Żywiec announces plans for slow consolidation of BUP

Żywiec announces plans for slow consolidation of BUPNico Nusmeier, president of Żywiec and management board member of the Austrian beer producer Brau Union, will supervise the process of merging Grupa Żywiec and Brau Union Polska (BUP). The president of BUP, Werner Jansel will assist him in the consolidation process. "Our task is to coordinate the activities of Żywiec and Brau Union so that internal changes are not visible to clients," announced Nusmeier. The whole process will be carried out by Grupa Handlowa, a subsidiary of Żywiec, and the company will be responsible for coordination and merging the sales and marketing divisions of the two companies. Żywiec is not rushing to take over BUP, which has weak financial results. "It has substantial operating losses and we are counting on synergys and improving results, which will be visible in a dozen months," said Nusmeier. He also added that Żywiec might begin to consolidate BUP's results from mid 2005. (Parkiet, p. 4) M.M.