Wood woes may impede Poland-Ikea relationship

Polish companies are the biggest suppliers of furniture to Ikea in the world. About 80% of Polish furniture companies manufacture for Ikea, and these firms employ around 20,000 workers. In the 2005-06 turnover year Ikea's orders amounted to zł.4 billion and this amount has been increasing by about zł.500 million a year. In order to fill orders from Ikea, Polish companies need more wood and they have to look for it abroad. Wood in Poland is sold by the monopolistic State Forests. According to Wojciech Skurkiewicz, spokesperson for State Forests, they cannot increase the amount of wood because of the need to protect the country's forests. (Rzeczpospolita, November 18-19, p. B1) M.M.