Lenovo invests in Poland

PC giant Lenovo will build a computer manufacturing center in the Legnica SEZ

Chinese firm Lenovo, the world's third-largest personal-computer manufacturer, will invest over $20 (zł.49.3) million on the construction of a manufacturing plant in the Legnica Special Economic Zone in western Poland. Construction is expected to be complete by Q3 of 2008.

Apart from product assembly and configuration, the company's activities in Poland will include product distribution, logistics and value-added services. It is expected to employ 1,000 people by 2010. Production will be targeted towards the markets of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The first year of operation is expected to see the production of some two million computers. After this, the plant will increase its production to five million units annually.

Lenovo employs over 23,000 people worldwide and has offices in 66 countries. In Central Europe it is present in Hungary, where it has a manufacturing plant, and in Slovakia, where it has a client service center.

Milko van Duijl, president of Lenovo Europe, Middle East and Africa said that the company was looking to invest more in the region since the company is "happy with [its] activities in CEE."

Paweł Olszynka, an IT specialist at PMR Consulting, was cautiously optimistic about the investment.

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Lenovo heads to Poland

Lenovo has bucked the Far Eastern trend and announced plans to open a $20m manufacturing plant in Poland in Q3 next year.

Unlike other vendors, which are uprooting to make use of cheaper labour in the Far East, Lenovo plans to use the 30,000 square metre plant and accompanying fulfillment operations center to support customers across EMEA. It will employ around 1,000 people once complete.

With a capacity to produce over two million desktop PCs a year, additional services will include product assembly and configuration, distribution services and logistics and labelling.

Gerry Smith, senior vice president global supply chain at Lenovo, said: "Our new plant in Poland is an example of Lenovo’s worldsourcing strategy in action. In a world with just one time zone -‘now’ - Lenovo must source materials, assemble managerial and technical talent, and concentrate logistics, infrastructure, and production wherever they are best available – in this case, Poland. This new plant brings our manufacturing operations closer to our European customers, enabling Lenovo to better optimize its supply chain, enhance its competitiveness and serve our expanding customer base in this region.”

Milko van Duijl, president of Lenovo EMEA, said: " ”Selecting Poland as the location for Lenovo’s European manufacturing facility – featuring Lenovo's best-in-breed manufacturing processes – is a significant step in demonstrating our increasing presence in Europe and our strategy to grow in this market. To develop a state-of-the-art facility in Europe focused on improving the customer experience, Lenovo is leveraging its 'worldsourcing strategy,' that enables us to recruit the best local talent and international management where they are.”

Source: vnunet.com