According to the latest report from KPMG and the Polish Automotive Industry Association, the total value of products sold in the automotive industry amounted to 39 billion Swiss francs in 2016, an increase of 10% compared to the previous year. Automotive industry exports rose by 13% to 35 billion Swiss francs. The most important export categories were parts and accessories (22.6 billion francs), followed by cars (7.8 billion francs) and trucks (3.8 billion francs).
Over 680,000 vehicles were produced in 2016
In 2016, a total of 554,600 passenger cars (growth of 19,900 p.a.), 122,000 trucks (growth of 1,100 p.a.) and 5,200 buses were produced in Poland.
The largest manufacturer was Fiat (FCA) with 273,800 vehicles, followed by General Motors (201,200) and Volkswagen (186,600).The report mentions the 41 most important suppliers to the automotive industry who have their branches in Poland. Among the largest are Faurecia, Valeo, TRW, Delphi and Hutchinson.
New foreign investments are planned
Foreign investors in the automotive industry are constantly stepping up their presence in Poland. In 2016, Volkswagen opened a new Crafter plant in Wrzesnia, West Poland. At full capacity, approximately 90,000 cars will roll off the conveyor belt next year. The largest new investments to be concluded in the coming years include new plants from Daimler AG, LG Chem, Mabuchi and Toyota as well as the expansion of the FCA Powertrain operation. The total value of only these five investments exceeds 1.6 billion Swiss francs.
Demand for technology is rising and offers opportunities for Swiss SMEs
The production plants located in Poland invest in machinery and equipment. Investment expenditures made by manufacturers of automobiles, parts, components, trailers and semi-trailers amounted to almost 2 billion Swiss francs in 2016; this equates to an annual growth of 4%. The investment expenditures of automobile companies accounted for 15.4% of expenditure across the entire industry.
Benjamin Schwägli, Head of Swiss Business Hub Poland, says: “Many Swiss companies are already successfully operating in Poland and are benefiting from the automotive industry’s growing demand."
"Investments in well-known automotive companies’ new production sites offer excellent business opportunities, especially for manufacturers of machinery, storage systems and tools.”
Swiss subcontractors can also benefit from the upturn in the automotive industry in Poland. However, the existence of a local presence is an important criterion for many customers when selecting suppliers (local sourcing). See also the example of the company Elektron. We would be happy to consult your company and assist you with your business in Poland.
Find out about business opportunities in the Polish automotive industry during the next country consultation or contact Katalin Dreher-Hajnal, our consultant for Poland, to arrange a non-binding consultation session.
The whole report in Polish and partly in English is available here.
