Celebrating the 20 years of the American Chamber of Commerce in Poland, AmCham and its member the consulting company KPMG, undertook a research project aimed at providing quantitative data on the American investment in Poland since 1989 and its impact on the Polish economy.

Among key findings, the report states the amount of the total U.S. investment in Poland since the start of the country’s economic transformation in 1989 at USD 20 billion. So far the amount of money American companies invested in Poland was a guesswork with different institutions, such as the Polish Central Bank, NBP, and the Agency for Foreign Investment and Information PAIiIZ, quoting different numbers. KPMG arrived at the USD 20 billion by tracking back the capital inflows to Poland from intermediary countries such as the Netherlands and surveying companies which invested below USD 1 million. Those factors are routinely omitted by state institutions charged with monitoring foreign direct investment to Poland.

The report illustrates the evidence of the entrepreneurial spirit presented by American companies with over 50% of American investment in Poland being done before 1995, which is the early state of Poland’s economic transformation.

The economic impact of American investment in Poland is captured by the following numbers: American companies have created over 180,000 jobs in the country. The average annual wage paid by American companies, nearly USD 20,000, is double the national average for the business sector in Poland. In annual terms, American companies paid a total USD 2.4 billion gross in wages to their employees.

The report, compiled in late 2009, and published in January 2010 is the first such account of the aggregated economic effect American companies have had on Poland.

Conclusions:

• During the last 20 years American companies have invested in Poland over USD 20 billion.
• American companies in Poland employ over 180,000 people. Twice as much work in cooperating companies. That totals over 360,000 people.
• Over half (52%) of American companies operating in Poland have started their investment in the years 1989-1995.
• American investment have played a significant role in the early phase of Poland’s economic transformation – in the mid-90’s the share of American investment in the total amount of foreign direct investment reached 14%.
• In recent years the profile of American investment has changed – in place of “capital-intensive” investment, which dominated in the 1990’s, “knowledge-based” investment has come into play, especially Business Process Outsourcing services and R&D facilities.
• Over 60% of surveyed American companies have been investing in Greenfield projects, starting their operation from scratch. One out of five companies has entered the Polish market, taking over an existing enterprise.
• According to American investors, Poland’s biggest advantages are the country’s geographical location, a qualified workforce and the size of the local market. Low labor costs have ceased to be decisive when considering Poland’s investment attractiveness.
• The lowest rating was given to Poland’s transport infrastructure, the level of bureaucracy and the transparency of the tax code; corruption is not a serious problem.
• American companies are satisfied with the effects of their investment in Poland. Over 67% of companies are planning to increase the scope of their investment in Poland.

Over half of American companies in Poland are planning to increase their payroll in the next year; six out of ten companies expects an increase of revenu

20 lat amerykańskich inwestycji w polsce (PL)

20 Years of American Investment in Poland (EN)