Polish Market No.11 (290)/2019

PU B LISHED SIncE 199 6 No. 11 (290) /2019 :: www.polishmarket.com.pl

........................

Congress 590

........................

“

HigH - TeCH againsT blaCkouTs

........................

We

eConomy 4.0

........................

roboTisaTion of mediCine

are proud that we care for the health and vitality of not only Polish citizens.”

........................

PresidenTial eConomiC award (Pea 2019)

........................

StaniSław

Jedliński President, OlimP labOratOries, Presidential ecOnOmic award 2019 winner

Faculty of Management University of Warsaw

The world is changing fast We educate managers to be ready for the future We are the best and largest faculty (business school) in Central and Eastern Europe.

Combining academic knowledge and practice is our motto.

This is helped by research studies conducted at the Faculty, our international collaboration, publications and close cooperation with business.

The high quality of our activity is confirmed by our high rankings in national and international league tables, and the most prestigious international accreditations, including AQUIS and AMBA.

For more information on our programmes of study, research and cooperation see the Faculty’s website:

www.wz.uw.edu.pl

FUNDAMENTAL AND APPLIED RESEARCH BASIS OF TECHNOLOGY AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER BRIDGE BETWEEN RESEARCH AND BUSINESS

CENTER FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY OF ADAM MICKIEWICZ UNIVERSITY ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 10 61-614 Poznań

www.wcat.pl

Wielkopolska is among the leading academic centres in Poland, harbouring a great R&D potential. It is combining invention pursued at universities and research institutes and innovation, developed at the Poznań Science and Technology Park of the Adam Mickiewicz University Foundation. This enables effective tr transfer of knowledge to business practice.

At the core of this model is the Wielkopolska Centre for Advanced Technology (WCAT) in Poznań, a multi-disciplinary institution focused on the development of high-tech materials, biomaterials and nanomaterials based on recent achievements in chemistry, chemical technologies, physics, biotechnology, biology, medicine, pharmacy and agriculture sciences.

The Centre is a consortium of five universities: the Adam Mickiewicz University (AMU), which is the project coordinator, Poznań University of Technology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań University of Medical Sciences and Poznań University of Economics; four institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences: the Institute Chemistr Plant Genetics, Human of Bioorganic Chemistry, Genetics and Molecular Physics; Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants; and the Poznań Science and Technology Park of the Adam Mickiewicz University Foundation and City of Poznań.

The vision of WCAT is to include existing organisations (universities, research institutes, and science-technology park) to act like a single independent entity, which will generate synergies by combining the work of the best scientists.

ONTENT

6 FROM THE PRESIDENT’S PRESS OFFICE 7 FROM THE GOVERNMENT

26 DIGITAL HEALTH CARE – ANDRZEJ WITEK, PRESIDENT, CENTERMED, POLISH MEDICAL GROUP

MEDICINE

INFORMATION CENTRE

POLAND T ‌ HE CENTENARY OF REGAINING INDEPENDENCE

8 FLEETING GLANCE AT HISTORY OUR GUEST

9 WE'RE ALL NEW TO THIS GAME, PROF.

ELŻBIETA MĄCZYŃSKA, PRESIDENT, POLISH ECONOMIC SOCIETY

10 IT PAYS TO BE ORIGINAL,

PROF. ALOJZY Z. NOWAK, DEAN, FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT, UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW

CONGRESS 590, POLISH PRESIDENT’S ECONOMIC AWARD

12 CONGRESS 590 4TH EDITION. REVOLUTION 4.0 - AN OPPORTUNITY FOR POLAND?

13 POLISH PRESIDENT’S ECONOMIC AWARD 14 WE CARE FOR YOUR HEALTH - STANISŁAW JEDLIŃSKI, PRESIDENT, OWNER, OLIMP LABORATORIES, PRESIDENTIAL ECONOMIC AWARD 2019 WINNER

18 INDUSTRY 4.0: NEW STANDARDS IN PROCESS AUTOMATION. HOW SMART FACTORIES GROW

19 BUSINESS BY BIC. IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE MONEY

CONGRESS 590

20 POLISH AUTOMOTIVE BRAND 22 PGM AUTOMOTIVE WILL INTEGRATE THE POLISH AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

24 SMART FACTORY HERE AND NOW 25 HEALTHY SOLUTIONS

28 DOCTOR ROBOT 30 DA VINCI – THE ART OF TREATMENT

AND THE FUTURE OF MODERN SURGERY

31 POLISH E-PEN 32 OPERATING THEATRE,

PROF. MIROSŁAW ZĄBEK, HEAD, DEPARTMENT OF NEUROSURGERY, NEUROTHERAPY, MAZOWSZE BRÓDNO HOSPITAL IN WARSAW

34 REVERSING THE CLOCK ECONOMY 4.0

36 KPMG SURVERY: TOP 10 TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES

37 TECHNOLOGIES ABLE TO GRASP CLIENT NEEDS

39 MAN AT THE CENTRE OF INDUSTRY -

ANDRZEJ SOLDATY, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF FUTURE INDUSTRY PLATFORM FOUNDATION

41 BIPROMET – KGHM’S TECHNOLOGICAL GEM 42 CARBOAUTOMATYKA - FROM MINING TO INDUSTRY 4.0 AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

44 3D PRINTERS OF THE FUTURE – ANDRZEJ KUKUŁA, PRESIDENT, 3DGENCE

ENERGY

46 HIGH-TECH AGAINST BLACKOUTS 47 FAIR WINDS FOR THE ENERGY SECTOR, RAFAŁ GAWIN, PRESIDENT, ENERGY REGULATORY OFFICE

49 IN SEARCH OF A GOLDEN MEAN, ŁUKASZ

TOLAK, PH.D., COLLEGIUM CIVITAS, HEAD, FORUM INITIATIVES - SECURITY DEVELOPMENT - ENERGY THINK TANK

EDITORIAL

H

igh hopes that 2019 can bring solutions to at least some of the conflicts which hamper the development of the global economy, have been dashed. Financial markets may be still hoping for the success of US-Chinese trade talks, but it seems a foregone conclusion that this success may only be symbolic. Thus, fears concerning the global economic outlook continue to rise. They are compounded by the escalating conf lict in the Gulf, the protracted crises in Latin America, the West European recession, the spectre of Brexit’s likely catastrophic effects, and the difficulties in lessening the impact of US protectionist measures against the European Union. This uncertainty has even been confirmed by the Fed, which refrains from forecasting interest rate changes for the next year.

This year’s economic woes have found expression in the annual Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum. According to it, the United States has lost its leading position to Singapore. Although Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Japan, Germany, Sweden, the UK and Denmark remain in the Top 10, Germany’s drop by four places has raised a few brows. Even though it is classified as "number one" in terms of its ability to innovate, and is well placed in terms of macroeconomic stability and infrastructure, it seriously lags behind in one area - the Internet and mobile networks.

Poland has maintained its 37th position, but the World Economic Forum ranking was probably the only publication of the past few months which failed to hold it up as a shining example of economic success. Although the World Bank stands by its view that Poland is in for a slowdown, it does admit that its growth is one of the fastest in Europe and Central Asia, and lists factors which allow it to maintain

good economic prospects. Poland’s high rating is confirmed by Fitch, and the other two key rating agencies, S&P and Moody’s, are likely to follow in its footsteps.

Good economic prospects for Poland are also quoted in the latest OECD and IMF forecast updates. OECD analysts believe that this year, Poland’s position is set to improve considerably among the world’s 46 largest economies, along with that of China, India and Indonesia. According to the IMF, Poland is set to achieve the 17th highest economic growth among 194 countries, and the second highest growth in Europe. But does this really mean that Poland has finally got out of what is known as the middle income trap? In general terms, this term means a long period of slow or zero growth following a period of relatively rapid development. As a result, a country which has fallen into the trap is unable to catch up with highly developed countries, no matter how hard it tries. Efforts to get out of the doldrums lie at the foundation of the present government’s economic development strategy.

It defines a set of measures which are meant to put Poland firmly on track toward catching up with the more affluent societies. The results which have been achieved so far speak volumes about the accuracy of the diagnosis, and the effectiveness of measures which have been applied. The government’s economic strategy has won public acceptance. But is it just a temporary effect? It is certainly possible to apply further measures to stimulate growth in terms of inviting migrant workers, shaping incomes, changing the investment structure, promoting innovation and modernising infrastructure, although for this to happen, many existing dogmas should be discarded.

Is this likely to happen? That’s what we try to establish in the current issue of “Polish Market.”

Krystyna Woźniak-Trzosek Editor-in-Chief President of Rynek Polski Publishers Co. Ltd.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

53 EUROPE’S NO. 1, THE WORLD’S NO. 2 54 AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REGIONS CULTURE

56 CULTURAL MONITOR 58 ROMANTIC CHALLENGE 59 THE MYSTERIES OF TRAVEL 60 MOVING STORYTELLING

11 (290)/2019

ORGANIC FOOD

62 EKOGRAM NUT SPREADS AND GHEE EVENTS

64 LABORATORY ACCREDITATION - RELIABLE CALIBRATION AND TEST RESULTS

65 JAN MAZUREK, MICHAEL STRÖM ‌ ECONOMIC MONITOR

PUBLISHER: Oficyna Wydawnicza RYNEK POLSKI Sp. z o.o.

(RYNEK POLSKI Publishers Co. Ltd.)

CONTRIBUTORS: Miłosz Dorsz, Agnieszka Turakiewicz, Mirosław Wdzięczkowski

PRESIDENT: Krystyna Woźniak-Trzosek

GRAPHIC DESIGN: Agnieszka Charuba, Joanna Wiktoria Grabowska

Polish Market :: 11 (290) /2019

VICE ‌PRESIDENTS: Błażej Grabowski, Grażyna Jaskuła

PU B LISHED SIncE 199 6 No. 11 (290) /2019 :: www.polishmarket.com.pl

........................

Congress 590

........................

“

HigH - TeCH againsT blaCkouTs

........................

We

eConomy 4.0

........................

roboTisaTion of mediCine

are proud that we care for the health and vitality of not only Polish citizens.”

........................

PresidenTial eConomiC award (Pea 2019)

........................

StaniSław

Jedliński President, OlimP labOratOries, Presidential ecOnOmic award 2019 winner

Cover: STANISŁAW JEDLIŃSKI, President and owner of Olimp Laboratories Photo source: www.shutterstock.com, www.commons.wikimedia.org unless otherwise stated

ADDRESS: ul. Elektoralna 13, 00-137 Warszawa, Poland Phone (+48 22) 620 31 42, 652 95 77 Fax (+48 22) 620 31 37 E-mail: info@polishmarket.com.pl EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Krystyna Woźniak-Trzosek DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Jerzy Mosoń j.moson@polishmarket.com.pl ENGLISH EDITOR: Rafał Kiepuszewski WRITERS/EDITORS: Danuta Bierzańska, Jan Sosna, Maciej Proliński, Jerzy Bojanowicz, Jan Mazurek, Andrzej Kazimierski, Janusz Turakiewicz, Janusz Korzeń TRANSLATION: Sylwia Wesołowska-Betkier, Agit

ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHER: Bartosz Maciejewski SALES: Phone (+48 22) 620 38 34, 654 95 77 Marketing Manager: Magdalena Koprowicz m.koprowicz@polishmarket.com.pl DTP: Lili Projekt www.liliprojekt.pl PRINTING: Zakłady Graficzne TAURUS – Roszkowscy Sp. z o. o., www.drukarniataurus.pl Oficyna Wydawnicza RYNEK POLSKI Sp. z o.o.

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Warszawy XII Wydział Gospodarczy Kapitał zakładowy 80.000,‌zł.

REGON 011915685, NIP 526-11-62-572 Published articles represent the authors’ personal views only. The Editor and Publisher disclaim any responsibility or liability for their contents.

Unsolicited material will not be returned. The editors reserve the right to edit the material for length and content. The editors accept no responsibility whatsoever for the content of advertising material. Reproduction of any material from this magazine requires prior written permission from the Publisher.

PRESIDENT

A VICTORY OF DEMOCRACY

I

n an address made following Poland’s parliamentary elections on October 13, Polish President Andrzej Duda said that they demonstrated that Polish democracy is strong. “This has disproved all claims which are made abroad that Polish democracy is facing problems,” he said. The elections saw a record turnout of over 60%. “It is very good news. I would like to congratulate all those who have won parliamentary seats.

My hope is that all the matters MPs and senators will be pursuing, will serve the interests of Poland. Our goal should be to build the national community,” President Duda underscored. The ruling Law and Justice party emerged as the winner in the elections with just over 43% of the vote. Other groupings represented in the lower house of Parliament will include the Civic Coalition, the Left alliance, a bloc of the Polish People’s Party and Kukiz party, and the Confederation. In the upper house, opposition senators form a slim majority.

RAISING LIVING STANDARDS

(president.pl, PAP, polskieradio.pl, tvp.pl)

P

resident Andrzej Duda told the Congress 590 in Jasionka on October 7 that raising the population's living standards is the Polish government's top priority. He said that the country's economic growth will soon allow for higher wages and more foreign leverage for Polish enterprise.

Andrzej Duda stressed that growth requires ambition, and assured that Poland's present government has the ambition to achieve as much as possible. As an example, he named next year's national budget, which is expected to be deficit-free for the first time in Poland's post-communist history. President Duda also mentioned the role of the country’s vast foreign diaspora and called on expatriate Poles to return home, considering the sustained economic growth and better prospects. The President also spoke about the need to boost international co-operation. He highlighted the importance of infrastructure projects such as the Via Carpathia, Via Baltica and Rail Baltica, which he said promised to boost Poland's growth even more.

66 polish polishmarket market

REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP

T

he EU budget, Brexit, climate protection and energy security were among topics discussed by the heads of state of the Visegrad Group (V4) at their meeting held in Lany, the Czech Republic, on October 2 and 3. The presidents of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia were joined by the Slovenian and Serbian heads of state. They all advocated the EU’s open door policy to expand the organisation to include the western Balkans. While in the Czech Republic, President Andrzej Duda met with Polish businessmen and investors. “Bilateral trade exceeds EUR 20 billion annually and the Czech Republic is the second most popular destination for Polish investors,” he said.

CONCERN ABOUT FUTURE EU BUDGET

President Andrzej Duda told the annual meeting of the Arraiolos Group in Athens on October 11 that cuts in EU cohesion

and agricultural funding threaten to slow down economic growth and deepen differences between the member states. He said the levelling out of differences in prosperity between the EU member countries was of fundamental importance. He observed that none of the EU member states which joined the community in 2004 have yet attained the EU per-capita GDP average. He called for “an ambitious cohesion policy.” Andrzej Duda said social inequality in Poland has diminished over the past five years, and stressed that this was mainly due to the government's priority treatment of social issues. Referring to proposed cuts in cohesion and agricultural funding, Andrzej Duda said these would have a negative bearing on the EU's economic growth and increase differences between the EU members. The Arraiolos Group gathers the presidents of countries whose prime ministers take part in EU summits. This year's meeting looked for ways of boosting the European Union's resistance to economic and social crises.

PRIME MINISTER

BALANCED BUDGET

P

olish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced on September 24 a draft budget for 2020 adopted by his cabinet.

“We carry on a number of programmes initiated by the government, such as income tax exemption for young people under 26, for example. The budget is balanced. This means that next year, planned budget revenue and expenditures will remain the same. All this will serve the Polish economy and society well,” said Mateusz Morawiecki. Minister of Finance, Investment and Economic Development Jerzy Kwieciński pointed out that budget expenditures and revenue will total PLN 429.5 billion, thus making it the highest since 1989. In the past four years, the Polish government has introduced a series of welfare programmes, including the 500+ programme of family benefits, as well as programmes addressed to senior citizens and other groups of society.

SILESIA HAS HUGE POTENTIAL

P

rime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki took part in a meeting in the city of Katowice on October 10 during which the implementation of the government Programme for Silesia was examined. Silesia is Poland’s most highly industrialised region in the south of the country, featuring mining, metallurgical and other key industries. In the 1990s, the region suffered from a mine closure programme and experienced the restructuring of the heavy industry. “Silesia is a gem which we must use to its full potential.

That is why we have developed a programme especially dedicated to the region, which was unveiled in December 2017,” said the Prime Minister. The programme is part of the government longterm Responsible Economic Development Strategy. Its aim is to change the region’s economic profile through new initiatives to replace traditional sectors of industry. “We have PLN 58 billion in funding to allocate towards road, railway and energy infrastructure, improvement of air quality, research and development,” said Mateusz

Morawiecki. This is the first programme which involves national and European sources of financing spread across multiple programmes and institutions. “We have committed hundreds of millions of zlotys to training programmes,” emphasised the Prime Minister.

The aim of the programme is also to boost Silesia’s higher education system. Currently the programme covers 116 ongoing and planned undertakings whose total value amounts to PLN 62 billion. “We are signing contracts for the development of infrastructure in the region. We have approved new projects worth PLN 5 billion, which will attract new entrepreneurs to Silesia,” said Mateusz Morawiecki.

WESTERN POMERANIA TRANSPORT HUB

“

Traffic at the Szczecin-Goleniów airport may increase to 2 million passengers, from the current 600,000,” said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on a visit to the north-western province of Western Pomerania on October 7. “It is a key investment project for the infrastructural development of the region. In involves the modernisation and development of the passenger terminal. This investment project will bring in more tourism and raise the chances for the region’s economic growth,” he said. The city of Szczecin on the German border served by the Szczecin-Goleniów airport has good road and rail links with the rest of Poland and Germany.

In a related development, Prime Minister Morawiecki attended a briefing on the construction of the S6 and S11 expressway sections along the Baltic coast, which will link Szczecin with the city of Koszalin. For many years, these areas have been poorly connected. Soon drivers will be able to use the entire 130 kilometre-long section of the S6 expressway. It will mark a major improvement for tourists and businesses. On completion, travel time from Szczecin to Koszalin will be cut by 40 minutes. Construction of further sections of the S6 and S11 Baltic expressways to connect Szczecin with the city of Gdańsk is planned in the future.

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POLAND THE CENTENARY OF REGAINING INDEPENDENCE

FLEETING GLANCE AT HISTORY An exhibition entitled "Heritage Highlights. Discover Poland’s Monuments of History" opened at the Warsaw Chopin Airport on October 8. Its purpose is to promote the most valuable monuments of Polish culture among foreign travellers who pass through the coutry’s largest airport. The exhibition will run until the end of August. It consists of two parts – the current one features 53 historical landmarks, and from March, another 52 monuments will be presented. The event was organised by The Office of The "Niepodległa" Programme, together with the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, in cooperation with the National Heritage Board of Poland and Polish Airports, and thanks to the patronage of Orlen.

Maciej Proliński

T

he rank of a historical monument is highlighted by the fact that the title is conferred by the Polish president at the request of the minister of culture and national heritage. The tile was first conferred in 1994. To this day, 105 landmarks have received this distinction.

The list grows longer each year. It includes tangible and intangible assets which are significant for Poland’s cultural heritage.

Buildings, cultural landscapes, urban and village layouts, technological landmarks, military structures, parks and gardens, cemeteries, memorial sites of major events and historical figures, and archaeological sites, are eligible to join the select group. The list of sites recognised by the Polish president as historical monuments features a complex of brine graduation towers and salt works and gardens in the spa town of Ciechocinek, a monastery complex of the Paulite Order of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa, Poland’s holiest Roman Catholic shrine, the Gdańsk Shipyard - the birthplace of the Solidarity trade union, the Augustów Canal, the historic city complex of Krakow, the Teutonic castle complex in Malbork, the Przemyśl fortress, the historic

8 polish market

silver mine featuring the Black Trout Adit in Tarnowskie Góry, the Powązki complex of historic Christian, Jewish and Muslim cemeteries in Warsaw, and the Wieliczka salt mine which features imposing pieces of sculpture, all carved in salt in underground chambers and galleries.

