Treasury to relaunch tender for helicopter maker Swidnik

The Treasury has canceled a tender to sell the country's sole helicopter maker, Swidnik, and will soon re-invite offers. The cancellation comes after the only binding bid, placed by AgustaWestland, failed to meet expectations. "Our privatization adviser is preparing documentation, and a new tender will likely be re-opened soon," said Treasury spokesperson Agnieszka Dluska. In April the Treasury short-listed AgustaWestland, along with Bell Helicopter, to buy into Swidnik, but Bell later withdrew from the tender. Military equipment manufacturers interested in Southeastern-based Swidnik, which produces the Sokol aircraft used by Poland's armed forces as a support helicopter, could have hoped to win government military contracts, since Poland is having to upgrade its outdated armed forces to comply with NATO standards. However, budget restraints have put several multi-billion dollar deals, including the purchase of multi-task jet fighters, on hold. Swidnik turned in a zl.6.5 million net profit last year on sales exceeding zl.200 million, but sold just three Sokol helicopters to the Polish army. (Reuters)