The S8 – On the Way to Investments

A conference under this title was held in Łódź on 14 May. This is also the name of a cooperation program of four special economic zones and five provinces. The program is aimed at joint economic-investment initiatives that will attract investors and, consequently, generate jobs. The meeting was held under the patronage of the Ministry of Economy.

Expressway S8 is one of the most important traffic routes in Poland. It connects Wrocław, Łódź, Warsaw, and Białystok. Eventually, it will be 565 km long, and currently the construction or the tendering procedure for the construction of the remaining sections is in progress.

Deputy Minister of Economy Ilona Antoniszyn-Klik believes now is the best time to launch actions aimed at making use of the economic potential of areas situated along the S8.

The first agreement “on a road” was made in Lower Silesia. On 19 February, we launched the project “The S3 – the Road of Great Opportunities”. The S8 also focuses actions aimed at building favorable climate for investments along the newly constructed route. The S8 is an exceptional road because it combines the potential for development in five provinces and four special economic zones. We cannot wait until business discovers this road. It is us who must approach companies, show them the gminas and counties the S8 runs through, promote the excellent areas within the economic zones, and prepare the best possible offer for investors, emphasized Ilona Antoniszyn-Klik, Deputy Minister of Economy.

The profitability of locating business ventures within special economic zones is best demonstrated with numbers. For more than a dozen years, the zones have been successfully attracting both Polish and foreign investors. The total worth of investment projects carried out in 14 SEZs has already exceeded 100 billion zlotys, and the entrepreneurs have created 300,000 jobs. It is not only tax invenitves that make a given region attractive – investors also pay attention to the region’s location and the available traffic routes, which are of key importance when selecting a given location. The managers of the zones situated along the S8 are convinced that now the areas will become even more attractive.

The WSEZ “INVEST-PARK” has several subzones along the S8 or in its direct proximity. In most of them, there are still some free plots. The offer is aimed not only at large foreign corporations, but also at small and medium-sized Polish companies. The Wałbrzych zone has prepared a special offer for the SMEs.

We are building production floors with adjacent office spaces. In 2014 we ran a pilot program of constructing four such facilities – in Wałbrzych, Nowa Ruda, Kłodzko and Bolesławiec. They facilitate doing business by those companies that cannot invest their own capital to construct a manufacturing facility. Using this offer, they can buy or rent an existing space. Our idea has turned out to be a great success. The production floors are in high demand, and thus we are planning to build new ones – in Września and Dzierżoniów, declares Barbara Kaśnikowska, President of the WSEZ “INVEST-PARK”.

Among those who pin their hopes on the S8 are members of local governments of gminas where it runs.

Thanks to the S8, it takes 35-40 minutes less to reach Wrocław from Syców. The road is a wonderful opportunity both for our gmina and for potential investors, said Marek Grenda, Head of the Technical Infrastructure and Investments Department of Syców Municipal Office.

During the Łódź conference, presidents of four economic zones: Łódź, Wałbrzych, Warmia-Mazury, and Suwałki signed an agreement supporting SMEs investments along Expressway S8.

Moreover, marshals of Łódzkie, Mazowieckie, Dolnośląskie, and Wielkopolskie provinces signed a letter of intent to jointly promote and support local initiatives connected with the S8.

Deputy Minister of Economy Ilona Antoniszyn-Klik is convinced that the cooperation of so many entities is bound to be successful.

I am very glad that it unites all the most important people who can create favorable climate for investors, not only along the S8 but all over Poland. Expressway S8 and our efforts connect not only Wrocław with Białystok, but also east and west of Europe. Let us make use of the fact that Poland lies in the heart of Europe. Let us improve the chance of Polish exporters’ success. We have much to offer, and it is high time we showed it to the world, Mrs. Antoniszyn-Klik said.