The exhibition shows the diversity and richness of the Polish cultural heritage using the example of sites which have received the status of a historical monument - places which are particularly important for Polish history, tradition and culture. Large prints with inscriptions prepared by experts accompany travellers at every stage - from the railway station, to the departure terminal, luggage carousels and arrivals hall. The main section of the exhibition is located in the part of the airport where passengers wait for their flight.

"This exhibition is a beautifully illustrated story about Polish history, culture and identity," says Jan Kowalski, director of The Office of The "Niepodległa" Programme which co-ordinates celebrations of the centenary of the regaining of independence by Poland.

"We want to bring these monuments closer (to foreign travellers, ed.) and encourage them

to discover Polish heritage in a modern way," adds Jan Kowalski. In a message read out by Minister Wojciech Kolarski at the opening of the exhibition, Polish President Andrzej Duda expressed the hope that it will help foreign visitors find out more about Polish history, as well as highlighting the country’s efforts to preserve its material heritage.

"Historical monuments are the finest, most valuable Polish landmarks," said deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Culture and National Heritage Prof. Piotr Gliński. "It's a great idea that we can show the most beautiful Polish monuments and treasures of local culture at Chopin Airport. That’s what culture and the arts are for, to manifest themselves wherever possible. Airports, railway and coach stations, squares, urban and public spaces should be filled with culture and the arts at the highest level,” added the minister. Prof. Gliński also said that a dozen or so historical monuments have been proposed to join the list. "It has become a very popular lever for promoting local culture. Everyone knows that it is a prestigious list, the president makes the final decision and confers the title. In fact, this exhibition features the most valuable Polish • monuments," he emphasised.

ECONOMY 4.0

WE'RE ALL NEW TO THIS

GAME

PROFESSOR ELŻBIETA MĄCZYŃSKA, President of the Polish Economic Society, talks to Jerzy Mosoń.

How much of a challenge does Economy 4.0 pose for the people of Poland? How much will they need to change?

It is worth recalling the definition of Economy 4.0. It's a derivative of the term Revolution 4.0. History proves that four technological breakthroughs have taken place so far. The first one was brought about by the introduction of the steam engine, which brought changes so profound that it was possible to switch over from single workshops to an entire industrial system.

One of the consequences of modernisation in manufacturing were also systemic changes.

Feudalism gave way to capitalism. Another symbol of that revolution was the weaving shuttle. Its invention resulted in a revolution in the textile industry.

Even greater changes took place at the turn of the 20th century, as a result of the introduction of electricity. Thus, the symbol of the second industrial revolution is the light bulb. In turn, the computer, which was developed in the late 1940s, became the symbol of the third industrial revolution. The fourth industrial revolution, which provides the basis for the development of Industry 4.0, or in the broader sense, of Economy 4.0, is something extraordinary, something we may not be fully aware of just yet. Its range is very broad, it is also comprehensive in nature. It consists in combining hard technology, for example the computer, with digital technologies and biotechnologies, including implantable devices. One example is the automotive industry - a driving assistance system will be able to capture eye movements to respond to hazardous situations with an alarm warning.

In his book "The Inevitable,” Kevin Kelly claims, and I agree with him, that we are all newcomers PM

to the depth of change, because we are not entirely able to grasp the extent of the industrial revolution. The current flow of information and knowledge creates just as many wonderful opportunities as problems. Take the recent case of Uber. At first, the reaction of most countries was to ban it. Now it turns out that all industries will need to have their own Uber, so to say.

Those industries which will not open their door wide to the fourth industrial revolution, will be at the losing end.

Is science in Poland keeping up with these changes?

There is no simple answer to that. For instance, we have well-developed research in the fields of IT, physics, biology and mathematics, that is the sciences which underlie the fourth revolution. We pride ourselves on the excellent achievements of Polish scientists. On the other hand, cooperation between science and industry is much worse. Not many results of scientific research are translated into economic practice in Poland. As a result, the achievements of Polish R&D are more widely used in the West than in Poland. This country trails behind others in innovation rankings. The most perplexing are the results of the Global Talent Competitiveness Index ranking regarding the brain drain. Switzerland tops the list of countries which attract the most talent, while Poland is still a net talent supplier, which translates into its low level of innovation. So a lot needs to be done in this respect. It is a matter of the utmost importance, because countries which are the quickest to react to changes resulting from Revolution 4.0, will be the winners in the economic race. It is a challenge for both business and science, but

COUNTRIES WHICH ARE THE QUICKEST TO REACT TO CHANGES RESULTING FROM THE 4.0 REVOLUTION, WILL BE THE WINNERS IN THE ECONOMIC RACE.

PM

also for the state, which should create a digital infrastructure for industry 4.0. The point is to be able to introduce artificial intelligence.

However, for this to become an opportunity, you need education, especially targeted at people and institutions that remain in what is known as the digital gap. This includes senior citizens.

What do you think historians will recognise as the symbols of the ongoing Revolution 4.0?

The symbols of the fourth industrial revolution are artificial intelligence and robots, but these are different from the ones we have known so far. The new ones are able to learn, come up with new solutions and make • decisions.

PM

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OUR GUEST

PROF. ALOJZY Z. NOWAK , Dean

Faculty of Management University of Warsaw talks to Danuta Bierzańska

IT PAYS TO BE

ORIGINAL 10 polish market

OUR GUEST Is your study programme different from 1015 years ago?

Studies at the University of Warsaw Faculty of Management are actually very similar to studies at the best faculties in Europe and other places. This applies to both curricula, teaching methods and lecturers who work at the Faculty.

However, we do not copy anyone, because we believe that it pays off to be original. If we want our graduates to be innovative, we must educate them in an innovative, open and modern way, and not imitate others, even the best. Of course, certain teaching standards must be maintained - otherwise you cannot receive international accreditation. Three accreditations are the most important: EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA. We already have two, namely EQUIS and AMBA. We should be able to obtain the third one within the next few months. In each case, what counts is the quality of teaching, content of curricula, teaching staff qualifications, the number of local and foreign grants, of which the faculty has received a dozen or so, publications in prestigious magazines, working partnerships with business, internationalisation of curricula measured in terms of the number of international programmes, visiting professors, students exchanges, and job offers addressed to faculty graduates by employers. In all these categories we rank far above the European average. You can thus say that the Faculty has made significant progress compared to 15-20 years ago, when incidentally things weren’t too bad either. From the very beginning, the Faculty of Management of the University of Warsaw has enjoyed a high profile both in Poland and other European countries. It was once known as a future directors’ college.

PM

How would you describe today’s Faculty graduates?

In a nutshell, you can say that graduates are now very well prepared to serve in a managerial position, or to adapt to one, and to function in a changing economic, political and public environment. This means that today's graduates of the Faculty of Management have thorough knowledge in the field of management of both micro-enterprises and large corporations.

They are good at using statistical packages and analysing databases. They have extensive knowledge in the field of marketing, finance, accounting, banking, Polish and EU business law as well as world economics. They move confidently in an integrating globalised world.

They are open to new trends, they easily absorb modern knowledge and are able to adapt to changing conditions.

PM

Are your graduates adapted to manage Economy 4.0.?

I believe that the high level of teaching at the Faculty of Management of the University PM

WHAT COUNTS IS THE QUALITY OF TEACHING, CONTENT OF CURRICULA, QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHING STAFF (...) IN ALL THESE CATEGORIES WE RANK FAR ABOVE THE EUROPEAN AVERAGE. of Warsaw is the reason why our graduates are well prepared to face Economy 4.0. This also stems from the openness of the Faculty's staff to new trends and even the latest fads when it comes to management and economics.

The teaching process is geared toward modern solutions. It introduces students to different points of view regarding management in the economy and business, the cultural and legal aspects of business. This finds expression in the fact that for the past decade or so, each year the Faculty has played host to more than 50 visiting professors from academic centres around the world - the US, Argentina, Germany, Italy, France, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, China, Iran, Taiwan, Japan, Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland- as well as from other Polish academic centres. The CEOs of leading Polish companies, government ministers and their deputies who deal with innovation and the new economy, are regularly invited to join our classes. Numerous meetings are held at the Careers Office with Faculty graduates who deal with robotisation and automation, or more broadly speaking, artificial intelligence. The Office is one of the Faculty’s most successful initiatives. For students, these meetings are useful in terms of networking opportunities and job offers which are addressed to them, also in industries related to Economy 4.0.

What proportion of graduates start their own businesses?

It is still too small. It is our dream that the Faculty should primarily educate employers and not employees. Our analyses show that approximately 85% of our graduates find employment within less than 3 months of graduation. I consider this a good result.

PM

Unfortunately, we do not have exact statistics on how many graduates start their own businesses right away. We believe that it’s about 25-30%. I don’t think it’s enough.

That’s why, the Faculty was one of the first in Poland to champion successful Academic Entrepreneurship Incubators, in partnership with the Marshal of the Mazowieckie province who has financed several dozen student firms.

We have also set up a faculty student business support centre. Several companies which have been launched at the Faculty have scored major international successes. Add to this business centres established at the Faculty by staff members, and you’ll see that business life here is developing pretty well. You can see the results outside the Faculty, too. But is that enough?

I don't think so. That’s why, we intend to set up a strong University of Warsaw Faculty of Management Business Centre. Its task would include the promotion and development of student businesses, in particular those based on knowledge, modern technologies and artificial intelligence.

What are the latest trends in management?

In the wake of the 2004-2012 financial crisis, the question of the role of the state in the economy is more and more frequently raised. It seems that the concept of the "invisible hand of the market" - which means that the role of the state should be very limited and should be largely taken over by the market - is no longer appreciated in many of the world’s major academic centres. A new concept has emerged of late. It is similar in spirit to John M. Keynes’s model, and is called New Structural Economics. The originator of this concept is Justin J. Lin, former chief economist and vice president of the World Bank. He has set up the World Centre for Structural Economics and invited 22 economists from around the world to sit on its council, including four Nobel Prize winners from renowned universities. Together they work on a new economic development model for individual countries, including large corporations. They try to determine what role the state should play in the economy, how development should be financed, what role the state budget should play in financing scientific research and the implementation of modern solutions in the economy. This concept is bound to have an impact on company management. For now, it is not clear what direction the world should take. But it can be said with certainty that following the crisis of 2004-2012, nothing will be the same again.

The economic development model based on the famous Washington Consensus based on liberalisation, deregulation and privatisation, seems to be a thing of the past, or at least the role of its economic prescriptions has been significantly curtailed.

• PM

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CONGRESS 590

CONGRESS 590 4TH EDITION REVOLUTION 4.0

an opportunity for Poland?

The fourth edition of Congress 590 was held in Jasionka near Rzeszów October 7-8. The dominant topic was what is known as revolution 4.0 – a technological breakthrough in which Polish science and business can play an important role. During the Congress, Presidential Economic Awards were also presented.

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ver six thousand guests were invited to take part in the event. Among them were Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. There were also business leaders from Poland and abroad.

TOP-LEVEL ATTENDANCE

Special guests of the congress were President of Republican Main Street Partnership Sarah Chamberlain, former US national security secretary and head of the US President’s office general John F. Kelly, former US army general and current president of the Spectrum Group George F. Close, Spectrum Group executive director Andrew Campbell, Robert Enslin, head of the Google Cloud Businnes Group, analyst Thomas J. Lee - co-founder of Fundstrat Global Advisors and Bent Flyvbjerg, professor at the University of Oxford, a leading specialist on large investment projects. The congress was inaugurated by President Andrzej Duda.

“Our most important goal is to improve the living standards of ordinary Polish citizens. We want to achieve this through a further development of the Polish economy,” he noted in his opening remarks. Addressing the participants of Congress 590, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki pointed out that tightening control over the fiscal system was the source of Poland's economic success. “We are now at a stage where we do not need to compete with our neighbours from Central and Eastern Europe for each and every foreign investment project,” he underscored.

CONSTITUTION FOR BUSINESS

During Congress 590, the Constitution for Business and its impact on the freedom of doing business in Poland were also discussed. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki first announced the gradual introduction of laws abolishing barriers which hampered the development for Polish enterprises, collectively known as the Constitution for Business, at Congress 590 three years ago. “The Constitution for Business restores fair play principles in relations between public administration and business, which should always be there. A year and a half since its introduction, we can already see concrete results. 300,000 entrepreneurs have benefitted from incentives for new businesses. A larger percentage of companies than before have managed to stay on the market,” said Mariusz Haładyj, one of the originators of the Constitution for Business, former deputy head of MPiT, and current head of the Prosecutor General's Office.

POLISH COMPANIES CONQUER WORLD MARKET

Minister of Finance, Investment and Economic Development Jerzy Kwieciński told the gathering that the expansion of Polish companies to international markets is no longer a pipe dream. Kwieciński took part in the presentation of the latest investment projects implemented by the Podkarpackie region pharmaceutical company Olimp Laboratories winner of the Presidential Economic Award in the International Success

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Robert Enslin , President of Google Cloud Business Group and Member of the Board, Google

category (more details about the award and the winner further on in this edition.) Minister Kwieciński highlighted the company’s social mission, namely its work for the benefit of human health. “It is very important to us that such Polish companies are set up and develop especially in this area, in the pharmaceutical industry,” Kwieciński said. He noted that the example of Olimp Labs shows that "you can successfully sell not only medicines to treat patients, but also food which has healing properties."

GROUND-BREAKING DECISIONS

Much attention was devoted to the panel “Industry 4.0 in the automotive industry. Production optimisation." The discussion was attended by Władysław Ortyl, Marshal of the Podkarpackie Province, Tomasz Haiduk, president, Industry 4.0 Institute, Przemysław Jurczak, board member, FA Krosno, Krzysztof Nowicki, president, LOTOS OIL, Marek Sanocki, vice president, co-owner, SPLAST, Adam Sikorski, owner, PZL Sędziszów, president of the Polish Automotive Group, Małgorzata Jarosińska-Jedynak, undersecretary of state, Ministry of Finance, Investment and Economic Development. The highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Polish Automotive Group, the first joint Polish brand on the global automotive market (more on this ground-breaking agreement and its participants further on in this report.) Experts say that that the Polish automotive industry is the most likely to lead the way in the technological breakthrough referred to as revolution 4.0 (we devote a significant part of the magazine to this topic.)

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PRESIDENTIAL ECONOMIC AWARD 2019

CONGRESS 590

POLISH PRESIDENT’S ECONOMIC AWARD At a gala ceremony held during Congress 590 in Jasionka near Rzeszów, Polish President Andrzej Duda presented statuettes to the winners of the 17th edition of the President’s Economic Award. They included such market giants as LPP, Olimp Laboratories and Ochnik, but also innovative companies which are gaining recognition, such as Medical Inventi and Warsaw Genomics.

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ndrzej Duda emphasised that it was not easy to pick the winners.

“All these companies are doing a splendid job, you are wonderful people and accomplished businessmen, with a special sense of responsibility,” he noted. The President’s Economic Award is a special distinction for companies which make a significant contribution to the development of the Polish economy, while building a positive image of Polish entrepreneurship in foreign countries.

The award was established by former President Aleksander Kwaśniewski in 1998. It was awarded until 2005, and revived in 2011. For many years, the Economic Award has been the most important distinction for enterprises in Poland.

President Andrzej Duda presented distinctions in five main and two special categories. He also awarded a lifetime achievement prize.

THE WINNERS:

1. SME LEADER Delta Zbigniew Różycki submitted by the Teraz Polska Polish Promotional Emblem Foundation.

2. NATIONAL SUCCESS LPP submitted by the Marshal's Office of the Pomorskie region.

3. INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS Olimp Laboratories submitted by the Marshal's Office of the Podkarpackie region.

4. RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS Marco submitted by the Marshal's Office of the Śląskie region.

5. FAMILY-OWNED COMPANY Ochnik submitted by the Marshal's Office of the Mazowieckie region.

6. Startup_PL Warsaw Genomics submitted by the Teraz Polska Polish Promotional Emblem Foundation.

7. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Medical Inventi submitted by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development.

8. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Czesław Lang, former cycling champion.

OTHER NOMINEES:

1. SME LEADER Ekoenergetyka - Polska submitted by the National Centre for Research and Development, the Organisation of Employers of the Lubuskie region and the Marshal's Office of the Lubuskie region.

P.P.U.H. Bryk Witold Bryk submitted by the Marshal's Office of the Podkarpackie region.

2.NATIONAL SUCCESS

DGT submitted by the Polish Space Agency.

Mlekovita Dairy Cooperative submitted by the Polish Economic Society.

3. INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS AIUT submitted by the Marshal's Office of the Śląskie region.

Szynaka-Meble submitted by the Marshal's Office of the Warmińsko-Mazurskie region.

4. RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS BIC Electric submitted by the Marshal's Office of the Zachodniopomorskie region.

Transition Technologies submitted by the Laski Association for the Visually Impaired.

5. FAMILY- OWNED COMPANY ABC-Czepczyński submitted by the Responsible Business Forum.

LUG submitted by the Polish Investment and Trade Agency and the Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers.

6.Startup_PL: nanoEmi submitted by the Foundation for Polish Science.

Scanway submitted by the Polish Space Agency.

7. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Innovation AG submitted by the Jagiellonian Institute.

InPhoTech submitted by the Polish Space Agency.

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PRESIDENTIAL ECONOMIC AWARD 2019

WE CARE FOR YOUR HEALTH STANISŁAW JEDLIŃSKI, President and owner of Olimp Laboratories, winner of the Presidential Economic Award 2019, in conversation with Danuta Bierzańska.

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PRESIDENTIAL ECONOMIC AWARD 2019

Please accept our congratulations on winning the Presidential Economic Award in the International Success category. What does it mean for you and the company?

The prize is a great distinction and a sign of appreciation for the company's achievements. It also honours the hard work of the whole team.

Over the past thirty years, Olimp Labs has grown from a small firm into an international group. We have five offices abroad, and our products are available in over 100 markets.

Sales results we achieve on demanding foreign markets such as Germany, Britain and France are a perfect example that a Polish, highquality product can effectively compete with the products of huge western pharmaceutical companies. That’s what the award is for, among other things. The Olimp Labs brand is recognised and valued on every continent.

As a Polish company, we are proud that we care for the health and vitality of not only Polish citizens, but also of the inhabitants of the remotest corners of the globe. Our presence on foreign markets is the result of an effectively implemented strategy which encompasses product development, production and distribution. We know that only the highest quality products stand a chance of PM

breaking ground on foreign markets. From the very beginning of the company's activities, quality has been our main focus. As a result, our products are appreciated by consumers around the world and achieve international success, proof of which is the award we have receive from Polish President Andrzej Duda.

The company's biggest success is the ability to stick to its values. For almost 30 years, quality and concern for the health of our customers have been the goals of operation. Growing numbers of consumers who regularly buy our products appreciate their quality – that’s our biggest success. Our pursuit of excellence means that we are constantly developing. We introduce new technologies, conduct research and come up with innovative products, which is why our customers can be sure that the Olimp Labs brand is the best choice. To make our vision come true, we have implemented a number of investments in new technologies to build one of the most modern R&D centres in Europe and a Smart Logistics Centre. We are currently starting another large-scale investment to produce functional foods. All this wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for the people who build the success of Olimp Labs with passion and commitment on a daily basis.

OLIMP LABS CONDUCTS EXPERIMENTS TO STUDY THE IMPACT OF MICROBIOTA ON THE ORIGIN AND COURSE OF NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES SUCH AS ALZHEIMER'S OR PARKINSON'S. THE RESULTS OF THIS RESEARCH MAY PROVE GROUND-BREAKING IN THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE WAYS TO SUPPORT THE TREATMENT OF THESE DISEASES.

