US Whirlpool takes the plunge into Polish market through buyout of Polar

Whirlpool, the largest American producer of domestic appliances, has purchased 94.8% of the shares in the second largest Polish household appliances producer, Wroclaw based Polar. These shares were previously owned by the bankrupt Brandt of France. "Polar is a famous brand and it is worth investing in," said BPH PBK analyst Andrzej Lucjan. Polar still has a strong position in the market for washing machines and refrigerators. This is the first investment made by Whirlpool in Poland. At the beginning of March the company's representatives completed due diligence on the Wroclaw plant. (Puls Biznesu, p. 4; Prawo i Gospodarka, p. 2) A.Z.