Poland and Denmark have more in common than just monuments of mermaids in their capital cities. The two countries enjoy excellent business relations, which can be best seen in West Pomerania where Danes are some of the most active investors.
Danish companies account for 18% of foreign direct investments to our region.
It is the same level as in the case of German investors who, until recently, were ranked first. After Germany, Scandinavian countries are major export destinations for companies based in the Westpomeranian Region. For this reason, Scandinavia
in general, and Denmark in particular, are the major point of focus for the Investors and Exporters Assistance Center. It has been proved again last Friday (9th December) when the Center together with the Danish Embassy organized a round table discussion for investors representing the country of Hans Christian Andersen.
In Poland, we already have 500 Danish companies represented, employing over
50 thousand people. Our investors highlight that the local government administration is indeed very helpful. It is not a coincidence that West Pomerania
has attracted the largest number of Danish investors. Their presence in Poland helps Danish companies to develop and also contribute to economic growth in Poland.
It is a win-win situation for both countries, said Ambassador Ole Egberg Mikkelsen while opening the Friday meeting in the Szczecin office of Dansk Supermarked.
The company, which is a part of the DS Netto group, is the largest Danish employer in Poland employing 15 thousand people. The same was highlighted by Kent Petersen, General Manager at Netto Sp. z o.o., based in Motaniec, the location
of the first Netto logistic centre in Poland. The first Netto supermarket in Poland started operating in the Szczecin’s district of Dąbie in 1995.
We highly appreciate Danish investment to our region. Your companies ideally fit into regional smart specializations of West Pomerania, including bioeconomy, logistics and steel industry. You not only bring jobs to the region but also such values as the corporate social responsibility and Scandinavian business culture, said Olgierd Geblewicz, the Marshal of the Westpomeranian Region.
Observations of the Marshal are confirmed in Goleniów, a home for more
than ten Danish companies, such as:
- bioeconomy: Abena, BBP, Dancoal, LM Wind Power, Rewair, and Stok,
- logistics and services of the future: Prime Cargo and Stylepit, and
- metal & machine industry: HG Poland.
The honest discussion which took two hours regarding challenges faced on everyday basis focused on possibilities to provide support to Danish investors
from the Embassy and on the Polish excessive bureaucracy which still continues
to deter businesses. The discussion also focused on the need for stable business environment, which in the opinion of Danes started to be missing in the recent period in Poland.