Polish President Andrzej Duda presents the Presidential Economic Award to Olimp Labs President Stanisław Jedliński

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PRESIDENTIAL ECONOMIC AWARD 2019

The company started out in 1990 with a series of diet supplements for athletes. It now operates on 100 international markets where over 600 products are sold. What is the biggest success of Olimp Labs?

Olimp Labs laboratory

THE ARTIFICIAL GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO VERY ACCURATELY DETERMINE HOW DIFFERENT FOOD PRODUCTS, DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS AND MEDICINES AFFECT THEIR RESPECTIVE ABSORPTION AND, VEY IMPORTANTLY, THE COMPOSITION OF THE MICROBIOTA IN THE INTESTINES.

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Over the past decade, the company has invested over PLN 300 million in developing new technologies. In what areas is your research conducted?

In recent years, healthy nutrition, combined with physical activity, has acquired a new dimension in the fight against lifestyle diseases. To solve society’s problems in this respect, we conduct R&D activities which allow us to develop products able to influence individual body parameters. Research results are used in the design of new products and in the rigorous verification of suppliers. Modern research infrastructure, such as the Artificial Gastrointestinal Tract, which has been developed as part of our investment projects, allows us to select the form of products and doses of active substances which positively affect the human body. The combination of analytical capabilities and advanced manufacturing technologies, from the laboratory to the production level, is used to build a comprehensive and integrated approach to the research and development cycle.

Research is conducted at the development stage, throughout analytical, process and stability tests, right down to the development of production technologies. Olimp Labs also conducts experiments to study the impact of microbiota on the origin and course of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

The results of this research may prove groundbreaking in the future development of innovative ways to support the treatment of these diseases.

PM

What is the purpose of the artificial digestive tract used in the company's laboratories?

It makes it possible to very accurately determine how different food products, dietary supplements and medicines affect their respective absorption and, vey importantly, the composition of the microbiota in the intestines.

The microbiota, or the bacterial flora, is a set of microorganisms, mainly bacteria, which form a complex ecosystem in the digestive system.

The results of tests conducted with the use of PM

The artificial digestive tract

the artificial digestive tract closely resemble those obtained in natural conditions. Each part corresponds to a particular section of the digestive system, including the stomach, small intestine and three sections of the large intestine.

Food is pumped into the artificial stomach three times a day. It's a special mix in a fluid form. The composition of the mix differs in the studies of children’s and adults’ digestive systems, and it is still different in studies on particular diseases.

All this allows us to come up with very effective products which are perfectly absorbed by the body and are adapted to the consumers’ sex, age and other specific requirements.

What exactly are new generation supplements?

New generation supplements are preparations which stand out thanks to the use of innovative PM

ECONOMY 4.0

Headquarters of Olimp Laboratories

production technologies, or through their innovative active ingredients which improve their effectiveness and quality. The quality of nutrients supplied to the body is very important in broadly conceived supplementation and healthy nutrition.

New generations of products are now available in forms which are the easiest to absorb, for example in the form of chelates, and thus have a positive effect on the human organism. It is very important that supplements taken by consumers should be of the highest quality and that they contain the exact amount of the substance declared by the producer.

with. One example of how we use technology to care for the good of our customers is a mobile application which enables them to check the authenticity of our products. It has turned out that our products are so highly valued on foreign markets that attempts are made to copy them without permission. And here technology has also come to our assistance. Using the mobile app, the client is able to verify whether the purchased product was manufactured by us. It is just an example of how we approach innovation – it is meant first and foremost to serve our customers.

You are actively involved in the life of your region, you support local initiatives. Which of these activities do you consider the most important?

Although the company's scale is global, we are primarily a family company whose roots are in the Podkarpacie region. I treat our region a bit like my own family, because there is strength in the family, it’s where I can try to support valuable initiatives. Our activities are focused on promoting a healthy lifestyle, which is why we support local sports teams and individual athletes. One such example is a partnership with the local teams Asseco Resovia, SkyRes DevelopRes Rzeszów and Stal Mielec. We are currently working on a young talent programme, whose pilot scheme will be launched at the beginning of next year. We actively support local cultural institutions and schools. We are also very sensitive to human suffering, which is why we have set up a foundation to help families afflicted by natural disasters and other adverse circumstances. We are involved in initiatives whose aim is to improve health, and after all, it’s part of our philosophy.

• PM

What technological achievements of Olimp Labs do you consider to be the most innovative?

In the past few years, Olimp Labs has invested a sum of over PLN 300 million in advanced research and development, production and distribution management technologies. The Future Food 4.0 investment project we have launched is worth another PLN 200 million.

Spending on innovation as part of previous, present and future projects amounts to over PLN 500 million. It is a system of communicating vessels, in which each element is important.

This system allows us maximum control over the product, its composition, impact on the consumer and availability in the remotest corners of the world. However, technology is only a tool which enables us to carry out our mission.

Without a clear focus on the quality and concern for the health of our clients, the investments we make wouldn’t make any sense. Innovation is not a machine, but a way of thinking and solving problems which reality confronts us PM

OVER THE PAST YEARS, OLIMP LABS HAS INVESTED OVER PLN 300 MILLION IN THE LATEST RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION AND CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES THROUGHOUT THE PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION PROCESS.

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PRESIDENTIAL ECONOMIC AWARD 2019

INDUSTRY 4.0: NEW STANDARDS IN PROCESS AUTOMATION H OW S M A RT FAC TO R I E S G ROW

“In the era of growing automation and digitisation of industrial processes, only the integration of systems in the field of automation, IT, IoT and logistics, will make it possible to optimise the production cycle. Digital expansion should cover all the company’s areas which are justifiable from the business point of view. This means the gradual automation of key production zones and structures, especially in the field of internal logistics,” says Marek Gabryś, vice president of the Polish company AIUT which specialises in the construction of robotic lines, automation of industrial processes and Internet of Things solutions.

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he market is constantly evolving, forcing companies to overhaul their production strategies. Plants which currently have traditional automation systems are looking for new business solutions to prevent work stoppages and to develop a safe work environment. The answer lies, among others, in autonomous AGV robots and mobile cobots, as well as advanced analysis of data acquired as part of the IoT (Internet of Things) industrial ecosystem.

machine, is becoming a business need. A radical automation model has been proposed in response to this need. But this should mean process automation in areas which have been left unattended for various reasons, and which are in need of an overhaul. The goal is not to exclude humans.

Smart production involves cooperation between humans and machines,” emphasises Jerzy Greblicki, AIUT board consultant for Industry 4.0.

FACTORY 4.0: WHICH WAY?

Customers’ fresh expectations and habits are forcing factories not only to focus on quality and production speed, but also on flexible and timely management of the manufacturing process to keep up with buyers' preferences. “There is a need for a fresh look at production management systems. Solutions should be developed to meet the needs of a given manufacturing plant. It will be crucial to skilfully use new solutions, while drawing on the three decades of experience gained by industry,” Jerzy Greblicki points out. “For example, AIUT invests in its own technologies and products in the area of Smart Cities, Industry 4.0 and Radical Automation. This enables us to propose solutions to expand key manufacturing processes, whereby new hubs and parallel process lines are served by autonomous AGV platforms - completely safe intelligent robots which work together with humans.”

CHANGE OF DIRECTION

“They need to be competent and they should be present wherever their presence is required. Our capital includes over 500 process engineers. Such interdisciplinary experience on the part of the supplier makes it possible to offer a comprehensive range of market solutions. Another pillar is support.

We implement technologically advanced solutions for companies all over the world. I can’t imagine working with clients in China, India, the US or Germany without offering them design and service support through • our local branches,” Marek Gabryś points out.

In line with the concept of Industry 4.0, all production processes should be integrated, monitored and thoroughly analysed to achieve optimum management results, based on the assessment of the current state of affairs within the factory. In this way, technology can not only alert us to the need for repairs, but above all to predict possible failures. Costly downtime thus becomes an unlikely scenario.

“The fourth industrial revolution is underway, which means that companies are developing, in particular when it comes to solutions supplied by integrators, which are meant to optimise work at the plant. The approach to the automation process should be holistic to cover all economically justified areas and resources which will be combined into a single integrated ecosystem featuring efficient communication. This is the only way toward a Smart Factory,” says AIUT vice president Marek Gabryś.

Soon it will not be enough to just automate key production processes. To meet the needs of the evolving personalised products market, process lines should be adapted to turn out shorter batches of products. Meanwhile, workers’ competences and expectations are growing. Factories are facing shortages of qualified manpower in a number of areas. This poses challenges for both entrepreneurs and system suppliers. “Automation and robotisation of processes, whereby a person can be supported by a

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FLEXIBLE APPROACH

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF SOLUTION SUPPLIERS?

PRESIDENTIAL ECONOMIC AWARD 2019

BUSINESS BY BIC

IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE MONEY The Economy Award of the President of the Republic of Poland is an excellent way to single out companies that “do things right.” BIC Electric is one such organization that also “does the right thing.”

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stablished in 2004 in Szczecin, BIC provides technical services all across the world and has some impressive projects in their portfolio: they contributed significantly to world’s largest mobile arch – the reactor’s new safe confinement in Chernobyl, largest offshore wind farm – Hornsea Project One, biggest automated car park in Aarhus, giant data center in Denmark or grain silo system along the Nile in Egypt. They have international blood running in their veins.

Ghana Greentech Academy in Mim. This latest ambitious endeavor is an attempt at immediate and lasting improvement of value-creation opportunities in West Africa – a vocational school in a poor region receives material support from BIC to give their graduates an edge on the job market. This is further strengthened by the post-graduate training programme carried out by BIC in Europe. We also employ talented Nigerians and plan to create jobs there via our newly opened branch in West Africa.

WHAT ARE THE RIGHT THINGS?

A beneficial “side effect” will be supplying the West African economy with professional technicians and administrative staff who will capture more of the value chain locally by setting up spin-offs or acting as local experts.

In essence, BIC is realizing a “trade, not aid” agenda – they help Africa make money instead of just sending it there. Only sustainable business is a sensible long-term strategy.

The project touches upon some very important issues in Ghana and West Africa, namely job creation, knowledge transfer and creating economic growth but also at the same time exploring the many opportunities that lies in the Sub-Saharan Africa. With the dedication that BIC has shown I’m confident that BIC will succeed. - Søren Robenhagen – Commercial Attaché, Embassy of Denmark, Accra, Ghana

However, it was their unique understanding of business that grabbed the attention of the award committee this year – it is not just about the money. They “do the right things” on all the key levels: for staff they have a comprehensive development and well-being policy including financing language courses and higher education, funding bicycles to commute to work or provide transparency and accountability via their whistle blower webpage. At the local and national levels, they are active as ambassadors of both Denmark and Polish Western Pomerania – their little homelands.

They also support local charities and cultural initiatives and foster environment based on business value creation. Finally, across borders, BIC has supported Doctors Without Borders, Polish Humanitarian Action and, most recently,

TRADE, NOT AID

The plan to create sustainable high competence jobs for West African professionals is very ambitious but I’m sure BIC will succeed.

There have been made many preparations so far, incl. market studies, recruitment process preparations, establishment of the business operation hub in Ghana, etc. BIC is on a good track and we fully support this fantastic project.

- Per Christensen, Consul General, Consulate General of Denmark in Lagos, Nigeria.

• Read more here: https://bic-electric.com/our-csrcommitment/

Lucja Kalkstein & Jens-Christian Møller – owners of BIC group.

AFRICAN VISION BY BIC "We have an ambition to become a significant benefactor that will visibly and sustainably improve the life quality in countries which have, until now, been largely neglected. Through our recruitment and training programme, we aim to help the talented technicians from Ghana and Nigeria spread their wings and learn cutting edge technical and business processes during their outplacement in Europe. Upon completing the training and on return to their homelands, we are sure that they will become not only leaders and trendsetters there, but will elevate local economies by creating new, attractive jobs that will attract foreign investments to their countries and keep the money there."

Jens-Christian Møller, CEO of BIC group.

West African trainees at BIC HQ

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PRESIDENTIAL ECONOMIC AWARD 2019

POLISH AUTOMOTIVE BRAND Polish manufacturers of automotive parts have decided to join forces. Companies which are members of the Polish Automotive Group have come up with an idea of how to conquer foreign markets to make the Polish automotive brand known on the global market.

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he Polish Automotive Group (PGM) is a nationwide organisation of Polish producers of automotive parts and components. Currently, the association brings together 33 manufacturers of different profiles and scale, which between them have over 6,000 employees and generate a turnover of approx. PLN 3 billion.

Thanks to the effective use of synergies of scale, PGM gives its members the opportunity to exchange best practices, recommend each other to key clients, jointly submit tenders, and optimise costs by organising group purchases.

Regularly organised meetings of PGM company managers are conducive to better understanding of competences and building mutual trust.

But PGM also wants to share its competences with others. A good case in point was a panel discussion on Industry 4.0 in the automotive industry organised in conjunction with the Podkarpackie Province at the recent Congress 590. The participants, all PGM members, presented their experiences in implementing modern production technologies. It was pointed out that Industry 4.0 involves the digital integration of systems and networks.

Next to mechanisation, electrification and automation, it is another stage of industrial revolution. The panellists stressed that in order to make a technological leap, a company must have funds for investment. And this hinges on profitability, which largely depends on how high

CONGRESS 590

the company’s sales are, and on successful brand building. “There are nearly 1,000 manufacturers of automotive parts and accessories in Poland.

They are doing very well. They successfully export their products. However, in the globalisation era, these companies face growing competition,” says Bartosz Mielecki, Managing Director of the Polish Automotive Group. “It is a well- established fact that greater potential lies in joining forces and mutual cooperation.” Hence the idea to set up the Polish Automotive Group, which not only brings companies together, but is also able to undertake a number of business activities. The latest PGM initiative is to build a Polish global automotive brand. The PGM Automotive project was unveiled during the fourth edition of Congress 590 in Jasionka near Rzeszów last month.

Five Polish manufacturers of automotive parts, members of the Polish Automotive Group, are behind the idea of the joint PGM Automotive brand. They are PZL Sędziszów (filters), FA Krosno (gas springs), ZAP Sznajder Batterien (batteries), TIP TOPOL (air suspension) and Pelmet (steering system components). By organising joint logistics, marketing, sales, and offering a wide range of quality products, it will be easier for the consortium's participants to enter promising but hard-to-reach markets, e.g. in Africa. In addition, using existing sales channels developed by individual project partners, others will be able to reach fresh clients. As part of the project, an important role is played by the Łukasiewicz – PIMOT Research Network (also a member of the PGM Association), which oversees the quality of PGM products. Łukasiewicz-PIMOT also supports project participants’ research and development activities.

“Three years ago we decided to integrate Polish companies from the automotive sector. Although they perfectly knew each other’s business profiles, they rarely cooperated with one another. The Polish Automotive Group was set up to step up cooperation among local companies. The potential of these activities is evident in the fact that in September we obtained the prestigious status of a National Key Cluster from the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology. The next, natural step is to start joint business activities,” says Bartosz Mielecki.

The group is open to new members. The initiators intend to gradually expand the project to include more Polish firms. The idea is to attract producers of other components and automotive parts to create a wide range of products under the PGM brand.

“Our venture is primarily meant to build a strong Polish brand on the global spare parts market. It is a breakthrough event for the Polish economy, a way of promoting Polish quality internationally,” adds Adam Sikorski, owner of PZL Sędziszów, and president of the Polish Automotive Group.

•

Deputy Minister of Investment and Economic Development Małgorzata JarosińskaJedynak

“INITIATIVES ADVANCED BY ENTREPRENEURS WHICH PROVIDE FOR COOPERATION WITHIN CLUSTERS AND BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTIONS, CAN COUNT ON SUPPORT IN THE FUTURE EU BUDGET,” SAID DEPUTY MINISTER OF INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MAŁGORZATA JAROSIŃSKAJEDYNAK. “CURRENT EUROPEAN COMMISSION PROPOSALS IN THIS AREA ARE VERY PROMISING. PROPOSALS PRESENTED BY THE EC ALSO SHOW THAT FINANCING INNOVATION IN THE FUTURE BUDGET WILL CONTINUE TO BE FOCUSED ON SMART SPECIALISATION, WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON PARTNERSHIPS. REGARDLESS OF THE POSSIBLE FINANCING OF SUCH INITIATIVES, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT PROJECTS RELATED TO THE CREATION OF PARTNERSHIPS, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS OF NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SMART SPECIALISATION, MAKE A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO BUILDING INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS.” 10/2019 polish market

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CONGRESS 590

PGM AUTOMOTIVE

WILL INTEGRATE THE POLISH AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY ADAM SIKORSKI, President of the Polish Automotive Group (PGM) Association, a young cluster building a Polish automotive brand, talks to Jerzy Mosoń.

What market needs were behind the agreement signed at the recent 590 Congress by Polish companies manufacturing automotive components? Does this first Polish automotive cluster stand a chance to change Poland’s perception as merely a supplier for large players?

What you said is right. We now mostly manufacture automotive components, but we want to make brand-name products with their Polish origin clearly stated. Over the past 30 years the automotive sector has achieved an undoubted success in Poland. It is the second largest sector of the Polish economy, contributing around 10% to Poland’s GDP. It accounts for a huge part of Polish exports and provides a very large number of jobs. Still, one has to admit that we have failed to build a strong Polish brand for automotive parts or a vehicle brand.

This has serious consequences in that we have to produce for other companies, of which many are foreign-owned. We are very glad that we are gaining knowledge and experience while working with the foreign partners. Over these years we have certainly learnt a lot from them. But in a situation when a priority for many Polish firms is now to boost exports, and enter and expand on foreign markets, we have to build and promote a Polish brand.

PM

Let me ask you straightforwardly. Can we hope, given the agreement signed at the 590 Congress, that a Polish passenger car brand will appear in coming years?

I think there is still a long way to go, but of course constant dropping wears away a stone. It should be stated clearly that these days a car brand means in fact an assembly plant. The vehicles are composed of thousands of parts manufactured by suppliers. And all sorts of these parts are made in Poland. The question is who should integrate all this. We know about a Polish design for an electric car. For the time being, many consider it to be a failure.

PM

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Have we lost the chance to become an electromobility leader?

I wouldn’t write off this project. I have said since the beginning that it is a time of big transformation for the automotive sector and we have to take part in it. We have to look at what is going on and even if a Polish car does not come into being in the end our producers of components will really benefit from it. The example of Opel shows that today it is not that easy for a country to have its own car brand. Poland could buy the EUR1 billion Opel brand and, given the condition of the Polish economy, the cost would not have been impossible to bear.

But buying a brand is not all. One also needs to integrate suppliers and the sales network. Additionally, there are warranty and product development issues. Today, designers are working on products that will be launched after four to six years.

At present, we are a supplier of components and semi-products.

And now is a good time to build our own brand.

PM

Is the Polish automotive industry ready for the Industry 4.0 revolution and environmental challenges. I mean transition from combustion vehicles to hybrids and then hydrogen and electric cars?

There is a considerable risk involved here because being a supplier of components or a supplier for leading manufacturers means that we are dependent on them. Our success simply depends on which technology they choose and whether their choice is right from the point of view of the ultimate market trend. For if our customer chooses a wrong technology today – for example, if they invest in hybrids and these turn out to be a wrong choice, or if they invest in the hydrogen technology and it turns out a wrong choice – then not only our partner will be in trouble, but we will be in trouble as well.

PM

PM

But maybe, having such a huge potential, it would be worthwhile to take part in creating trends?

CONGRESS 590

Partners in PGM AUTOMOTIVE project: A. Sikorski (PZL SĘDZISZÓW), M. Pelczar (PELMET), K. Frelek (FA KROSNO), P. Borucki (TIP-TOPOL), B. Mielecki (PGM).

