FTSE 100 company Reckitt’s enormous factory in Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, to the north of Warsaw, produces dishwasher detergents in capsule and tablet form, along with other hygiene products. Reckitt, a company with a 200-year history and global sales of £14.6 billion last year, acquired the privatised Pollena factory in the early 1990s. Since then, Reckitt has developed the site, building it out, with three main production areas focused on the manufacture of different household products, in powder, liquid and tablet/capsule form.
On 28 October 2024, HM Ambassador to Poland, Anna Clunes, together with a delegation from the British Embassy, and Marcin Cichy, the BPCC’s managing director, regulatory affairs manager Marta Zawiliska-Florczuk, and chief advisor Michael Dembinski visited the Reckitt site to see for themselves the plant, talk to senior management and discuss the business environment.
Focusing on the automatic dishwashing products, the visitors observed a highly automated 24/7 operation that produces around 1,600 tablets per minute (18 million a day, 6.5 billion a year), which are exported to 34 markets globally, contributing significantly to Poland’s balance of trade. The factory employs more than 2,300 people and includes an R&D function. The plant received £305m in investment from the parent company between 2018 and 2023. Much of the construction work was carried out through the pandemic, during which production did not cease.
Discussions focused on legislative issues, in particular the way in which Polish governments have set the level of the national minimum wage. If Poland is to remain a competitive location for manufacturing, it should use more relevant criteria for determining the level. Rather than benchmarking against countries in the EU such as Greece, Portugal or Spain, legislators should consider local economic factors. In general, the biggest ask from Reckitt of the Polish government is for stable, predictable legislation with proper consultation before new laws are passed.
Reckitt is currently planning site expansion, which would involve the installation of heat pumps and solar panels to bring the plant closer to net zero.
As well as the Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki plant, Reckitt also has its commercial office in Poland responsible for sales and distribution, and its global hub, which provides data and analytics, technology and security, sales planning and global HR. Both of these offices are located in Warsaw.
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Since 1992, the British-Polish Chamber of Commerce has been working on behalf of its member companies in two areas - business development and the business environment. By offering extensive networking opportunities - at events and through its digital media - the BPCC helps to connect companies for mutual tangible benefits. The BPCC is the first point of contact for all investors who see Poland as a convenient location to start an investment.