Even in primitive times, the Poles began to engage in pottery, weaving, yarn and agriculture. In the Middle Ages, craftsmen independently made industrial products by hand. Only after the separation of crafts from agriculture did industry become a separate industry. In the nineteenth century, the manufacturing industry in the country was replaced by the machine industry. Since that time, such important centers of Polish industry as Wroclaw, Gdansk, Warsaw, Poznan, Lodz and others began to play a crucial role for the local economy.
general characteristics
During the years of socialism, machine building, metallurgy, energy and light industry developed most actively in the country. After Poland switched to a market economy in 1991, there was a significant deterioration in the lives of workers employed in these sectors. The crisis in the state lasted until its management failed to reorient production to the Middle East and West European markets. As a result, today the country has become one of the European leaders in economic opportunities.
Now the main industries in Poland are metalworking, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding. In addition to them, the textile, chemical, food and pharmacological sectors are also well developed. The vast majority of economic entities are privately owned.
Location of enterprises
The distribution of Polish industries across its territory is fairly uniform. The concentration of enterprises in any one area is inherent only in some regions. The largest industrial area here can be called the Katowice Voivodeship, on the territory of which every fifth Pole employed in the industry works. There are large factories of engineering, chemical and metallurgical industries. The center of shipbuilding are Szczecin and Gdansk - cities located on the Baltic coast. Poland's textile industry is concentrated in the Czestochowa, Lodz and Bielsko-Biala regions. The capital of the country and its environs are mainly located enterprises that specialize in the production of electrical products. Cars were launched in Warsaw, Lublin, Poznan and Plonsk, and passenger and freight cars in Wroclaw, Poznan and Zelenaya Gora. Further in more detail we will talk about key industries.
Engineering
The largest branch of Polish industry is mechanical engineering. The country produces large volumes of transport, agricultural, industrial and construction equipment. In the production of fishing vessels, construction and road cars, railway cars, helicopters and televisions, the state is one of the European leaders. The average annual value of manufactured engineering products is more than $ 70 billion. Poland’s automotive industry is also on the rise. More than 700 thousand cars and trucks leave the conveyors of factories of well-known manufacturers that have placed their enterprises in the country.
Light industry
In the light industry, the textile industry has traditionally held a leading position for a long time. In the area of Lodz are its largest companies. It produces a variety of types of fabrics and yarn. A significant part of these products is sold to Polish companies specializing in the manufacture of knitted fabrics and tailoring of ready-made clothes.
Food industry
Almost every major city in the country operates enterprises that produce food, tobacco or drinks. It should be noted that the food industry in Poland has a substantial share in the structure of the state economy, reaching 20%. Today, its meat processing, dairy, fruit and vegetable and confectionery sectors are considered the most promising. Demand for the products of local enterprises in this industry is only increasing annually. Highly developed countries account for approximately 80% of all exported local food products, which indicates their high quality.
Chemical industry
The chemical industry of Poland is also at a very high level. The country is among the ten European leaders in terms of the number of products manufactured in this industry. The vast majority of enterprises are located in the Katowice Voivodeship. They produce sulfuric acid, mineral fertilizers, paints, varnishes, synthetic fibers and many other products. In slightly smaller volumes, when compared with them, automobile tires, synthetic rubber and plastics are produced.
The largest Polish industrial companies
Currently, the country has a large number of enterprises engaged in various fields. Many of them are known all over the world. For example, the pharmaceutical industry in Poland has a high reputation abroad thanks to the company Polpharma SA, one of the twenty best world drug manufacturers. Over the twenty years of its existence, Brilux has become one of the most famous developers and manufacturers of lighting equipment on the planet. The company Zelmer is quite popular, including in our country, which produces household appliances.
Summary
Experts argue that the positive economic changes that have occurred in the country over the past fifteen years are associated with a reorientation of local enterprises to export industrial goods. In this regard, it is not surprising that all Polish industries are actively developing today. As a result, the country is considered one of the most promising in Europe in terms of economic potential.