This is part of what we want to do in the Polish Automotive Group cluster. We are trying to get very strongly integrated and work on complex solutions - since the design stage to the delivery of components to factories. It is the only thing that can enable us to really create these trends instead of merely keeping track of them and providing answers to particular inquiries concerning individual components.

The transport sector is gladly switching to diesel with AdBlue, a fluid which helps engines to meet strict emissions standards and reduce the most harmful and highly carcinogenic nitrogen oxides. What is the reason behind this change?

Environmental protection awareness has been growing rapidly among transport sector participants and individual vehicle users. The changes you are talking about are imposed by a competitive market and regulations adopted by individual countries. For example, the increasing popularity of LNG engines is driven by reduced motorway fees in Germany.

PM

Which trend will be dominant in five or six years: modern diesels, new technology in petrol engines, hybrids, hydrogen technology or perhaps something else?

It is hard to predict. An example is LNG. It seemed that LNG engines are an environment-friendly alternative to hybrids, but research has recently appeared which negates this. I think that very much will depend on a general economic situation and a potential crisis.

Let’s hope it doesn’t come about. But if it does we have to be aware PM

that transition to new engines is very costly for factories, industry, business and end customers. There is talk about subsidies for vehicles from the national budget. To sum up, how fast new technologies will be adopted depends on many factors. An unexpected economic development may stop some programmes. It happened in China last year when subsidies for electric cars were discontinued, which immediately affected their sales. At present, it is not only the consumer and business that determine changes in trends. A major role is also played by the political factor as it creates regulations which determine what is produced. And we have no influence on that.

What will be the first goal of the PGM Automotive consortium?

We are identifying markets where we want to operate and which we regard as our target markets. We want to quickly create an organisation - a team of people dedicated to this undertaking. At the beginning of next year, the first products with the PGM Automotive logo will be delivered to our customers with whom we are in advanced talks. We are about to sign the agreed articles of association.

PM

I wish you and the whole sector success in making PGM Automotive a global brand.

This is what we wish ourselves as well because we deserve it. Of course, the list of partners of our undertaking is not closed. We plan to dynamically expand the range of products offered under the PGM Automotive brand. I also hope that we will be a good example for other firms. Maybe our agreement will inspire other sectors to undertake • similar joint activities.

PM

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CONGRESS 590

MAREK SANOCKI, co-owner and Vice President of Splast based in Krosno, participant in a panel entitled “Industry 4.0 in the automotive industry. Optimisation of production” during Congress 590.

SMART FACTORY

H E R E A N D N OW

O

ur production profile includes automotive industry and ele ct r ic a l en g i ne er i n g products, professional manual cleaning equipment and furniture industry products. Splast annual sales exceed PLN 250 million. We believe that we should not ask why Industry 4.0 is here, and whether and when it is going to affect us.

What we should be asking is whether we want to produce effectively, whether we ready to automate production, whether have the right human resources, and whether want to reduce costs and improve quality.

Splast purchased the first robotic process lines back in 2000. In 2003, it acquired an integrated ERP system, and in 2007, the MES and WMS production management system.

This was followed by e-document circulation and the introduction of a self-service data visualisation and analysis system.

DATA EXCHANGE

At Splast, data is exchanged vertically and horizontally. The ERP, MES, WMS and EDI systems vertically exchange data among themselves, and communicate with machines, robots and peripheral devices, which also horizontally exchange data with each other. An order received from the customer and registered in our ERP system, is automatically fed into the MES system, where production planning on individual process lines is carried out in line with a pre-programmed technologies.

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PRODUCTION MONITORING

Within the MES system, we are able to monitor production online. All machines are connected into one system where we can directly track their status. By connecting each machine to the network, we can monitor every parameter, such as pressure, temperature and speed. Control plans are also included in this system. The operator is alerted to the need to take measurements on his control panel. Having logged into the control stand, he is able to perform the task in line with guidelines. Measuring tools such as a calliper, altimeter and weighing scales, are also connected to the system, and the results are saved automatically.

IMPROVING EFFICIENCY

Monitoring results enable us to track process capabilities and perform measurement analysis on an ongoing basis. Additional processes such as drying are also monitored in the system, thanks to which, after scanning the material code, drying parameters are automatically assigned and supervised by the system in line with the adopted technology. We strive to automate all processes where we can spot opportunities to improve efficiency, increase ergonomics and work safety. We automate printing, welding, assembly, visual quality control and internal logistics. We have over 50 robots of various types: Cartesian, 6 axis and collaborative robots known as cobots.

APPLICATIONS AND SUPERVISION

In the production process, we use 22 automatic vision system applications. All media are monitored and supervised automatically, especially heat recovery from process lines.

It is used to heat industrial water and rooms in winter time. These activities enable us to lower PPM from year to year. The OEE ratio is growing, coupled with a sales increase of 1015%, as a result of which we have better financial results, and above all, we enjoy customer satisfaction.

The implementation of the Smart Factory concept also encompasses the latest investment in solar farms in Krosno and Jedlicze with a total capacity of over 1.2 MWh, with an estimated annual energy production of about 1200 MWh, and a reduction of CO2 emissions by over 1,000 tonnes. This project perfectly meets the needs of the environment.•

SPLAST AT A GLANCE Splast specialises in injection moulding of technical thermoplastics. It is a family business with 100% Polish capital. Splast has three manufacturing plants in Jedlicze, Krosno and Miskolc, Hungary. Its production halls have a total area of 18,000 m2. The company’s products range in weight from 5 grams to 10 kilograms. Splast employs a crew of 600. It specialises in single and multi-component technology, gas injection, as well as additional supporting technologies such as printing, MuCell injection, welding, direct metal laser sintering, plasma activation and gluing.

Splast produces injection moulds, carries out extrusion of materials and assembly.

CONGRESS 590

HEALTHY SOLUTIONS Large sets of data and the ability to use them are seen as the pillars of future medicine. How to use modern technologies and data analysis techniques to serve patients? Can the National Health Service (NFZ) budget, along with the state budget, be tightened thanks to the use of big data analysis? How to use technology to streamline medical services? These are just some of the questions raised in a panel discussion entitled "Healthy data - modern technologies and data analysis techniques in health care," which was held during Congress 590 in Jasionka.

A

mong the panellists were Janusz Cieszyński, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Health, member of the government standing committee for digital affairs; Adam Niedzielski, deputy president of the National Health Fund; Bartłomiej Wnuk, director of the Health Care Information Systems Centre; Andrzej Witek, president of CenterMed and Medycyna Polska Group; and Przemysław Jesionowski, IC Solutions managing partner. Deputy Health Minister Janusz Cieszyński told the meeting: “Digitalisation of every process is not an easy task, it is not so much a technical challenge but an organisational one. Health care is governed by unique laws, because at stake is patient safety, which is a very sensitive area. There is great potential in this, but there are also high expectations. Patients are able to compare the performance of public health care with private health care. Such competition sets us apart from other public sectors.”

Andrzej Witek, president of CenterMed and Medycyna Polska Group, was introduced at Congress 590 as an innovator, and an enthusiast of e-health and modern technologies and data analysis techniques.

“Machines and programmes cannot replace

DB physicians. After all, these machines and systems learn from them and analyse data received from them,” he pointed out. He emphasised that ordinary citizens now live longer lives, so more and more medical services are needed. He noted that there is a shortage of doctors in Poland. “Automated solutions provide doctors the support they need. Good and reliable systems are able to pre-diagnose diseases, and suggest other tests. The doctor can take advantage of these solutions to save time,” he said. Asked whether Polish doctors are ready for such solutions, doctor Witek replied that so far there have been no medical digitalisation classes at universities. “Even a short course in the use of digital techniques gives you the freedom to use them over time.

One of our doctors is 75, another one is 85. If it were not for digitalisation, they would no longer be able to work in the profession,” he explained.

According to the president of CenterMed, digital exclusion in the medical industry is a myth.

“You need to break the mould. You need to inform students that such techniques exist.

They provide doctors with extra tools which will help them at work and will cut red tape.”

Adam Niedzielski, deputy president of the National Health Fund, said that the fund’s information resources are huge. “We

publish a lot of information and analyses on the Zdrowedane.nfz.gov.pl site, which is also very useful for patients. We can use the data to build forecasts, to define risk areas to help doctors to take effective preventive measures. We have advanced algorithms, we work in partnership with Polish universities and individual scientists, we hope that we will be able to take another big step within a year.”

Przemysław Jesionowski, managing partner at IC Solutions presented examples of solutions which come in handy in the development of digital resources. “We create solutions in such a way as to make them easy to understand for individual users, to develop and implement technologically advanced projects which imperceptibly change the analogue world into a digital one. With data acquisition in mind, we have developed our flagship product: the IC Pen - a system which allows you to digitise paper data using a digital pen solution. This technology is designed to simultaneously create an electronic version of a document while writing with the use of the IC pen. “If we implement all our digital projects, within 2-3 years we will find ourselves among the most advanced countries,” deputy Health Minister Janusz Cieszyński said in his • concluding remarks.

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CONGRESS 590

DIGITAL HEALTH CARE ANDRZEJ WITEK, President of CenterMed and the Polish Medical Group, winner of the e-health leader 2019 competition, talks to Danuta Bierzańska.

Does Poland need to digitise its medical services? What are the benefits of data digitisation for the medical services market?

Everything which has been successfully digitised in the economy and other walks of life, all details which one figured on a paper and which are now in digital data form, can be processed, profiled, analysed and stratified. Data concerning small and large populations can be processed. As a young doctor, I used to meet other doctors at the clinic to exchange information on bacteria strains which were the most infectious at the time, and antibiotics which worked the best to fight them. That was what analysis was about in those days. Now, thousands of doctors enter information about thousands of patients, applied therapies and their results, into databases. It is thus possible to obtain the results of an analysis of one million cases.

This gives doctors tremendous opportunities to find out which pathogen prevails and how to treat it the most effectively. It is possible to identify risk groups for some diseases and apply appropriate prevention. Of course, the doctor still picks drugs and decides how to administer them, but he gets enormous help from the system which offers hints.

Digitisation and data transfer from homeuse medical devices glucose meter, blood pressure monitor, etc. allows doctors to follow the patient remotely. If a computer which analyses the transmitted data notices that the patient has elevated sugar levels, he is invited to visit the clinic, we do not have to wait for him to get ill and only then call an ambulance. These are huge benefits. Of course, we must be very careful about cyber security, the data is sensitive, but this opens up great opportunities for medicine to use data for personalised treatment, preventive care, etc.

PM

PM

Is Polish health care ready for such a digital revolution?

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WE NEED TO PUT SOME PRESSURE ON BOTH THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY AND PATIENTS, BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT MODERN TIMES CALL FOR. We are at the outset of change.

Paradoxically, we may be lagging behind others, but this allows us to take a big leap forward, instead of taking small steps. Digital exclusion is still a problem in Polish health care. The average age of specialists is 53, 30% of specialists are nearing retirement - it is obvious that it is not easy for some of them to use digital novelties. But change always takes time. It's like driving a car. At first, it seems impossible to grasp all the details, but after a while you learn to drive it intuitively and effortlessly. It works the same way with computers and smartphones. We need to put some pressure on both the medical community and patients, because that’s what modern times call for.

So when is all health care data going to be digitised?

Optim istically, with in 5 years, pessimistically, 10. I reckon that 80% of doctors will be able to adapt within the next 2 years. Take e-prescriptions. Doctors at my clinic had a choice either to print PM

a prescription or to generate an e-prescription.

It turned out that except for a few of them, most traditionally used the printer. After some time I asked them to turn off the print option, and within a very short time, all doctors switched over to e-prescriptions.

That’s the kind of pressure I was referring to.

And how many patients are prepared for the digital medical service?

According to professional health care studies, 80% of patients expect digital access to their medical records. Roughly 80-90% of patients today have digital documentation, often without even knowing it. Younger patients demand to be able to register digitally, choose a doctor, clinic, etc. ECG and CTG tests can now be performed not at a clinic, but at the patient's home. We are able to monitor diabetes using a subcutaneous sensor. Fresh opportunities are constantly arising. Progress provides us with relevant tools. Remote monitoring offers wonderful opportunities for prevention. The same holds true about telecare. Many promising pilot projects are currently underway in this area.

PM

What other innovations are being introduced in health care management?

My current project is a command centre.

Such patient management systems already operate in other countries. A patient is managed just like traffic at a large airport or transport hub. You are able to track each passenger and each piece of luggage, plane departure and arrival. Hospitals also use a monitoring system which tracks every patient, doctor and device - from A&E to the discharge stage. When an accident occurs, the system starts relevant procedures and follows the movements of patients and doctors. Then the patient is monitored at home once he is discharged. My idea is to translate this hospital system into out-patient care.

• PM

Tourmedica.pl - is a site nearly 1,000,000 Polish patients a year use to pick in- and outpatient clinics, dental clinics and diagnostic labs.

T

he great Dutch painter and graphic artist, considered one of the greatest painters in history, is sometimes called the painter of the soul. He mastered the chiaroscuro technique to perfection, using it to make his works look more dramatic and to heighten their mood.

He was inspired by motifs taken from the Bible and Greek myths, but he also painted genre scenes, landscapes and numerous portraits, including many self-portraits. The exhibition at the Royal Castle promises to be an unmissable opportunity to experience so many of his works in one place at one time. During the Rembrandt Year, the Royal Castle also celebrates the 25th anniversary of a unique gift by Prof. Karolina Lanckorońska (1898-2002). This art historian, activist of the Polish expatriate community in Italy, and the last descendant of the Lanckoroński aristocratic family, decided to donate two famous paintings by the Dutch master, "Girl in a Picture Frame" (1641) and "Scholar at His Writing Table" (1641) to the Royal Castle in Warsaw, where they can now be admired. At the exhibition, visitors will be able to learn more not just about the paintings themselves, but also about their extraordinary history, as well as their popularity over the centuries.

The focal point of the exhibition will of course be the two famous paintings. The first part of the show will be devoted to the history of both works. Portraits of Polish collectors who used to own Rembrandt paintings, will also be shown. A special place among them is occupied by Prof. Lanckorońska.

The "Scholar at His Writing Table" and "Girl in a Picture Frame" originally belonged to the private collection of Poland’s last king Stanisław August Poniatowski. They were both purchased in 1777. The king’s nephew, Prince Józef Poniatowski, heir to the throne, inherited them after the king’s death. The paintings were acquired from him by Kazimierz Rzewuski and then passed through several aristocratic families, ending up in the possession of the Lanckoroński family. The family owned one of the most significant art collections in Europe. In 1994, Prof. Lanckorońska donated 13 works to the Royal Castle in Warsaw which are currently displayed in three rooms on the ground floor.

In one of the rooms, the two glass-encased Rembrandt paintings are on show. In the room you can also find large X-ray images of the paintings. The second part of the exhibition is devoted to 18th and 19th century copies of works by Dutch masters. These include paintings, prints and miniatures,

testifying to the popularity of the original works, and showing how differently the same image may look depending on the technique and scale which have been used. The final part of the exhibition, which consists of 31 prints and 3 drawings by Rembrandt from other Polish Collections, places the two paintings held in the castle’s collection in a broader context. In this part of the exhibition you will find studies of the figures of women, older people and scholars, as well as Rembrandt's self-portraits and images of • his closest relatives.

How much does a paying patient cost on average?

PLN 17.00 PLN 45.00 PLN 76.00 Under PLN 12.00

One platform for thousands of clinics

MEDICINE

DOCTOR ROBOT More than half of Europeans, 56% to be exact, are ready to be operated on by a robot, and to be treated by their GP via webcam, according to a health report published by the international pharmaceutical company STADA this year.

Danuta Bierzańska

I

n Poland, medical and pharmaceutical companies are among the most innovative in the economy. According to Statistics Poland data, almost one in two manufacturers of pharmaceuticals in Poland introduces innovative products to the market.

The use of innovative solutions in medicine makes it possible to carry out intricate operations, during which the surgeon's hands are replaced with robotic arms. Using a smartphone, we can be constantly in touch with our doctor, and the computer is able to warn us about an imminent heart attack or stroke. New technologies have truly transformed the medical services market.

The most spectacular example of innovation in medicine in recent years

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is the da Vinci robot, which entered the European market in 1999 under the name Da Vinci Surgical System. It was built by the American company Intuitive Surgical to facilitate complex, minimally invasive surgical procedures in urology, gynaecology, cardiology and ENT diseases. The main advantage of the da Vinci robot is its high precision, reduction of adverse effects during the procedure, and shortening the patient’s stay in hospital. The biggest drawback is its high cost.

The first surgery with the use of the da Vinci robot was carried out in Poland at the Regional Specialist Hospital in Wrocław on December 13, 2010. At the present moment, several of these robots are used in Poland.

Under a recent decision of the President of

the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariffs (AOTMiT) to classify the da Vinci system as a guaranteed service in Poland, the use of the device is likely to become more widespread, thus positively affecting the development of medical robotics in this country. Last year alone, a few more da Vinci robots were purchased for clinics in Warsaw, Poznań and Białystok. Hospitals in other cities are also considering investing in the da Vinci system. According to Synektit, the sole distributor of the robot in Poland, the da Vinci system is installed in six centres, and a contract for the delivery of the seventh robot has already been signed.

Virtual reality is one of the technologies of the future, which according to World Economic Forum experts are set to

MEDICINE

for artificial intelligence in medicine was the first to be established in this part of Europe at the Medical University of Białystok. It generates high-quality comprehensive sets of data regarding patients with lifestyle diseases. Billions of cases of diseases have been described by doctors worldwide. The problem is how to use this data to make an accurate diagnosis and to propose a therapy.

The famous Watson, an IBM supercomputer featuring 2,880 cores and 15 TB of internal memory, is able to treat and diagnose patients in 16 cancer clinics. It can leaf through

TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INFORMATION SOCIETY HAVE OPENED UP FRESH OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROVIDING BETTER MEDICAL SERVICES. revolutionise the health care sector in the next 2-4 years. It helps surgeons visualise the patient's tissues in three dimensions and create holographic guides to the human body.

The physician has a unique opportunity to travel down blood arteries, for example.

New possibilities related to artificial intelligence are also opening up before medicine. Diagnostics is the main area of research. According to the medinwestycje.pl website, last year, an artificial intelligence unit called BioMind beat doctors in diagnosing neurological diseases during events organised in Beijing. In fact, it proved to be 20% more efficient. Similarly, an AI-based algorithm developed at Stanford University, learnt to recognise 14 diseases based on x-ray images within a period of two months. Its results were better than those achieved by radiologists.

Giants such as IBM, Microsoft, Google and Philips are working on the use of artificial intelligence in medicine. In Poland, a centre

200,000,000 pages in just three seconds.

Fresh avenues in medicine are opened up by gene therapy, an innovative form of treatment which makes it possible to get rid of, or correct, genetic defects. For now, it is an experimental method of treating patients who do not respond to current methods. It consists in exploring the underlying causes of the disease. The strategy in this therapy is to replace a defective gene with a correct copy (therapeutic gene), or to disable or block the damaged gene.

Among technologies of the future pinpointed by experts of the World Economic Forum which are expected to revolutionise the health care sector, there is also electrocutics, which promises to treat diseases with the help of electrical impulses. In the near future, it will probably be possible to develop smart electrochemicals which will be able to monitor physiological parameters and, if problems are detected, to stimulate specific

nerve fibres. Electric shocks have already been used to treat epilepsy and depression. Work is currently underway on the treatment of migraines, obesity and rheumatoid arthritis with the use of electrical impulses.

Technological innovations and the development of the information society have opened up fresh opportunities for providing better medical services. Thanks to the possibilities of remote support for diagnostics, monitoring and rehabilitation, a new branch has emerged - telemedicine. An interactive platform for patients has become available, which does not require personal contact with a physician. On October 9, 2015, an amendment to the act on the information system in health care entered into force in Poland. It enables the provision of health services not only in direct contact between the physician and patient, but also by means of ICT systems.

