Investments planned for 2010 will likely allow Poland to overtake Italy (after it pushed Germany to the number-three spot a few years earlier) and become Europe’s biggest white goods manufacturer, according to estimates of the “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna” daily.
Spain’s Fagor Mastercook plans to launch dishwasher and ovens manufacturing plants, while South Korea’s Samsung wants to double the output of washing machines and fridges producing facilities by snapping up Amica’s facilities.
Also, Zelmer, which increases its sales in Russia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria, plans to build a new facility by 2011.
White goods sales rose to estimated PLN 4.85bn (€1.2bn) in 2009 from PLN 4.80bn in 2008 and PLN 4.30bn in 2007, the daily said.
Perhaps appliances won’t all be Chinese just yet.