Sanden plans to open new plant in Legnice Economic Zone

"We have been granted the go ahead to purchase 200,000 square meters of land in Polkowice, which is in the Legnice Special Economic Zone and wish to commence construction in April. The production of 1 million compressors will begin in 2005. Initially we will employ 200 people, but this number will grow to 500 in the future. Within two years we will invest $60 million," said Masayoshi Ushikubo, the President of Sanden. The plant will produce compressors for car air conditioning systems. The investor will target its sales at automobile concerns in Central and Easter Europe and focus on Volkswagen, which is also present in the same area of Polkowice. Sanden was also considering to invest in Eastern Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia but chose Poland because of its highly qualified labor force. (Puls Biznesu, p. 10; Parkiet, p. 8) A.K.