Telemedicine is primarily used in Poland in extending medical care over senior citizens. Research shows that as many as 70% of accidents happen to people over 65 at home. And that is when telemedicine devices make it easier to call for help. They include heart function monitoring vests and wrist bands, which record some health parameters and enable medical services to react when something goes wrong. Telemedicine solutions are also cost effective.

Information on advanced work on innovative life-saving technologies is increasingly appearing on the market. Within a few years, 3D printed transplant organs, contact lenses able to monitor blood sugar levels in diabetics, drones equipped with a complete medical first aid kit, and vests for mine rescuers using peroxide to supply oxygen, may enter standard medicine.

Within 3 years, the InProbe probe developed by the Lublin-based company SDS Optic, is to enter mass production. It is expected to rapidly increase breast cancer detection, thus reducing morbidity rates associated with this disease by as much as 30%.

The European Union is introducing regulations under which, as of 2022, all new cars will need to be fitted with lifesaving technologies, including a smart speed adjustment system, automated emergency brakes, a driver distraction sensor and a detector of other cars, pedestrians and cyclists.

It is clear that even the most advanced new technologies will never be able to replace physicians. But they can significantly support both the treatment of patients and prevention of diseases. • 10/2019 polish market

29

MEDICINE

DA VINCI – THE ART OF

TREATMENT AND THE FUTURE OF MODERN SURGERY At the Medicover Hospital in Warsaw, Paweł Salwa, MD, assisted by the da Vinci robot, has already performed 200 prostate-cancer surgeries. The robot ensures high precision in the procedure, and reduces the convalescence period. It also minimises the risk of complications, and alleviates postoperative pain.

“

The da Vinci robot system is truly ‘aerospace’ technology right there in the operating room, allowing highly precise surgical procedures. 10x or 20x magnification, and the use of miniaturised, 5-mm-long tools are all possible with this system. This means that we can remove the cancer with greater accuracy, while also achieving higher precision when dealing with tissues which must be kept intact,” says Paweł Salwa MD, head of urology at the Medicover Hospital.

In urology, the most common procedure is radical prostatectomy, i.e. the complete removal of the prostate. With the da Vinci system, it is possible to mitigate the side effects of such surgeries, such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction. The operations are more precise than in the case of laparoscopic procedures, when simple, rigid tools must be inserted through small incisions in the skin, or classic operations with cuts into the skin and muscles.

“What counts for the patient, and for me, as the doctor, is three things. The frst is to remove the tumor completely. The second and third– is to improve the patient's quality of life. By this I mostly mean control over bladder function and sufficient erection for satisfying sexual intercourse , as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction are known to often follow prostatectomy performed with classic or laparoscopic methods.. The precision required to meet these three criteria can only be delivered by the da Vinci robot controlled by an experienced surgeon, scientific publications define experienced surgeon as one who has independently performed at least 500 cases.” adds Dr. Salwa, who has operated over 1000 men with help of the da Vinci console.

Da Vinci supports four arms, two of which are equipped with surgical tools to represent the surgeon’s left and right hand. The third arm adds to the efficiency and capabilities of the robot, and the fourth gives control of the endoscopic camera. During the operation, the surgeon is not standing in front of the patient, but sitting at the console with a screen display. Observing the target site, he or she can move the robot’s arms as required, while also receiving information about the flexibility, pressure, and resistance of the tissues being operated on.

“The success of surgeries assisted by da Vinci depends heavily on the experience of the operator and the assisting team. The Medicover Hospital provides its patients with treatment options by Dr. Paweł Salwa, an expert in this field, who has already performed 1000 robot-assisted procedures,” says Anna Nipanicz-Szałkowska, Director of the Medicover Hospital.

For more on this topic, please go to www.urologia.medicover.pl.

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E-PEN

POLISH FOR EVERYONE In 2019, the company celebrates its tenth anniversary. Over the past decade, what originally was a small start-up has been transformed into a thriving company which implements its technology in large organisations and companies owned by the Treasury. It was a great honour for IC Solutions to be presented at the Polish Economic Exhibition.

R

esearch workers of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (Department of the Theory of Algorithms and Data Security), Rafał Witkowski D.Sc. (CEO) and Krzysztof Krzywdziński D.Sc., have developed a very practical IC Pen technology for digitising data. Their IC Solutions company is now conquering the world.

The motto of IC Solutions' activities is the idea of Invisible Computing, which means designing intuitive and user-friendly solutions. We provide IT solutions which the user is not even aware of while performing certain tasks. High tech can be used by everyone regardless of age, education level and social status.

One of such solutions is IC Pen - a system for digitising data - which enables the simultaneous formation of paper versions of documents and their electronic counterparts with the application of digital pens.

INNOVATION

The IC Solutions product is the IC Pen data digitisation system. It allows you to carry out a complete process of collecting data from any form filled in by hand with the use of a digital pen, which is then processed to a selected format (database entry.) Data can be fed into the system as forms filled in with a digital pen, online surveys, and using portable devices (tablets, smartphones,) in particular those equipped with a stylus. The combination of two independent ways of creating documents: writing with a pen on a sheet of paper (IC Pen) and with a stylus on screen (IC Stylus,) is a trail-blazing solution in the area of IC – a biometric data digitisation platform. It is the world’s only solution of its kind which allows the user to select the type of

This article was compiled as part of a project co-financed from European Funds.

device (pen or tablet) to be applied. The platform is not tied to any particular type of device, which means that the customer is free to choose from among MS Surface and Wacom devices, as well as various models of digital pens. A key advantage of the IC platform is that it is very easy to use. It is enough to integrate with one system, for instance IC Pen, to be able to use the IC Stylus system, too.

HUGE SAVINGS

The IC Pen system provides a solution to the need for a quick and efficient circulation and digitisation of paper documents.

The system saves time because it does away with the scanning stage and entering data into the computer. In a comprehensive way, it deals with the problem of computerising hospitals and introducing Electronic Medical Records.

Paper archives become obsolete. Applied in banking, the system offers savings up to 75% in terms of processing and archiving a document.

The solution has been implemented on the largest scale by the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe,) whose observers use the technology. In Poland, one of the target groups for our technology are health centres, which are obliged to store a digital version of all documents created during treatment under an act of 2011. Thanks to the IC Pen system, reports are automatically generated which allow you to control the use of materials and replenish supplies.

WHO CAN BENEFIT

The first Polish hospitals have already implemented the technology, including the Duchess Anna of Mazovia Clinical Hospital in Warsaw. Digital pens and the IC Pen are primarily applied there to obtain a patient’s written consent for medical procedures.

Another target market are companies offering financial services, i.e. banks. A pilot scheme is now underway at the PKO BP bank. The biometric signature is particularly important for financial services. It is electronically collected using a digital pen. The signature can be placed on a document and at the same time stored in the database for future reference, which allows it to be used to automatically verify the customer while authorising transactions or to sign other documents. In the implementation of social policies, our clients are City Family Support Centres and nursing homes.

•

MEDICINE

OPERATING THEATRE PROF. MIROSŁAW ZĄBEK, head of the Department of Neurosurgery, Neurotherapy Surgical Centre, Mazowsze Bródno Hospital in Warsaw, talks to Jerzy Mosoń.

What medical achievements and modern technologies have recently been introduced?

Modern technologies emerging in medicine serve specific purposes. It's just like in the movies - to play a good part, you need a good director. Hence, in English, the operating room is called the operating theatre. For it PM

32 polish market

is a theatre in which many actors play in an expertly directed production, and directing consists in preparing all the operations beforehand. Navigation and target acquisition is a technology derived from the US B-52s, which launch a missile and hit a target 80 km away within a specific window. This micro version navigation is applied in the operating

theatre. We record the image of the patient’s brain, in CAT and MRI, and on the day of the surgery we superimpose these images. We project it onto the head of a real patient who is now on an operating table, and the navigation systems show us the target that we want to reach before invasive procedures get underway.

The path we need to follow is marked. It is not

MEDICINE new, but it makes life a lot easier. In turn, the gamma knife is a great innovation in Poland.

We have been using it at the Bródno Hospital in Warsaw for several years.

Is this a kind of a laser knife?

It is a device used for brain radiosurgery, that is for the treatment of certain diseases, mainly cancers, vascular diseases, pain, neurosurgery, motor system disorders, all treated with a single shot of cobalt radiation.

The gamma knife is designed in such a way that 192 sources of cobalt radiation are located inside a circular collimator. The operator directs the beams at the tumour. Individual beams are weak enough not to damage the brain during penetration. Combined and focused in one place, they have a firepower capable of eradicating the tumour. The surgeon sits behind the console, together with a radiotherapist, designing a radiation plan for the particular tumour with the use of a computer mouse. Wherever you closely approach sensitive structures, such as the cochlea, labyrinth, optic nerve, you can change the shape of the irradiated field, or isodosis, by blocking individual sectors. Some of the beams can be turned off, others can be turned on to bypass a structure. The advantage of the gamma knife over all other irradiation devices is that it has a very large dose gradient,taht is we have a very fast decrease in energy (radiation strength). We have already irradiated thousands of patients with a gamma knife, treating mainly tumours situated in very difficult locations, including cancer metastases to the brain. We only irradiate the cancerous tissues with high precision. It is a procedure after which you can go to work the very next day.

PM

Once, patients used to spend weeks in hospital.

Now a patient does not even get admitted to the hospital. It is a kind of an out-patient clinic. The procedure can last from 20 to maybe 57 minutes - and the patient returns home and goes to work the next day. The gamma knife is a device of such precision that even a pregnant woman can be irradiated and there will be no danger to the foetus. Radiology and endovascular neurosurgery have also developed to a great extent. Until recently, all developmental disorders in the brain, such as aneurysms or diverticula found on vessels, whose rupture caused the death of 40 to 50 % of patients, abnormal vascular tumours, and arteriovenous angiomas, used to be treated surgically. Now we no longer need to open the skull. Instead, we can reach the problem spots with the use of a groin catheter, we are able to enter individual brain vessels and travel down PM

them, like driving a car on the road. All this is visible on the monitor, we apply contrast and we are able to trace the course of the vessels.

Since you should not overuse the contrast substance, we now have cameras which we use to perform a one-off test. It is saved in the system's memory and it offers us a road map. Then, without having to readminister the contrast agent, we use the catheter while we are able to see where we are inside each vessel. The treatment consists in the injection of glue or the implantation of a stent, or the use of detachable spirals, which are long threads wrapped around the stem of the aneurysm. A large percentage of such patients can be treated with the use of this technique without the need to open the skull.

Are you able to help someone whose aneurysm has burst but they have survived?

Yes, most patients are treated in this way.

Our response team is on alert 24/7. When we get the message that a patient suffers from subarachnoid bleeding, we send out a helicopter to bring them in. It is huge progress.

PM

How much progress has medicine made in the area of brain diseases?

There are more and more systems in the world for the treatment of particular brain diseases. One of them is a device called Visualize. It's a laser system, but one which gives you full control. It enables the precise eradication of the epilepsy focus, located in the hippocampus, in the medial part of the temporal lobe. Instead of having to drill a large hole in the skull, ablation is now enough. We enter through a tiny 4-6 mm hole to introduce a laser to evaporate the affected tissue. This happens under constant monitoring, during which we control the temperature at the laser operation site. This device also enables the treatment of some brain tumours.

PM

Can it handle glioma?

Visualize could be used to treat ordinary glioma, but only if it has relapsed and if it is small. Unfortunately, it is of little use once the glioma has spread. Last year there was a new development when it comes to chemotherapy.

Classically, chemotherapy is administered either orally or intravenously. What happens is that other tissues - of the liver, bone marrow, hair roots and the pancreas- get damaged. In the brain, blood forms a barrier, so over 90% of chemotherapeutic particles don't reach it.

However, when they do, they affect the entire brain, and the tumour is just situated in one place. It is thus best to deliver the medicine precisely to the tumour. We have succeeded.

We have applied gene therapy locally to a group of patients in the form of a toxin. We observed PM

the entire operation process with the use of magnetic resonance imaging.

Is it even possible? After all, when you perform a resonance test, a magnetic field is created. How to use specialised tools in such conditions?

Unique equipment is needed – and that’s what we used. Usually, MRI and CAT scan images are recorded and used with some delay, which requires extrapolations that involve risk, which is unacceptable in the case of brain gene therapy. Thus, for 100% precision, MRI monitoring is required during the procedure.

PM

And what exactly is brain gene therapy?

Gene therapy is the transfer of a foreignspecific protein to the recipient's brain in order to achieve a therapeutic goal. Either to stop one form of activity or modify it, reduce it, increase it or trigger it. This foreign protein is a gene which has been technologically engineered, and is transmitted by means of a fragment of a viral vector, which is not just an information conveyor. It is a virus which is completely safe for humans. A fragment is extracted and attached to the gene we need to transfer.

To make it visible on MRI we add a special substance to it. Once we have this therapeutic tool, we can place it wherever it is needed. We first started to provide treatment for children with a very rare disease: L-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase deficiency. The theory and basis for such treatment was developed by Prof. Krzysztof Bankiewicz who is based in Ohio, and now he joins us in the operating theatre. We have already operated on two Polish children and - as we are the only centre in Europe which is able to perform this procedure - patients are also coming from other countries. We have already operated on children from Spain, Canada, London, Estonia and Israel. Seven children in total.

These children’s bodies are unable to produce the amino acid decarboxylase enzyme, and we can copy the gene that is missing, with an accuracy of 100 %, to a place where it is missing.

In this way, the body starts producing what has been missing so far. Say, the body was unable to produce dopamine, and now it will be able to, it did not produce serotonin and now it will. So we're recreating the natural state.

Children recover quickly. Spanish newspapers have written that the Spanish girl in Poland was born. There are many people willing to undergo this procedure. I think that within 6-8 months we will also start gene therapy in Parkinson's disease - there are tens of thousands of patients in Poland alone. Research conducted under Prof. Bankiewicz in the US shows that the disease can be pushed back by decades.

• PM

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MEDICINE

REVERSING THE CLOCK Most Polish women start visiting aesthetic medicine clinics only after they have turned 40. Yet aging is a disease, which needs to be prevented and treated, argues Barbara Jerschina M.D. of the Luxmed clinic in Warsaw.

W

e can now prolong the prime of our lives and reverse the clock, even if we have somewhat neglected our daily skin care. This happens quite often because women do not always have the time to take care of their appearance. It is only between 40 and 50 years of age that they start to do something about it. They decide to have treatments to feel free, they want to be beautiful.

Creams are used mainly for protective care, for example as protection against the sun. One should remember that our skin absorbs no more than 2% of what we put on it.

Preparations for daily use are not intended to get deep into the body and have contact with blood. Our skin is a protective barrier, which does not let harmful substances in. For home therapies we recommend cleansing cosmetics, delicate peeling creams, sun creams, and a delicate make-up in summer to protect the skin against ultraviolet radiation. There is also self-applied dermabrasion. But if it is done in the wrong way, it can damage the lipid layer and may cause deep discoloration, capillary ruptures, chronic erythema and other skin problems. But there is only so much you can achieve at home.

34  polish market 

The first visit to a beauty clinic should begin with skin cleansing with the use of professional equipment. Then, we can fill skin and bone losses. We perform such treatments as Geneo, Silc Peel and Hydrofacial Aquapure. We use special exfoliating tips. Depending on the need, we apply vitamin capsules and masks on the skin. All the vitamin preparations we use have been tested and have no side-effects. Deep cleansing is a medical procedure, which helps with problems associated with acne, dry skin and consequences of hot weather.

Aesthetic medicine and plastic surgery are two separate branches of medicine. Plastic surgery includes reconstructive surgery, which means that plastic surgeons first learn how to perform post-traumatic reconstructions.

There is also aesthetic plastic surgery, which is most often confused with aesthetic medicine.

Aesthetic plastic surgery deals, for example, with breast enlargement procedures and the lifting of droopy eyelids, which can make it difficult to apply make-up or can even disrupt vision. Aesthetic medicine is beneficial in cancer prevention because aging skin is more prone to lesions, caused for example by ultraviolet light.

Ruptured capillaries may also have negative consequences. Untreated small lesions may lead to ruptured capillaries, rosacea, vascular

inflammations and discolorations, which may turn into malignant skin cancers. Ultimately, they will need to be excised, but it is not a task for aesthetic medicine.

Among available procedures there is laser treatment intended for aesthetic gynaecology, There are also lasers for skin peeling treatments.

They are used to reduce discoloration and thickening, and to generally improve the condition of the skin. The Aerolase, which can be used in summer, is a novelty. It is a newgeneration neodymium-YAG laser. It can be used to treat many diseases, like rosacea, acne, various vascular lesions, discolorations, erythema, ruptured capillaries. We also have equipment which, based on ultrasound and radio waves, delivers heat to tissues at various depths to cause coagulation and regenerate and tighten the skin.

Our generation is the first one which has access to medical procedures which may slow down aging processes and to some extent reverse the clock so that we can enjoy life more. As aesthetic medicine specialists, we see aging as a disease, although geriatricians do not quite agree with us. And having concluded that aging is a disease, we encourage people to take prophylactic measures, and when time • comes we want to treat them for aging.

READ-GENE SA is a company of innovative technologies.

One of major aims is to conduct studies on treatment and prevention of the most common malignant tumors.

Company’s innovative approach in oncology is based on the division of patients into sub-groups depending on clinics, genetic profile and micronutrients levels.

The company’s R&D Center is located in surroundings of Szczecin.

1500 women with average age of 55 years participated in study.

Almost 100 cases of cancers at different sites were discovered (half of cases were breast cancers) among 1100 women with higher blood arsenic concentration. There were no cancer cases in the group of 400 females with blood arsenic concentration below 0,6 µg/l.

Higher arsenic concentration in the environment and food is a result of industrial pollution and an effect of natural arsenic deposition.

20

Cancer risk [OR]

A team of Polish scientists from READ-GENE SA R&D Center and Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin discovered for the first time very strong correlation between cancer risk in females and arsenic blood concentration.

15

10

5

1 0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

Arsenic concentration in blood [µg/l]

The lower concentration of arsenic in blood is associated with the lower cancer risk in females

The presented results indicate that measurement of arsenic blood concentration is purposeful among all adult women.

More information: office@read-gene.com | www.read-gene.com

ECONOMY 4.0

KPMG SURVEY:

TOP 10 TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES In the KPMG Technology Industry Innovation Survey 2019, the Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as the most important driving force behind business transformation for the next three year period.

But the highest mover is robotic process automation (RPA), up from the number nine spot last year to No. 2. Interestingly, it has overtaken artificial intelligence (AI).

C

onsidering how comprehensive the notion of the Internet of Things is, the result is by no means surprising.

After all, both smart homes and cities, and cardiac alert bracelets worn by the elderly, fall in this category. IoT involves countless apps and mobile devices.

According to estimates, the amount of money spent on smart devices and applications across the world could approach the USD 745 billion mark this year. Within three years, it could reach a sum of USD 1.2 trillion. So what are the main benefits users can derive from this trend and what challenges does it entail?

KPMG: We are in a period in which technologies are at once emerging, resurging and converging.

Companies across virtually every sector are positioning themselves to outpace their competition by embracing - and implementing innovative technology-based business models to create differentiated value.

All Top 10 entries may have been listed in the 2018 survey, but the Technology Industry Innovation Survey shows that there has been a bit of a shakeup when it comes to their order in the ranking. Blockchain and robotic process automation (RPA) have scored the biggest gains.

MAIN ADVANTAGES

In practically all areas, the surveyed entrepreneurs quoted improved profitability and efficiency as the main advantages of introducing transformational technologies in their businesses. Increased market share was quoted just once, and new revenue streams did not even make it to the Top 3 in any category.

