Talking tech
Konrad Kiedrzyński: Which areas of the hi-tech industry have the potential for growth in Poland?
Tadeusz Uhl: IT, robotics, mechatronics and measuring systems have the greatest potential. Still, the greatest opportunities lie in interdisciplinary projects which capitalize on the synergy of various domains. This is what our company is particularly interested in.
Why are there so few Polish firms operating in the technology sector?
The key factors behind this are not economic but social. A lot of talented people are afraid to start up companies on their own. Instead they opt for stable positions in large companies or universities. In fact, academic careers draw graduates away from R&D work, especially considering that a lot of private universities have been established recently. In addition, investing in the hi-tech branch is quite risky. The rate of return may be very high, if you meet market expectations, but any serious investment has a four- to five-year horizon.
Do you think the conditions for developing the hi-tech industry in Poland are favorable?
I would say yes. There are many people who possess a good theoretical basis and broad education, which is what R&D companies search for. That is why many foreign companies invest here too. Also, Poland still has a number of engineers available, although they are not as abundant as several years ago. But in that respect the situation is better than in Germany, for example.
It is necessary to stress that Poland urgently needs investments in the hi-tech sector. At present, many domestic companies are taking advantage of the boom in car-parts manufacturing, for instance. Yet this boom will soon be over and, moreover, the added value for that type of business is low. This is why many firms need to develop their own advanced products so as not to become a sub-supplier. We also need to develop modern systems of management and production to boost work efficiency, which is still lower than in the West.
How would you assess the quality of Polish hi-tech projects as compared to that of other countries?
When it comes to content, our projects are of the highest quality. However, we often neglect the economic aspect and the fact that even the best-designed projects have to sell. At the same time, this [aspect] is of crucial importance in applying for EU funds. What we need to create, in my opinion, is a mechanism that would force universities to focus on projects that are applicable in business. A good step towards achieving that is the Technology Initiative [an undertaking by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education aimed at stimulating cooperation between academic and business circles].
Doesn't your company find it difficult to compete with foreign firms for qualified employees?
Actually, no. We have a dual system of recruiting. Firstly, we hire people all year long and build up a database of potential employees. Secondly, we invite university graduates and show them the wide variety of projects we carry out. In fact, the opportunity to work on different tasks is an important element. This is unlike many big concerns, where engineers often do the same thing for several years.
We are also seeing the return of qualified engineers who left to go abroad five or six years ago. Many of them find that the pay they earn in Poland provides the same, or even higher quality of life than in the UK, for example.
