Sikorsky to establish its European base in Poland?

Last year producers of choppers sold machines worth $2 billion, while Sikorsky holding 35% of the world market sold products worth $200 million on the European market. "We want to be substantially more competitive on the Old Continent and one cannot achieve it without industrial and distribution back-up. We want to create it in Poland," said Steve Estill, deputy president of Sikorsky. Representatives of the company assured they would invest even if they lost in a Polish government tender for several tens of helicopters for the army and rescue services. "We propose serious investments in other companies, which need orders very much. One has to make use of the traditions of the national aviation industry," said Deputy Economy Minister Pawel Poncyljusz. The Americans stressed they do not want to purchase Polish companies and refused to reveal value of the investment, but they have permission to transfer the most modern technologies to Polish plants. (Rzeczpospolita, p.B4) M.M.