Industry plays a significant role in the Wielkopolska Region’s economy. Almost one third of the working population works in the area, which is also a significant provider of the gross domestic product generated in the region.
A characteristic feature of Wielkopolska industry is the unquestionable majority of the small and medium-sized enterprises which are more mobile and flexible in adapting to the trade game’s rules. In order to fight for the European ready markets, the increasing number of companies decide to examine the quality of their products by use of the international ISO quality control systems.
Not only Poznań
Agricultural and food products’ processing leads in the diverse industry structure of Wielkopolska. Food products production makes almost 26 percent of all sales, a result of the excellent raw material base of Wielkopolska agriculture. The other important developing branches of the industry are mechanical vehicles manufacturing (built in the last few years almost from scratch) and wood and modern materials (including furniture) manufacturing. Machines and devices production also have a significant input into industrial retail sales. The other important industry branches for the region are: metal casting, pharmaceutical industry, lighting and household appliances production; ceramic, glazier’s, plastic materials for construction industries, tires, textiles and the clothing industry. Most of those industries are represented in the Wielkopolska region by well-known domestic brands and large companies with foreign capital. In the year 2007 the total sum of industrial products sold in the region reached about 89.5 billion PLN, which made 10.7 percent of Poland’s total sold industry products and put the Wielkopolska region in third position, right behind Mazowieckie and Śląskie Regions. Sales in the construction and assembly production reached 67.4 billion PLN which made 10.4 percent in Poland. Manufacturing (83.9 billion PLN) dominates the sale structure, made mostly by food and drink production (24.2 billion PLN), mechanical vehicles, trailers and semitrailers manufacturing (13 billion PLN), furniture manufacturing (6.2 billion PLN), rubber and plastic products manufacturing (5.5 billion PLN), machines and electrical devices manufacturing (5.4 billion PLN), metal products manufacturing (4.87 billion PLN), machines and devices manufacturing (4.64 billion PLN) and chemical products manufacturing (3.6 billion PLN). The other significant branches of our industry are brown coal mining, steel industry and energy generation in the Konin district.
From Winiary to LOB locks
The Kalisz-Ostrów agglomeration is the second industrial center after Poznań. The dominant food industry is represented by the very well-known Kalisz-based Food Concentrates Company Winiary, the Kaliszanka Confectionary Factory and the Cooling Products Company Augusto. Textile and clothing industries are also of great importance, and are represented by products from such companies as the Curtains and Laces Factory Haft, Silk Production Factory Wistil and Fleece Products Factory Runotex. Kalisz also produces airplane engines and the famous Calisia upright and grand pianos. Thanks to Industrial Automatics Factory ZAP, Ostrów Wielkopolski is considered the important electromechanical industry center.
Konin industry specializes in brown coal mining and has a significant energy generation complex consisting of the Pątnów-Adamów-Konin Power Plants (PAK). Total power installed at PAK generates about 10 percent of the national power and amounts to 2,288 MW. Konin also has the only aluminum steel plant in Poland and the well-known Producer of Steel Structures and Mechanical Equipment FUGO, which manufactures steel parts, machine processed parts and steel castings. The processing industry play a lesser part overall. Although Piła and Leszno are not as industrialized, they do produce a number of prestigious products, known widely outside the region. One such company, and one of the first in Poland established with foreign capital, is Philips Lighting Poland in Piła, which manufactures light bulbs and lighting equipment.
Leszno, already known for high quality agriculture, is distinguished by its food industry, represented mostly by the Fermentative Industry Company Akwawit which produces, amongst other things, a significant part of Poland’s lactic acid resources. There are also other mechanical and steel industry companies, such as the Pump Factory from Leszczyna and LOB Metalplast which produces locks, ferrules, doors and gates.
Curiosity
Wielkopolska’s high standards and production capabilities can be recognized by the fact that the range of different products made here is known not only in Poland but abroad as well. We should mention here airplanes and ship engines, coaches and their equipment, metalworking machines, machines and devices for forestry, agricultural, construction and mining companies, roller bearings and truck tires, accumulators, batteries, light bulbs and lighting equipment, speakers, paint, chemical fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, processed meat, food concentrates, chocolate, beer, house accessories, table stoneware, pianos, clothing and textiles.