600km of Katowice.
Investment magnet
"Twenty-five percent of Katowice's budget is directed at investment," says Skowroński, stressing that at the same time Katowice has one of the lowest debt levels among Polish cities.
Katowice representatives also like to stress the extensive greenery in their city. "Almost 42 percent of the city is green area," says Skowroński.
Although one of Katowice's most strategic areas is already being developed - works at the Ziętka roundabout near the famous Spodek are under way and scheduled for completion this year - Katowice still has a lot of other interesting investment offers.
Many of them are on land designated for production, warehouses and logistics centers, such as the 6.8 hectares on ul. Obroki at the Witosa housing estate, 17 hectares on ul. Bagienna in the Zawodzie district, 7.5 hectares on ul. Kolońska on the Witosa estate, and a huge plot of 15.7 hectares on ul. Magazynowa in the Szopienice district. However, there is also land available for smaller residential developments, already with spatial-development plans. A plot of 3.4 hectares is offered on ul. Tunelowa in the Piotrowice district, as well as 0.7- and 3.7-hectare plots on ul. Słonecznikowa in the Kostuchna district.
"Upper Silesia is not as poor as its image suggests - it is probably the second-richest area in Poland after the Mazowieckie region," says the managing director at DTZ, Alan Colquhoun.
