PKP's Cargo division draw up new development strategy

PKP Cargo, the biggest affiliate of Polish State Railways (PKP), wants to cr eate a capital group including freight forwarders, new logistical centers an d companies running depots. PKP Cargo manager Jozef Marek Kowalczyk said tha t a five-year development strategy will be ready by July, and that the restr ucturing of PKP Cargo will be complete by 2004. PKP Cargo is going to be a c entral player in the capital group and wants to take over from PKP forwardin g companies. They also want to forge alliances with other companies on the m arket who might not be in debt but lack rolling stock. "It is all about crea ting an arrangement among domestic companies that would make us competitive after our accession to the European Union," said Kowalczyk. "Above all we wa nt to secure long-term contracts for transport and trans-shipment," he added . The cost of preparing one of the eight planned logistical centers is betwe en zl. 200 million and zl. 500 million. PKP Cargo, together with the Industr ial Development Agency (ARP) is looking for partners with capital. (Puls Biz nesu, pp. 1, 5) A.D.