KPMG experts believe that entrepreneurs are focused on cost-cutting, and that they are not quite sure to what extent transformational technologies can impact their business

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models. It did not seem clear to them in what way they could affect profits and market share. In business terms, transformational technologies are the most frequently quoted unknown quantity. The sheer complexity of new technologies also appears baffling to entrepreneurs. Security was a major question mark raised in the survey. Managers pointed out they were afraid of possible data leaks, which could negatively affect their business image and financial results.

ROBOTIC PROCESS AUTOMATION IN THE LEAD

Robotic process automation (RPA) moved up as many as seven spots to No. 2, thus making the highest move in the survey. It enables the automation of manual and structured activities, and marks the first step toward intelligent automation (IA). The scope of IA is vast. It encompasses enhanced and cognitive automation applications. Among them are machine learning and true artificial intelligence (AI). Dedicated software bots are now applied in office work, doing simple jobs which were formerly reserved for humans. They also make decisions in some areas. Robotic Process Automation is seen as complementary to human skills by streamlining processes, and vastly increasing their accuracy and speed.

Companies, it emerges from the survey, stand to gain in terms of scale of operations and efficiency.

Companies report, 41% of entrepreneurs are ready to apply blockchain solutions in their companies by 2022. 48% of the respondents went as far as to say that blockchain is set to transform their business operations, thus making it a key transformational technology • of the future.

The top 10 ranking Responses to the 2019 Technology Industry Innovation Survey yielded the following top ten list of technologies that are perceived by technology industry leaders as having the greatest potential to drive future business transformation and long-term value.

2019 Rank

2018 Rank

Internet of Things (IoT)

1

1

Robotic process automation (RPA, e.g. software bots)

2

9

Artificial intelligence, cognitive computing, machine learning

3

2

Blockchain

4

(tie)

7

Robotics and automation (including autonomous vehicles)

4

(tie)

3

Technology

Augmented reality

6

8

Virtual reality

7

4

Social networking, collaboration technologies

8

5

Biotech, digital health, genetics

9

6

On Demand marketplace platforms

10

10

BLOCKCHAIN

A decade ago, blockchain may not have won many entrepreneurs over, despite the wide publicity it was given. Things have changed since then. Within three years, as much as USD 11.7 billion is expected to be spent on blockchain solutions globally. In the Technology Industry Innovation Survey, blockchain has moved up three places to No.4. According to the KPMG Technology, Media, and Telecommunications

Largest jump in ranking: Source: KPMG Technology Industry Innovation Survey 2019

ECONOMY 4.0

TECHNOLOGIES ABLE TO GRASP CLIENT

NEEDS

We want to show global trends related to the development of technologies and their impact on industry – to point out which technologies are already in use, and which ones are yet to come.

We also want to compare them with present activities undertaken in Poland.

A

mong the technologies which have found application on a massive scale is IoT - the Internet of Things.

LIFE ONLINE

Consumers, household equipment and even cars are currently online all the time - your smartphone, TV, fridge, air conditioning units etc. The number of these devices is growing at an everaccelerating rate. At the same time, companies are looking for competitive solutions which can revolutionise the market, based on a detailed analysis of data collected from devices which are connected to the web. The goal is, of course, to better understand customer needs, improve services and better tailor the range of products and services to expectations.

WORK AND HOME

IoT has not only appeared in showrooms, but has also revolutionised our thinking about connecting devices to the IT network - whether in professional applications or customer applications, home automation systems, face recognition in access management systems, monitoring fluid levels, air quality monitoring systems, other monitoring systems, smart parking systems, patient monitoring systems, smart irrigation systems, urban traffic management systems, goods transport

AS RESEARCH SHOWS, THE FUTURE WILL BELONG TO SOLUTIONS WHICH WILL INVOLVE SEVERAL OF THE ABOVEMENTIONED TECHNOLOGIES.

JAN KARASEK, KPMG Poland partner, head of the new technologies, telecommunications and media sectors consulting team.

mon itori ng systems, production management, water supply and power grid management and acquisition of control data.

COMPREHENSIVE ECOSYSTEM

However, despite the large potential for the application and use of this technology, we must remember and mitigate the risks arising from such a large, interconnected and comprehensive ecosystem. Lack of effective protection of IoT devices and of the connected ecosystem may make it hard to provide services, protect

MAREK GZOWSKI, KPMG Poland director, IT consulting services team.

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ECONOMY 4.0

POLAND MAY HAVE BEEN LAGGING BEHIND SOME TIME AGO, BUT THIS IS A THING OF THE PAST. POLISH COMPANIES NOW OFTEN DEVELOP NEW SOLUTIONS WHICH ARE SUCCESSFULLY SOLD IN FOREIGN MARKETS.

confidential data and even protect clients themselves. Customers note that it is increasingly important to come up with guidelines and standards in the form of IoT Governace.

RPA TECHNOLOGY

Robotics Process Automation is the second most frequently quoted technology which can significantly affect the digital transformation of companies. This trend is indicated by both technology companies and other industries which are planning intensive investments in these tools, to transform growing areas of business activities. Despite being derived from simple automation, RPA technology is increasingly being developed through the addition of machine learning and artificial intelligence features.

Among the technologies which are predicted to revolutionise the market is blockchain, and DLT support solutions in particular. Despite the fact that it has long ceased to be the sole domain of cryptocurrency trading, its commercial implementation proceeds slower than expected, considering that according to forecasts, global spending on blockchain solutions in 2022 was supposed to reach a sum of USD 11.7 billion.

HIGH HOPES

The search for potential areas where this technology could be applied still faces a lack of faith in its potential to work on a large scale in other sectors of the economy.

On the one hand, we have more and more companies which develop solutions based on this technology. On the other, few of these solutions move from the prototype phase to a commercial product. However, according to the KPMG report, 2019 seems to be a breakthrough year in this respect, as there is no doubt that blockchain is a mature enough technology to serve as a pragmatic solution to business challenges in various industries. This is not just the opinion of people associated with the technology. Even those who are cagey about new technological solutions have become convinced of the great possibilities and transformational importance of this technology.

As research shows, the future will belong to solutions which will involve several of

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the abovementioned technologies. The most promising of them are a combination of IoT and blockchain technology, as well as of IoT and Artificial Intelligence.

Technologies being developed in Poland do not significantly differ from global trends.

IoT, RPA, blockchain, AI, as well as solutions related to workplace digitalisation, also lead the way. Poland may have been lagging behind some time ago, but this is a thing of the past. Polish companies now often develop new solutions which are successfully sold in foreign markets.

POLAND’S CLAIM TO FAME

When it comes to the implementation of these solutions in Poland, the following solutions deserve to be mentioned: cashless, mobile parking with license plate recognition; motor insurance systems; telemedicine wristbands in medical care; an app which calls for help in case of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA); smart water metres implemented at the MPWIK water supply company; Fuelprime system which involve IoT applied at filling stations; intralogistics robotics; eSAD project; comprehensive air monitoring; crop irrigation; heat meter reading based on NB-IoT. Despite the fact that blockchain has not yet reached its full potential, it is increasingly used in commercial solutions as a platform which is able to optimise a number of business processes, for instance in the area of durable media, loyalty programmes, voting systems, corporate services and dematerialisation of shares.

NO MORE COPYCAT SOLUTIONS

KPMG research shows that Poland has long ceased copying solutions developed in foreign countries. A lot of new solutions are now being developed in Poland. They are not only able to compete with foreign solutions, but they also set trends for the development of applications of individual technologies. Examples of such solutions have been mentioned above. Of course, a lot remains to be done, especially when it comes to regulatory, legal, security and other standards, the interoperability of implemented solutions and the use of cloud solutions, without which it is increasingly difficult to process ever growing amounts • of data and information.

ECONOMY 4.0

IN ECONOMY 4.0, THE FOCUS WILL NEED TO SHIFT TOWARD REGULATIONS WHICH APPLY TO SHARING.

MAN

AT THE CENTRE OF INDUSTRY ANDRZEJ SOLDATY, President of the Board of Future Industry Platform Foundation, talks to Jerzy Mosoń.

Economy 4.0 means a civilizational leap. Is this not too big a step for some Polish companies which have not yet reached the 3.0 level?

Indeed, Economy 4.0 is associated with a change of paradigms. It’s a leap Klaus Schwab, the founder and chairman of the World Economic Forum, spoke about at the Davos congress four years ago. He said that the world is facing a change which humanity has never experienced before. It will embrace all areas of life, both manufacturing and the social sphere.

Industry 4.0, or more precisely - Economy 4.0, is indeed a paradigm shift. A classic example of this change is the relationship between man and machine.

Until now, man learned to operate a machine, and now the machine is learning to guide man. It is a different relationship, a different view of the market, a completely different product architecture, different manufacturing systems, different business models.

Significantly, you just can’t look at the economy of the future only through the lens of technology. The business model is changing as a result of social and market changes, and technology is something that enables these changes. Just look at what is happening in the market area: the sharing economy and the output economy, that is looking to satisfy needs, rather than requiring the means to meet the need.

It’s like commuting. You don’t need to own a means of transport, all you have to do is to be able to travel from point A to B. The output economy means what a particular product or service can offer the client, whether they satisfy the consumer’s needs. More PM

importantly, should you own a product which will satisfy your needs, but which entails certain problems, or can you achieve the desired result without having to buy the product? In a nutshell, is lighting in your workplace more important than owning a specific light bulb?

So it’s a question of sharing a car or owning one, isn’t it?

That’s what this trend is all about. It’s going to spread to all walks of life. Of course, it can be said that it is a pipe dream that people will not want to own cars. Owning a car doesn’t only meet your transport needs, along with it comes prestige, the ability to spend leisure time, etc. But it can be assumed that in the future, car sharing will be governed by regulations which will further promote its use, to discourage people from sitting in a car on their own on the way to work.

PM

But won’t such incentives lead to a property rights crisis in the future?

You have raised an important topic related to legal regulations for the economy of the future. Regulations which have governed the economy to date regulate competition and secure the interests of property holders and those who own natural resources. In Economy 4.0, the focus will need to shift toward regulations which apply to sharing, provided that intellectual property and data ownership is protected.

But instead of marking one’s territory and putting up PM

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ECONOMY 4.0

barriers, the focus should be on regulations which will enable the proper use of one’s property and sharing.

Considering the fragmentation of patent institutions, this doesn’t seem an easy task.

No, it isn’t. Everyone says that legal regulations are one of the key challenges when it comes to implementing a new reality in industry and other areas.

PM

The symbol of the industrial revolution was the steam engine, then came the Edison light bulb, followed by a computer. What’s the symbol of the fourth revolution going to be?

It is interesting that when we talk about the symbol, we refer to something that is identifiable by our senses. Whereas in the fourth revolution we are talking about solutions, cyberphysical systems we cannot see, we cannot perceive them with the senses. It is thus difficult to understand how the future economy is going to function - to grasp the fact that data which create a particular value can be processed like pig iron into steel or wood into furniture, only you can't see it. It is very difficult for a person who makes a perfect use of their senses, but is unable to see data to understand the nature of future industry, which involves the use of data. We will continue to look for a symbol because we tend to simplify reality.

PM

B2B platforms that use all the possibilities offered by a digital platform which enables data flow and feedback. It’s a means of obtaining information and building knowledge, which is essential in doing business. Digital platforms will be used more and more in future industry.

In what way?

Let me first refer to the mission and goals of the Future Industry Platform Foundation. It is a young initiative which was formally launched under an Act of January 2019. It was registered last May. Its aim is to build the competitiveness of Polish companies by supporting them in their digital transformation. As you can see, digital transformation becomes synonymous with competitiveness. And this is indeed the case because the transformation of the economy means better efficiency, better use of resources, greater productivity, better use of market opportunities, and better positioning in global value chains. But there are a lot of hurdles - at the general economic level and at the individual level. The digital platform, whose launch is being prepared by the Foundation, is a digital tool which will make it possible to build and strengthen the ecosystem of Industry 4.0 in Poland at the operational level, and to support the implementation of the Foundation’s goals as defined in the Act. PM

In what ways can you help an entrepreneur to embrace the digital world?

This is the key objective for the Platform. It aims to build awareness, to offer guidance, build competences, support the drafting of solutions and help in their implementation. We start by making people aware of what the coming change is all about, and what is needed to become part of it, to pinpoint threats and opportunities, not in general terms, but addressing individual needs. The idea is to show that the comfort zone in which an entrepreneur currently exists is an illusion. Currently, the success of an entrepreneur is measured in terms of the number of concluded contracts. Long-term planning in response to trends is fairly rare, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises. Meanwhile, big corporations take a long-term perspective, they think ahead in terms of a decade, maybe more.

PM

I have deliberately mentioned a property crisis. Owning property is contrasted with having the skills and means to use things, it’s a philosophically intriguing question. Is the change coming or is it already happening?

It’s a good question how to define the current stage. Or should we look beyond the fourth revolution? It is said that the fourth industrial revolution is more to do with management and business models, and the fifth revolution with a better use of human potential. According to other definitions, industry 4.0 is built on the human-centric principle. Man is at the centre of industry, at the centre of manufacturing, the use of technological capabilities only serves to support human capabilities. The question is, what can its symbol be?

PM

I have an idea for a symbol, a hybrid. What do you say to that?

A hybrid man, a hybrid business model, a hybrid product.

Yes, the hybrid can become a symbol of this period. It will be harder and harder to find a human being without a foreign component inside of them. So during this interview, we seem to have found the right definition: hybrid reality.

PM

Since we have described the reality in which we now live or will soon find ourselves, let's talk about a tool you are developing to enable business to find its feet in the new reality. What is the digital platform developed by the Foundation about?

Digital platforms are business solutions which allow you to create additional value in the relationship between suppliers and clients. To put it simply - a hotel information platform allows information to be posted by the hotel service provider as well as allowing user feedback. It’s a platform model whereby the user is provided with plenty of information. The value generated by the platform is information, knowledge which is also useful for the service provider. We are talking about interactive B2C and PM

40 polish market

What can you do to help small and medium-sized enterprises in practice?

In the coming weeks, we are launching a series of workshops for managerial staff, especially from small and medium-sized enterprises. We will show the essence of Industry 4.0, changes related to business models, regarding technology, and further implementation steps. We will launch open days in partnership with factories and technology suppliers to show what advantages can be achieved. We are also preparing workshops which will show practical solutions. The entrepreneur will be able to test a proposed solution using a modular system to see the results. We will provide the opportunity to verify ideas to reduce investment risk.

PM

And where to look for funding to bring about change?

The experience of other countries and ours shows that the entrepreneur should focus on the result. Digitalisation should not be solely associated with financial support. It does not need to involve the purchase of new machinery. It may be enough • to learn to use it in a different way.

PM

ECONOMY 4.0

BIPROMET – KGHM’S TECHNOLOGICAL GEM Bipromet, an innovative company known on the design and contracting market, became part of the KGHM Polska Miedź Group 4 years ago. When it comes to Polish companies which are able to build Economy 4.0 in Poland, it is worth taking a closer look at the potential and projects carried out by Bipromet, whose specialists operate in several industrial sectors.

Source: KGHM

B

ipromet has been a recognised brand for over 65 years. In 2007, it made its debut on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. In 2015, KGHM Polska Miedź SA became the holder of a 100% stake in the company.

DEVELOPMENT FIRST

The company managed by President Dariusz Kubiak works in the field of development projects. Its activities are conducted within six laboratories, which are dedicated to innovative solutions for significant sectors of the economy. These include the energy and steel industries, non-ferrous metallurgy, mining, cement industry, coking coal and environmental protection industries. As part of its comprehensive range of services, the company acts as the General Designer, Contract Engineer, General Investment Contractor, Works Contractor, or a partner in a design team at every stage of the investment process.

GRAND PROJECTS

The company has been involved in highprofile investment projects, including the modernisation of the Orzeł Biały metallurgical plant; modernisation and construction of de-dusting installations for ArcelorMittal

Poland and the Trinec metallurgical plant in the Czech Republic; construction of a coking unit de-dusting installation for Koksownia Częstochowa Nowa; construction of a new GK Kęty Alupol plant in Tychy (Extruded Products Segment); development of Hydroaluminium in Chrzanów; construction of Baterpol in Świętochłowice, as well as the largest undertaking in the non-ferrous metals industry: the implementation of the Pyrometallurgy Modernisation Programme for KGHM Polska Miedź.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

A specialised and experienced staff and a high level of IT resources, allow Bipromet to develop business in the traditional heavy industry sector, namely in metallurgy, as well as to diversify towards energy infrastructure, central heating installations, chemical industry and cement plants, coking coal industry and broadly conceived industrial construction. At the same time, a lot of attention is devoted to the implementation of investment projects in environmental protection in the field of design, completion and assembly of de-dusting installations, and treatment of by-products coming from the production process. The company plans

further investments in management systems based on knowledge transfer. It also intends to strengthen specialised software resources, as well as building employees' competences and skills.

PROCESS AUTOMATION

Bearing in mind the challenge of Industry 4.0, it is worth noting that Bipromet is involved in designing comprehensive control systems, and in the automation of industrial processes. It conducts assessments of the implementation of technical and technological solutions, in accordance with the development potential.

It also carries out inspections of installations and processes, based on which it proposes design solutions for the modernisation and implementation of control systems for machinery, installations and other manufacturing equipment. Bipromet also programmes controllers for installations and machinery, and oversees the launch of production processes. It monitors the functioning of the implemented solution, and takes care of servicing and repairs of control systems. It thus provides better security, efficiency and effectiveness, along with removing bottlenecks in the production process.

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ECONOMY 4.0

PKiMSA CARBOAUTOMATYKA FROM MINING TO INDUSTRY 4.0 AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

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he Carboautomatyka Automation Systems Assembly and Fitting Plant is a company with almost 45 years of tradition and experience.

We started out in mining. Our plant, which manufactures and assembles mining equipment, enjoys a high profile both in Poland and abroad. The experience gathered over the years in tough conditions in which production processes are carried out, i.e. in underground mines, has enabled us to develop unique control and automation systems for various production processes.

Carboautomatyka is not just a source of modern products.

Its strength lies above all in the highly qualified and experienced staff able to implement the most ambitious and

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innovative investment tasks in mining, the energy industry, central heating systems, metallurgy, coking coal industry, water and sewage treatment, construction of road and rail tunnels, road infrastructure and public utility facilities.

EASY ACCESS Computerised Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), which have been implemented by Carboautomtyka for several years now, are innovative systems which support the work of maintenance services in a manufacturing plant.

They make it possible to manage machinery and equipment, to carry out maintenance and warehouse management.

ECONOMY 4.0 Thanks to signals automatically collected from all devices and installations, and notes kept by service personnel, it is possible to quickly access the technical documentation of each device, the history of failures, generate a Pareto chart to pinpoint equipment which is the most likely to fail, and the most common causes of failures, and to increase the efficiency of management and planning work.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY CHALLENGE Industrial automation systems are part of the fourth industrial revolution, which is referred to as Industry 4.0.

But they do not seem to be enough. Due to the changing climate, the need to preserve mineral resources for future generations and, above all, in view of growing ecological awareness, production processes must be changed in such a way as to make the economy as circular as possible.

However, this does not just apply to the production processes we deal with directly.

METHANE USE Projects now being implemented by Carboautomatyka are more and more in line with the idea of the circular economy. One example are sewage treatment plants which, equipped with a gas intake from organic waste decomposition processes, make it possible to drive engines producing heat and electricity. So much surplus energy is left over after the installation's own needs have been satisfied, that it is enough to satisfy the needs of a city borough, or it can be used to heat public utility buildings.

