Qualified Poles bring Dell to Łódź

One of the biggest computer manufacturers in the world, Dell, will soon launch the construction of a high-tech plant in Łódź, and the first laptops and servers should leave the plant in October next year. Last week, Economy Minister Piotr Woźniak and Łódź President Jerzy Kropiwnicki signed a letter of intent with Dell's deputy CEO, Sean Corkery.

The plant in Łódź is part of Dell's investments on the Polish market, worth a total of EUR 200 (zł.790) million. The location was chosen for its proximity to large markets. Dell wants to expand in the CEE region, as it expects the Central European computer market to show 13.9-percent annual sales growth in the next five years. The products made in Łódź will also be exported to Scandinavia and Germany.

Another factor which contributed to the company choosing a site in Poland was Poles' high level of qualifications, Corkery stressed. He said that the best Polish employees working at Dell's plant in Limerick in Ireland will be encouraged to move back to Poland.

The plant will start recruiting in January next year. Initially, it will employ 1,000 people, eventually expanding to around 3,000 by 2011. However, according to different estimates, the investment could lead to the creation of 10,000 to 12,000 jobs in total, as for every job at the plant, a few other jobs will appear with suppliers or other businesses.

Because of this, the government awarded Dell EUR 54 (zł.213) million in state subsidies, including tax exemptions. During the official ceremony, Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński said the government would do everything to attract foreign capital to Poland, while Economy Minister Piotr Woźniak called Poland the "tiger of Europe."

"In one month we have signed agreements with three big companies: with Sharp in the beginning of September, with Toshiba last week and today with Dell. We are in talks with another 12 investors," Woźniak said.