In its new administrative borders from 1999, the Lodz voivodeship has an area of 18.200 - km2 and a population of 2.7 million, 64% of Lodz lives in urban centres. It is centrally and well located . Investors seeking good locations for development of their companies can invest in industry, food processing, trade, tourism, ecology, real estate, and technology.
Considering the population size, and in particular the needs of large towns and cities like Lodz,
Sieradz, Kutno, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Lowicz, Skierniewice, Pabianice, Zgierz, Belchatow, and
Tomaszow Mazowiecki, the voivodeship has a massive consumer market. Systematic improvement in the financial situation of the local inhabitant, creates demand for new houses and flats, their modernisation, household consumer goods, etc. The entrepreneurship and level of economic activity creates demand for machinery and equipment for the production of consumer goods and services.
The central location and good communications can attract foreign investors interested in the logistics of transportation and distribution of goods. The project of toll European motorways, which will make it possible for the A1, A2 and A4 motorways to cross in the Lodz voivodeship will definitely increase its attractiveness.
Empty industrial buildings and surplus of technical services in Lodz, Pabianice, Ozorkow,
Sieradz, Leczyca, Belchatow, Niewiadow, or Kutno, make the offer for investors interested in industry varied and attractive. Those interested in investing in agriculture and food processing can find interesting offers in agricultural poviats such as: Sieradz, Leczyca, Skierniewice and Piotrkow Trybunalski, and also in the area of Kutno Agro-Industrial Park.
Regions around the Zalew Sulejowski, or Jeziorko Zalew (lakes), are an attractive proposition for those interested in investment in tourism, like similar offers to invest in Lodz sport and recreation facilities.
A panicularly attractive offer for investors is offered by the Lodz Special Economic Zone. The area
of the zone is subdivided into a few sub-zones: Lodz sub-zone, Ozorkow, Zgierz, Pabianice, Ksawerow and have an area of 200 hectares altogether.
The attractive location of the Lodz voivodeship has already been appreciated by many well-known
foreign companies and international corporations. Within the borders of the former Lodz voivodeship (1,523 m2 km), those companies invested by the end of 1997 more than 450 million USD, and their further investment commitments exceed 1.16 billion USD. In the ranking of investment of foreign capital, the first place is taken by German industrialists (the representatives of which are: Sud Wolle AG, Bosch, Siemens), followed by: Australian (RIG Rentsch, Korean (LG Petro Bank), British (Shell, BP), French (Carrefour, Leclerc, Barry Callebaut), American (Gillette, VF Manufacturing, Mc Donald's, AIG Lincoln)
Investors who, within the framework of the publicised tender will get the permits to start operations within the Lodz Special Economic Zone, will be free of corporate income tax for the first 10 years of
activity, and in the following years of the existence of the zone, a 5 0 % reduction in tax.
In some areas, investors can count on reductions in local gmina taxes, for example in Lodz and many other towns there is a possibility to reduce real estate taxes. Those entities that invest for the first time in real estate in the Lodz gmina in their first year of activity pay about 56% of the real estate taxes.
The Lodz urban conurbation is interested in attracting investors that would act as a counterbalance to the domination of the textile industry. The preferred areas for investment are: chemical and pharmaceutical industry; food processing; specialised technical tools and metal plants; environmental protection equipment; medical equipment; electronics; packaging; production of car pans and accessories; biotechnology industries.
In recent years the region has become of increasing importance, as reflected in the growing number of international fairs and the development of tourism, which creates demand for hotels and conference centres. Every potential investor can receive comprehensive information from the Urzad Wojewodzki w Lodzi - Wydzial Polityki Regionalnej i Integracji Europejskiej (Lodz Voivodeship Office - Department for Regional Affairs and European Integration).
Phone: (48-42) 633 3819, fax (48-42) 633 32 98.
All investment activities in the region enjoy the full support of the Lodz Voivode.
For information about Polish Products, Polish Hotels and Trading with Poland, visit the Warsaw Trade Center