Referring to the title of this article, it can be said that the experience gained in the processes of capturing and economic use of methane in hard coal mines, is applied in other areas which involve the use of mixtures of hydrocarbons. Instead of releasing them into the atmosphere, they can be used for energy purposes.

ACCURATE MONITORING For modern enterprises, one of the biggest costs is the consumption of utilities and resources. In order to limit it, it is necessary to precisely monitor individual utilities.

First, let's analyse the benefits of using a smart energy management system. It prevents companies from exceeding power supply levels negotiated with energy suppliers, which entails contractual penalties. Another important advantage is the ability to analyse data in terms of process optimisation, and take appropriate action to improve the efficiency of machinery and equipment, thus reducing the use of electricity. In addition, the declining efficiency of a piece of equipment or installation, is a sign of an impending failure, which makes it possible to detect a failure which produces no immediate symptoms. It is thus possible to diagnose what shape the machine is in, based on monitoring electricity use. Action can be taken to prevent failure. This is clearly another advantage which leads to further savings for the company.

Another interesting new area in our business activities is water management. The growing awareness of the water deficit due to wasteful use, has led us to address this problem.

It is a real challenge to develop a comprehensive control

A circular economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. Circular systems employ reuse, sharing, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling to create a close-loop system, minimising the creation of waste, pollution and carbon emissions. This model is the opposite of a linear economy based on continuous growth and increasing consumption of raw materials and waste volume.

(Based on Wikipedia Commons)

system of water intake, especially for damage-prone coal mines in Silesia. A huge number of sensors and meters interact with each other, detecting threats quicker than the human eye. They are also able to find a solution faster than the human mind can. All the necessary signals and measurements are visible on screen, and the operator is able to change the operation of dozens of devices and installations with one click of a mouse. The redundancy of PLCs and servers ensures uninterrupted system operation, even in the event of a major failure. An additional challenge is to secure devices, systems and resources that fall into the critical infrastructure category.

The circular economy combined with Industry 4.0 innovation is a challenge, but it is also a necessity. It provides a great opportunity for both modern and traditional industries. Changes in business models which meet circular economy requirements will create fresh opportunities for enterprises, including new sources of income. The potential for change in the Polish economy and industry is huge. • 10/2019 polish market

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CONGRESS 590

3D PRINTERS OF THE FUTURE

3DGence is a Polish manufacturer of advanced industrial 3D printers, which has operated on the market since 2014. Błażej Grabowski talks to the company's President ANDRZEJ KUKUŁA about the future of 3D printing.

You've been on the market for five years now. Has it been possible to convince industry that a 3D printer is the best solution?

We value our clients, we follow their needs and expectations and try to solve their problems by introducing our printers.

The success of 3DGence stems from an unconventional approach to sales. I always say that we do not sell printers, but we look for ways to optimise businesses in many industries. We stay with customers for longer - we offer after-sales services and support. We are developing our printers, we employ 100 people, 30% of whom are R&D personnel. We have Polish and foreign clients.

PM

need to insert different modules, you do not need to buy a new machine.

Is 3D printing the future of business, or is it already here?

The 3D printing market is maturing and there is a natural selection among companies which produce desktop printers and cheap printing devices for materials which have no chance of finding application in industry.

At 3DGence, we solely develop a line of industrial printers and we market them internationally. At the Formnext 2019 trade fair in Frankfurt at the end of the year, we will unveil a completely new innovative printer.

PM

Which industries are interested in this kind of solutions?

We deal with applications for industry, i.e. we provide industrial companies with various types of solutions. Three industries show particular interest: the automotive, aerospace and home appliances industries.

PM

What are your main outlets?

We sell 70% of our printers abroad, the rest are domestic sales. Our largest foreign markets in Europe are Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France and the UK. Smaller but still significant markets are Spain, Portugal, Italy, Bulgaria and Slovenia. Last year we decided to launch 3DGence America based in Dallas, Texas. It has already scored its first sales successes.

PM

What’s your competitive advantage?

Above all, it’s continuous work on improving solutions and looking for new areas where 3D printing can be used. There are currently a lot of 3D printers on the market which are compatible with a very narrow range of materials, which means that you often need several different devices.

3DGence INDUSTRY F340 is an exception among industrial 3D printers. It is equipped with a modular system, which is a more practical and more economical solution. To print using a variety of materials, you only PM

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What can such solutions be used for?

To streamline production. For instance, the Opel factory in Gliwice uses our printers to produce welding devices in 3D printing technology, instead of using timeconsuming and expensive machinery. It's a matter of greater convenience. It saves time and money. 3D printing is also great for engine assembly, where a large number of pneumatic and electric screwdrivers are used, which need protective features to avoid damaging engine components. Printing all these elements from flexible materials definitely simplifies and speeds up work.

Savings can reach 80-90%. Using a 3D printer, an instrument can be printed within 2-3 days. A traditional machine takes much longer to do the job, because it is necessary to design each detail, and only then send the design to the tool shop. It can take up to 4 weeks.

How big elements are you able to produce?

At the moment, we manufacture 340mm elements. But our new printer will be able to print 420mm elements.

PM

Can 3D printers be used as part of a process line?

3D printers have their limitations, they are now used for small-lot production. They serve a variety of purposes and meet the expectations of customers who do not want to invest in an injection mould for just one element. Sometimes they need to print a series of 200 mechanical parts, at another time they need a different part in a smaller batch. We not only train them in the use of the printer, but also in 3D design.

PM

PM

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Does it make a big difference to the company?

What awaits your company in the future?

The industrialisation of 3D printing is just round the corner, which is why we are developing so intensively. Our new products will be able to work with a wide range of materials. We know what companies need, we talk about problems. Our printers are meant to offer good, cheap and convenient solutions, not just in countries where we already operate dynamically, in Germany and France. We intend to target Brazil, Malaysia and Vietnam. We are pleased that our 3D printers are already an export commodity, and 3DGence is slowly becoming synonymous with industrial quality 3D printing.

• PM

HIGH-TECH AGAINST BLACKOUTS Jerzy Mosoń

In the spring, the Energy Regulatory Office warned that in the summer Poland could face a blackout. According to Energy Regulatory Office calculations at the time, Poland only had a 9% reserve power capacity planned for the summer, which could prove too little in the event of adverse weather conditions and other crises. However, the Ministry of Energy did not share ERO's concerns. It may have been proved right - Poland did avoid a blackout. In fact, according to the ministry's calculations, Polish energy reserves were as high as 20%. Nevertheless, the nightmare scenario materialised in the UK. In August, it experienced a major power failure, which deprived nearly one million consumers of access to electricity supplies. This confirmed many experts' fears that even modern European power grids are ill prepared for the growing demand for electricity. It is difficult to say how long Poland will be able to avoid power outages, which is why most specialists consider it necessary to increase spending on the modernisation of old power plants and the construction of new ones. But is this going to be enough? Renewable Energy Sources (RES) require legislative support and even more funding. A solution can be provided by advanced, often experimental technologies. Among them is the perovskite technology developed by Polish scientist Olga Malinkiewicz, which is now undergoing tests. There are also other solutions developed by German and US researchers. The most promising are transparent solar panels developed by scientists from the University of Michigan. They can be used in housing construction, but also in electronics and the automotive industry.

Transparent panels can be fitted inside window panes. Their design will allow solar energy to be collected with almost no losses. Transparent panels use organic molecules which also absorb radiation invisible to the human eye, including ultraviolet rays. Solar energy which is thus harnessed promises to cater for some of each building’s energy needs. Add to this the increasingly effective wind power, and new ideas for energy storage presented during this year's Congress 590, and you will see that blackouts may not loom as large as it was expected.

ENERGY

FAIR WINDS FOR THE ENERGY SECTOR

RAFAĹ GAWIN, President of the Energy Regulatory Office

A

n important factor which boosts the security of energy supply is the inclusion of fresh power generation capacities in the national grid, including a new Opole power station with a capacity of 900 MWe. In addition, there has been a noticeable development in photovoltaic technology in the renewable generation segment. On the other hand, there was a lack of sustained development of wind power in the years 20172018. It should be noted, however, that plans announced by energy companies regarding the development of wind power may reverse this trend in the coming years. Information on plans for the construction and modernisation of power generating capacities, which was presented to the regulator by producers during the last survey, was additionally verified during a capacity auction which took place in 2018, and covered power supply for the 2021-2023 period. The next auction will take place on December 6, and will cover the year 2024.

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ENERGY One of the goals set by the legislator before the energy market regulator, is to monitor the security of electricity supply. It is a very comprehensive task, which includes the need to analyse the way the national power system operates, to monitor the state of network infrastructure and investment needs of both the transmission system operator (TSO) and distribution system operators (DSO,) and to consult draft development plans submitted by network companies. It is also very important for the regulator to study energy producers' investment plans. Under the Act, the task is carried out every two years, the last time in 2018, which allows the regulator to determine whether and how the expected demand for electricity in Poland will be satisfied.

A NUMBER OF REGULATIONS RESULTING FROM THE DIRECTIVES INCLUDED IN THE EU WINTER PACKAGE WILL NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED AT THE LEVEL OF NATIONAL REGULATIONS.

RESPONSE TO A LACK OF APPROPRIATE MEASURES The auctions are organised under the Capacity Market Act adopted in December 2017. It is a very important piece of legislation, because it introduces a change in the structure of the energy market from a single-commodity market to a double-commodity market, whereby sales and procurement transactions will not only cover the generated energy, but also the net available capacity, i.e. the operator’s readiness to supply energy to the grid. What is known as the capacity market has been introduced in response to the lack of adequate funding for the modernisation of existing power generation capacities and construction of new power stations, as well as to guarantee the security of electricity supplies in Poland.

ELECTRICITY MARKET TRANSPARENCY

Within this system, the key goal facing the President of the Energy Regulatory Office, is to ensure transparency of the electricity market.

This is reflected, among other things, in the statutory requirement to approve Power Market Regulations, review auction parameters, as well as to ensure that the auction proceeds correctly. In the event that a power auction should be carried out in violation of the provisions of the act, or of the terms of the auction, or if the participant should act in a manner inconsistent with legal provisions or regulations of the power market, the President of the Energy Regulatory Office will be authorised to cancel the auction, provided that the transgressions significantly affect its result. The President of the Office is also obliged to announce the final results of each power auction.

NETWORK CODES

The ongoing integration of electricity markets also changes the approach to energy security, for example in terms of the need to assess whether existing power generation resources are sufficient, and in terms of the Demand Side Response Mechanism, as well as regarding the security of transmission grid operation. In addition to national legislation, there are a number of EU regulations concerning the functioning of the single market. From the point of view of market participants, the most important are what are known as Network Codes, which contribute to the integration of national markets, and enable trading between these markets by providing cross-border transmission capacity.

POWER GRID

However, one should bear it in mind that network codes also apply to the operation of the power grid. EU Commission regulations of 2017 deserve special attention when it comes to energy security. A network code regarding the state of emergency and reconstruction of power systems 2017/2196, and Regulation 2017/1485 which sets out guidelines for the operation of the power transmission system, have been introduced.

Under these regulations, operators are obliged to draft procedures to

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ensure the safe operation of transmission systems. National regulators are supposed to approve these procedures, which are also approved by the European Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). This requires that regulators and ACER work together to achieve this goal.

WINTER PACKAGE AND SECURITY

It should also be noted that energy security is subject to EU regulations stemming from the Winter Package (Clean Energy Package – CEP).

Both Regulation 2019/941 on emergency preparedness in the electricity sector, and Regulation 2019/943 on the internal electricity market, deal with issues related to broadly conceived energy security, including the assessment of capacity adequacy, system security, capacity market and functioning of co-ordination centres. Many of the procedures which are to address these issues, are to be approved by ACER, which means a lot of work and commitment, both on the part of national regulators within working groups, and of the ACER Regulators Board.

DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

The approach to the security of electricity supply is also set to change at the distribution system level. The growing number of prosumers, the development of clusters and energy communities, will also require changes to be introduced in the functioning of distribution systems. It is becoming necessary to increase the flexibility of these systems and to adapt them, so that energy communities or prosumers can become part of energy security. These are new challenges facing not just the energy sector, but also the national energy market regulator. Not all issues have been tackled in existing regulations. A number of regulations resulting from directives included in the EU Winter Package, will need to be implemented at the level of national regulations.

ENERGY MIX

In this context, attention should be paid to the draft Polish Energy Policy until 2040, which was published by the Minister of Energy in 2018. This document addresses the issue of changes in the structure of the energy mix. It also points to the need to develop storage technologies, electromobility, network infrastructure, to increase the role of the prosumer, and to change the structure of the energy market in Poland.

In the final version of the Polish Energy Policy, these issues, which are crucial for the security of electricity supply, should be translated into transparent legal provisions to regulate various market segments, and to provide clear information to entities involved in these markets, which will allow them to reach the right decisions, based on the analysis of available data. This will allow the ongoing verification and optimisation of the costs of ensuring secure electricity supplies in Poland. These are but a few issues faced by the President of the Energy Regulatory Office when it comes to the security of the national power system.

•

ENERGY

IN SEARCH OF A GOLDEN

MEAN

ŁUKASZ TOLAK, Ph.D., of the Collegium Civitas in Warsaw, head of the Forum Initiatives - Security Development Energy think tank, talks to Jerzy Mosoń.

Experts have long been warning that Poland is headed for a blackout. It seemed that the worst-case scenarios could materialise this summer. Luckily, it didn’t happen. So are Poland’s energy shortages exaggerated or are we really in for a blackout?

There is definitely a risk of a blackout.

And as long as the current structure of PM

our energy sector is maintained, we are likely to experience one. So far, we have managed to avoid the worst because we have imported larger amounts of electricity from neighbouring countries. Renewable energy sources have also finally started to make a difference, notably photovoltaics, which wasn’t yet fully developed back in 2015, as indicated by, among others, the

Institute of Renewable Energy. Even small amounts of energy generated by photovoltaic installations are able to lessen the demand for electricity. PSE also took action together with other energy companies to streamline the maintenance system of power units. The fact that July was not as hot as predicted also contributed to the lower demand. Still, Poland is experiencing low water levels, our 10/2019 polish market

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ENERGY

power units are aging and will soon need to be replaced by other energy generating installations.

the largest amounts of coal in the EU, over 60%, are extracted in Poland.

But the largest CO2 emitter is Germany.

It is. What's more, Germany largely uses brown coal, which, from the point of view of ecology, is far worse than hard coal due to higher CO2 emissions. Germany is seeking to replace it with natural gas from the East, but not only. A very short period of time is at stake. Hypothetically, should a catastrophic drought occur, and we have been plagued by drought for six years now, existing power stations would not be able to produce energy based on the resources at their disposal. It is a real threat. Thermal power stations, like nuclear ones, require huge amounts of water to produce steam in the process of energy generation. Reduced amounts of power generated by units facing insufficient water supply, coupled with fluctuating electricity supplies from renewable energy sources, could disrupt the power balance on the national scale. I am particularly thinking about new power units, because, unlike old power units, new technologies need a more stable environment.

PM

Is blackout something that only Poland might expect to happen?

Electricity supply problems also occur in other countries. This year, London has experienced a blackout. This was due to a failure of the wind power and gas supply systems. An investigation into the case is underway.

PM

How much time is needed for at least some of the infrastructure to be upgraded or replaced in Poland?

For now, I don’t think that there is a real prospect of boosting present power generation capacities in Poland. A plan entitled "Poland's energy policy until 2040" has been drawn up. It has already gone through a series of consultations. The problem is that in the next decade, we need to switch off a few old power stations, while new units have only been built in Kozienice and Opole, and we are thinking about building another one in Ostrołęka.

In a nutshell, Poland does not have a power generation development programme. But at least we are beginning to catch up in the area of solar farms. As far as onshore wind farms are concerned, there have been no new investment projects in this area, apart from those farms which got the green light before 20 May 2016 when a law entered into force which dramatically changed the terms of setting up a wind farm. Nevertheless, there is a chance for the first offshore wind farms to come on stream by 2025. Poland will need to import wind power installations. In the next decade we will need to use the units we already have, and we will need to think about what to replace them with.

PM

Frans Timmermans recently became the head of the EU climate committee. Is it likely that more pressure will be exerted on Poland to give up the use of coal in the energy sector?

All matters within the European Union are agreed by consensus. There is no doubt that Poland will be under pressure in connection with the EU climate policy, which is geared toward achieving zero emissions by 2050. It is important to note, however, that PM

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Germany used to invest in coal gasification technology, but these days it seems less keen to do that. What’s the reason for it?

Coal gasification is one way to improve the performance of coal-fired power units. It seemed like a hit a decade or so ago. However, it turned out that this technology, whose aim is to increase the efficiency of power units, requires higher temperatures and pressure, so the equipment must meet higher safety standards, leading to higher costs. Moreover, it was decided that coal gasification must go hand in hand with sequestration, that is CO2 capture and storage, to make a power station a zero-emission installation. The trouble is that so much energy is needed for sequestration that the project has turned out to be unviable, despite its undisputed environmental benefits.

PM

So maybe wind power can prevent a blackout? How many wind farms would Poland need to install?

When it comes to renewable energy, we can never safely say how much energy we will be able to produce in relation to current demand. In the years 2011-2012, the PM

THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THE FIRST OFFSHORE WIND FARMS TO COME ON STREAM BY 2025. POLAND WILL NEED TO IMPORT WIND POWER INSTALLATIONS. IN THE NEXT DECADE WE WILL NEED TO USE THE UNITS WE ALREADY HAVE, AND WE WILL NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT TO REPLACE THEM WITH.

ENERGY

coefficient of using onshore wind farms was just 20 %. This means that we are never able to plan the maintenance of traditional power units, during which we could use renewable energy as an alternative.

So how do you change the network structure to make it not only more efficient, but also predictable?

The problem I referred to occurred ten years ago, and technology has moved forward since then. At present, on a global scale, the coefficient of onshore wind power is up to 35 % - that's a lot. As for the latest General Electric offshore wind power installations, the figure is supposed to reach 67 %, which is close to the result achieved by a traditional coal-fired power station. Now, when it comes to nuclear power stations, the figure is much higher, and amounts to over 80% in most European conditions, while in Finland it’s about 90%.

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But some countries are exposed to gale force winds, while others are not, and they all must meet high CO2 emission standards.

That’s right. Wind farms turn out to be more efficient in the North Sea region than in the Baltic region. So less electricity is produced by wind farms in Poland than in the UK, although the British Isles get less sunshine, so it is easier to develop solar farms in Poland.

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Talking about photovoltaics, which technology can conquer the market would you say – the perovskite solar module developed by Polish physician Olga Malinkiewicz, or transparent solar panels, which were developed by researchers at the University of Michigan?

I’m a big fan of Olga Malinkiewicz's research, but it's still a long way to go before its results are commercialised. Meanwhile, an ultra-modern photovoltaic power plant using double-sided panels has recently been set up in Ukraine. This installation is able to produce about 40% more energy compared to the solutions applied in this part of the continent. Currently, scientists are working on various technologies to obtain electricity from sunlight, but the biggest problem is the low installed power factor, about 10% in Poland’s case. The power station which PM

has been launched in Ukraine is expected to significantly improve this result. Of course, the number of innovations being implemented in other countries is huge. Most importantly, renewable energy is very cheap.

In the past decade, onshore wind energy prices have fallen by 50%. The corresponding price drops for offshore and solar energy are 60% and 80-90% respectively.

Ironically, renewable energy is becoming cheaper and cheaper, while the price of energy is growing due to the use of fossil fuels.

Energy sources which prove economically viable are being developed the most. Until now, renewable energy sources have been unable to compete with coal. But now it seems to have changed.

PM

Does it make any sense to invest in nuclear energy, since safer renewable energy is developing by leaps and bounds?

