Polish light industries rejuvenated by easy access to EU and CIS markets

Easy access to both European Union (EU) and CIS markets is encouraging most companies to stop importing goods from China, and invest in local light-industries instead. One of Poland's largest apparel-producers, Atlantic of Warsaw, is one such company. Distributor LPP of Gdansk is also planning to subcontract to a local garment-supplier. According to Atlantic CEO Wojciech Morawski, production costs are cheaper in Poland than in Germany and exporting to the EU is very profitable. In the past, Atlantic imported goods from China where efficiency and costs of production were better than in Poland. However, the shipping time of about 35 days from China makes it difficult to meet demands of shops in Poland. (Rzeczpospolita, page B4) S.M.