The biggest amounts of energy are currently obtained based on fossil fuels. At the same time, environmentalists say that within 30 years, we could easily move to a zero-emission economy. So far, reports on the share of zero-emission energy in the economy indicate that things are not moving forward as planned, although of course the number of renewable energy installations is growing. This is due to the increase in energy demand and the ageing of nuclear power plants. Just three nuclear reactors are being built in Europe. Nuclear power is experiencing a huge setback in Western countries. The classic case is Germany – it’s a major green energy leader. Germany has invested hundreds of billions of euros in renewable energy, while the share of clean energy in its economy is about 40 %. At the same time, Germany is the largest CO2 emitter in the EU. Nuclear power stations are no longer able to provide back up for every zero-emission power station. Brown coal-fired power stations remain in place.

From the point of view of climate protection, Germany has made a strategic mistake by deciding to phase out nuclear energy by 2023.

Each nuclear power unit which is switched off will need to be replaced with something.

Paradoxically, already in the summer of 2015, the German energy industry, which is based on coal-fired power plants, needed PM

PERHAPS A SOLUTION WILL BE PROVIDED

BY CHEAPER ENERGY STORAGE. AND MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK FOR A GOLDEN MEAN, NAMELY AN ENERGY MIX. NUCLEAR POWER WOULD BECOME A VERY IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF THIS MIX.

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ENERGY

to subsidise each megawatt hour, because the traditional power stations kept going, while it was windy and there was plenty of sunshine.

On the other hand, during certain periods in the winter of 2017, renewable energy was only able to satisfy 5% of demand for energy.

Of course, according to some studies, renewable energy sources will be able to satisfy 100% of demand for energy, but other studies show that it would be very hazardous and expensive to rely exclusively on them. Perhaps a solution will be provided by cheaper energy storage. And maybe we should look for a golden mean, namely an energy mix. Nuclear power would become a very important element of this mix.

But there’s always a threat of a possible nuclear power plant failure. Can we afford such a risk?

There have been two major level 7 failures, Fukushima and Chernobyl, and there was a level 5 incident in the US. Although radioactive substances were released, only very small quantities actually escaped the plant structures. In the USSR, accidents were often associated with military programmes.

Nuclear power plant failures are serious incidents, and we must be aware of this. But we must also answer the question whether we are able to replace the 20-30 % of energy produced by nuclear power stations, which we will need as security, and how to do it. Besides, when it comes to economic factors, nuclear power is at the losing end. Take the case of a flagship investment project in nuclear energy in the UK, which is currently doing very well in bringing down CO2 emissions. Unlike Germany, the UK has opted for an energy mix: renewable sources plus gas and nuclear energy.

Britain's nuclear power is an important part of this system, its nuclear reactors satisfy a significant proportion of Britain's energy needs. The UK has also developed large-scale wind farms, both onshore and offshore, and it is boosting the use of natural gas in energy production. The country has completely abandoned coal, although it was once a pioneer in coal extraction for energy uses.

At the moment, the UK is planning to achieve zero emissions by 2050. The snag is that just one nuclear power unit is being built by a French-British-Chinese consortium, based on European EPR technology, as part of the replacement of old reactors. The economic model of the new plant relies on long-term

future energy sales at GBP 92 per megawatt hour. Now, considerable investments in renewable energy sources have been made elsewhere, such as large solar farms in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the US, for example, where the cost of long-term electricity supplies from these installations will be between USD 25 and 30. So a megawatt hour obtained from renewable energy sources will be three, four or five times cheaper than energy produced by a nuclear power plant.

A quarter of a century ago, a decision was taken to build the Flamannville nuclear power plant in France, based on a safe 3+ EPR reactor.

But the construction cost has increased several times, and its scheduled launch has been postponed from 2012 to 2021.

PM

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Maybe it would be a better idea to use legal regulations to encourage developers to install solar energy-absorbing window panes in skyscrapers which are now under construction, and to install rooftop solar panels?

It’s a new technology, so its price is likely to be higher, and secondly, voices will be raised that the European Union is trying to be too controlling.

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In what way could individual households reduce energy consumption?

Poland is currently subsidising solar panels, whose prices have declined, and this is the only realistic project I’m aware of. However, it wasn’t planned, it has come about quite by chance. It has turned out that many individual Polish households would be unable to pay electricity bills, which under EU regulations would need to be several times higher than before. Meanwhile, the prices of solar panels have fallen dramatically.

This doesn’t put Poland at the forefront of technological change, far from it. But the fact remains that Polish households need to fork out a fraction of what German, Dutch and Scandinavian households had to pay for solar power installations five or ten years ago.

In 2014, a solar installation for an average household cost about PLN 50,000. It has now gone down to some PLN 15,000, including all add-ons. It’s a good idea that prosumer regulations are being drafted to make sure that photovoltaic panels are used for household’s own need only, to minimise the risk of households selling this energy to the national grid. This would run contrary to the interests PM

of energy companies, and could complicate the operation of the electricity grid. Things are moving in the right direction, but not because it was planned, but quite by accident.

What about hydrogen cells?

Poland is a large producer of hydrogen on the European scale, one of the major players in this market. We have fertiliser plants, which means we can also produce more hydrogen. We have a petrochemical industry which produces hydrogen in the process. We have coal mining, which could be a source of hydrogen for the needs of the hydrogen economy. Except that, on a global scale, hydrogen production is still too expensive. Besides, we must remember that hydrogen should be obtained in an environment-friendly zero-emission process, and not with the use of technologies which are not quite emission-free. Imagine a Polish electric car using energy produced by coalfired power stations. In this case, even a diesel engine would prove more ecological than an electric car. On the other hand, nuclear energy seems like a good alternative. It could also prove potentially useful in the production of hydrogen. If high coolant exit temperatures are obtained in the reactor, hydrogen can be produced.

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There is still a question of risk.

High-temperature reactors are passive reactors, so they are safe, because if nuclear reactions are not sustained, they simply come to an end. China has such reactors, and the US is following in its footsteps.

Interestingly, Poland participates in various research programmes devoted to modern reactors, but their construction would require a political decision in the West. And here comes a paradox: on the one hand, third generation reactors cannot be built because of public protests and a huge business risk, since the prospect of return on investment is still distant. Thus politicians are unable to make relevant decisions. On the other hand, not enough is invested in these new technologies and research programmes which are currently being conducted in the US and Western Europe. Not enough to achieve a breakthrough. We are lagging behind China and Asian countries in the production of such units. The West has the know-how, but we do not have the political will to push such • a project through.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

EUROPE’S NO. 1 THE WORLD’S NO. 2 The Katowice Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) is the winner of the FDI Business Financial Times 2019 ranking.

“We are the best in Europe and the second in the world,” says Janusz Michałek, Ph.D., president of KSEZ. “The international jury gave us the award for new investments, technology transfer, job creation, personnel acquisition and the development of Industry 4.0,” adds WSB University Prof. Barbara Piontek, deputy president of KSEZ. Source: KSEZ

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he Katowice Special Economic Zone has long been the leader among Polish special economic zones in terms of the number of direct investment projects it has attracted, and the number of jobs it has created. KSEZ won the title of the best economic zone in Europe in the FDI Business Financial Times ranking 2015-2017.

MARKET ADVANTAGES

This year, the Katowice Special Economic Zone has been recognised as the best zone in Europe and No.2 in the fDi Global Free Zones ranking. “We know what our competitive advantages are and we make sure it stays this way. We have an excellent location, well-prepared infrastructure, professional investor services, access to a subcontractor base, sales market, including internal demand, good relations with public institutions, a developed business environment and creative and well-educated staff which responds to the needs of the market and our investors,” says Prof. Barbara Piontek.

“For years, the Katowice Special Economic Zone has also been a leader in FDI acquisition in Poland. Of late, we have been attracting more and more new projects to the Polish Investment Zone, in which small and medium-sized companies prevail. We focus on entrepreneurship development, which is confirmed by our results,” emphasises President Janusz Michałek. “Since the beginning of 2019, we have acquired 32 investment projects to the tune of PLN 2.3 billion.

These will enable at least 841 people to find work in the region, and these companies will maintain their current employment at the level of over 3, 700 employees”, he adds.

RECORD INTEREST

The first three quarters of 2019 saw a record interest in KSEZ by Polish companies which have pledged to invest a total of over PLN 370 million.

Polish entrepreneurs will implement 75% of projects acquired by KSEZ in the nine months to September. These Polish companies will employ over 140 new workers and will retain 1,800 existing jobs. “It is a spectacular result of our drive to promote new opportunities offered by the Polish Investment Zone in our region,” says Barbara Piontek.

MODERN HEAVY INDUSTRY

KSEZ has also seen a significant increase in the number of investment projects implemented within the zone by micro, small

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the winner of ranking FDI Business Financial Times

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Polish Investment Zone

IN EUROPE

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and medium-sized companies, which prevail this year. “SMEs will implement 65.6% of KSEZ investment projects in such areas as the production of exhaust systems for popular motorcycles, expansion of machinery parks, process lines, as well as engineering activities, among others in the field of integration of industrial automation systems, robotic manufacturing stations and monitoring and control computer systems,” the KSEZ president points out.

In the nine months to September, companies which have been particularly active in the zone mainly came from the metallurgical (31.3%), automotive (15.7%) and electrical engineering (12.5%) sectors.

Investment projects in KSEZ will also be implemented by entrepreneurs from the engineering (9.4%), furniture (6.3%), electronic (3.1%), IT (3.1%), plastics (3.1%), textile (3.1), chemical (3.1%), printing (3.1%) and food processing industries (3.1%), as well as by those who provide accounting services (3.1%).

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This year’s investors include KET Poland, GAPPAG, Ekoinstal Holding, Protech, Cobex Polska, Elastomery AIB, Kirchhoff Polska, Clever Solutions Group, Zannini Poland, Sokpol, Aiut, JSW IT Systems, Foosung Poland, SK Innovation, Nestor Springs, PPHU Gelander, Dominator Wojciech Wróbel, Zapamet, Hemarpol Trade, DHC Systems, BR Ekspert.PL, Atepaa, Protech, Astecoma, Argo Śmierciak Paweł, CORA Adam Sikora, Tabath Jan, ENEL-PC, Wulkan, Ficomirrors Poland, Interstal and Marbach - Budowa Form.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REGIONS The aim of the Polish Association of Construction Managers (PSMB) as an organisation of experts with high professional qualifications, is to educate and promote Polish construction staff in the field of business activities on the European Union investment and construction market. The association holds a regular conference in the lakeland resort of Mikołajki. It usually takes place in the autumn and is devoted to current problems facing the construction industry.

Janusz Zaleski, Vice President of the Association of Construction Managers (PSMB)

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onference topics in the Managerial Education in Construction series have so far included “Innovation as a pre-condition for company development and competitiveness in the construction market," "Cybersecurity in a construction company. How to prevent threats. Are we ready to detect and respond to a cyberattack?" and "Socially responsible business - in an irresponsible world. Social responsibility of a construction company."

This year's 20th anniversary conference will be devoted to public-private partnership.

“As each year, in response to the needs of members and supporters of the Association, working together with the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Warsaw University of Technology, we organise a conference at the Mazurian Congress Centre at the Gołębiewski Hotel in Mikołajki”, says Janusz Zaleski, Vice President of the Association. “Its participants will not only include developers and investors, but also representatives of the government and local authorities - the Association of Polish Cities, the Association of Polish Districts, the Association of Rural Communes, and the

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DB Union of Polish Metropolises. This year's conference will be held on November 22 under the slogan "Public-private partnership as a way of financing regional development.

Construction company - investor - local government. " The recently amended Act on publicprivate partnership, drafted on the basis of many years of experience, eliminates many ambiguities in existing legal provisions.

It becomes an important instrument for financing investment by local government bodies, especially now that less European Union funding is going to be available in the future. On July 26, 2017, the government adopted the "Government Policy regarding the development of public-private partnerships". It is the first comprehensive government vision of how to develop publicprivate partnership in Poland. The main goal of the PPP Policy is to increase the scale and efficiency of investment projects implemented within the PPP formula. Publicprivate partnership has become a strategic project in the government "Strategy for responsible economic development."

The government expects PPP undertakings launched in line with the Policy to bring tangible effects. By end-2020, 100 new PPP contracts are expected to be concluded. The value of investment projects implemented within this formula should account for at least 5% of investment outlays in the public sector.

40% of all government and local government proceedings are expected to lead to the signing of a PPP contract. “Representatives of the Ministry of Investment and Economic Development, which is the focal unit for Private-Public Partnership, have confirmed that they will take part in the conference,” says President Zaleski. “We have also invited representatives of the Public Procurement Office, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, presidents of major construction companies and local government officials from all over the country. We would like to encourage all those interested to participate in the event. We want the conference to become a discussion forum about the cooperation of partners who implement tasks based on the Act on public-private partnership,” says Janusz Zaleski.

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CULTURAL MONITOR

NOVEMBER 2019 SONGS THAT MAKE PEOPLE DREAM, A TOP JAZZ FESTIVAL, AND A COUPLE OF EXHIBITIONS WORTHY OF A VISIT, THAT’S THE FARE IN THE NOVEMBER EDITION OF THE CULTURAL MONITOR. MACIEJ PROLIŃSKI TAKES HIS PICK OF THE BEST ON THE POLISH CULTURAL AND ENTERTAINMENT SCENE.

LENA PIĘKNIEWSKA – "SOMETHING’S COMING, LOVE OR WAR" - POLISH RADIO - CD In 2005 she won the 41st Student Song Festival in Krakow. A year later she won a competition for the interpretation of Agnieszka Osiecka's songs during the Let's Remember Osiecka Festival. In 2007 she was granted the Marek Grechuta scholarship, and in 2008, a scholarship of the city of Poznań for her achievements as a singer. The new album of singer and actress Lena Piękniewska "Something’s Coming: Love or War" is a studio recording made at the Agnieszka Osiecka studio in Warsaw on January 27. It is Piękniewska’s joint project with composer Paweł Skorupka. The artists' inspiration was a poem by Abramek Koplowicz entitled "The Dream." Written by a thirteen-year-old in the Łódź Jewish ghetto under the Nazi occupation, and translated into several languages, it became a symbol of children's writing during the Holocaust. In addition to Koplowicz's poems, the authors of the project also selected works by Zuzanna Ginczanka, Abraham Cytryn and Janka Hescheles. Based on these, a series of songs was written, whose central theme is hope. The unique climate of these songs, which musically represent ethno-jazz, the outstanding musicians who were invited to join the project, among others: Jacek Kita (piano), Michał Górczyński (saxophone, clarinet), Wojciech Pulcyn (bass) and the Royal String Quartet, and the high recording standard, are the main strengths of the release. It is a touching collection which pays tribute to the literary achievements of young Jewish artists who perished during the Holocaust.

PIOTR ZUBEK - "MY CUTOUT. OTHER SONGS BY JERZY WASOWSKI"- WASOWSKI FOUNDATION - CD The CD marks an excellent debut of this year's high school graduate, 19-year-old singer Piotr Zubek, who picked classic songs by Jerzy Wasowski (1913-1984), one of the greatest Polish 20th-century pop music composers, written to lyrics by Jeremi Przybora, Wojciech Młynarski, Anna Borowa and Antoni Marianowicz. Zubek’s versions are a nostalgic tribute to some truly timeless songs. The Zubek band features celebrities such as Bogdan Hołownia, one of the greatest Polish jazz pianists, Kazimierz Jonkisz, the legendary drummer, and Wiesław Wysocki on the bass clarinet and saxophone. Heaps of praise have been lavished on Zubek for his ability to cleverly select his repertoire to include forgotten and lesser known songs, which he gives a rare, refreshing quality. Critics agree that the gentle lyricism of the songs, as well as their artistic value, can only be captured by the best. Zubek is clearly one of them. He effortlessly deals with challenges posed by this kind of repertoire. Listening to the songs is a truly unique experience, which makes you think about the mysterious beauty of music which is intuitive, inventive, harmonious, natural and profound. It is the kind of beauty only great artists are able to produce. In the making of the album, the 19-year-old artist was assisted by the composer’s son Grzegorz Wasowski, and Grzegorz’s wife Monika. Together they run a foundation which promotes Jerzy Wasowski’s work.

MAREK NAPIÓRKOWSKI - HIPPOCAMPUS - AGORA - CD Marek Napiórkowski is a leading Polish guitarist and composer who is greatly appreciated by the music industry and critics. His new, intriguing album, recorded to mark the 30th anniversary of his work as an artist, combines sophisticated jazz improvisations with the world of electronic sound, and fascinating dialogues of percussion instruments. To add to his trio, which is based on the electric guitar, analogue synthesisers (Jan Smoczyński) and stylishly sounding drums (Paweł Dobrowolski), Napiórkowski has decided to invite a multi-drummer, the Brazilian artist Luis Ribeiro. Another special guest is the worldrenowned saxophonist Adam Pierończyk. It proves to be an excellent collaboration. The album contains sophisticated, catchy and electrifying music. The musicians are unquestionable virtuosos who combine a powerful sound with elaborate instrumentation. They occasionally shift the emphasis towards simplicity and calm. They feel just as comfortable in thrilling, fast-paced, broken rhythms as in calmer, delicate sounding bits. It is truly great, modern, cosmic jazz. This reviewer’s personal choice are two instrumental versions of David Bowie's hits "Absolute Beginners" and "Space Oddity."

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CULTURAL MONITOR

JAZZ BAND MŁYNARSKI - MASECKI – A RECORD WITH A BROKEN HEART - TOINEN MUSIC / AGORA - CD

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The Młynarski - Masecki Jazz Band plays pre-World War II Polish jazz. Pianist Marcin Masecki and singer Jan Emil Młynarski refer to the old tradition of Polish jazz orchestras of the interwar period, enriching it with modern arrangements. The band's repertoire includes swing pieces and tangoes written by Polish composers which became hits all over the world. On their second album, the artists have decided to go one step further to fulfil their big dream of playing in a real jazz orchestra. They have added the violin, trumpets and trombones section to the basic seven-member line-up. A 17-member band was thus created with a much broader sound range. The album contains songs mainly written in the late 1930s. They are all Polish hits, which were well known in their day, but which have become forgotten. With his modern-retro arrangements, Marcin Masecki breathes new life into the classic pieces. The spiritual patron of the album is Zygmunt Karasiński (1898-1973) a pioneer of jazz in Poland, a brilliant Polish composer who worked before and after WWII. The album contains three of his original works. The title "A record with a Broken Heart" is the title of one of the songs with lyrics written by one of the greatest Polish 20th-century songwriters Marian Hemar (1901-1972).

JAZZ JAMBOREE 2019

Jazz Jamboree is one of the largest and oldest jazz festivals in Europe. From the very beginning, it has been held in Warsaw. It has been organised by Adamiak Jazz for several years now. From the very beginning Jazz Jamboree has been attracting the biggest names of the jazz world. It is perhaps easier to list those jazz masters who did not perform at this festival than to name all those who did. Jazz Jamboree is second to none among music events organised in Poland. So what do the organisers have up their sleeves this year? Among those billed to appear at the Stodoła Club in Warsaw will be guitar legend John McLaughlin & the 4th Dimension, the leading Polish guitarist Marek Napiórkowski, one of the most famous jazz violinists Jean-Luc Ponty, and the Get The Blessing band founded by Portishead musicians drummer Clive Deamer and bassist Jim Barr, who invited Pete Judge (trumpet) and Jake McMurchie (saxophone) to join them. Their music is based on modern improvisation and features traits of their fascination with Ornette Colemane. The concerts will be held on October 24-27. On November 7, one of the most original guitarists, Mark Ribot, is scheduled to appear at the Bemowo Cultural Centre to perform music taken from his latest "Songs of Resistance" album.

AUDIO VIDEO SHOW

Poland’s largest, and Europe’s second largest audio and video equipment exhibition, the Audio Video Show 2019, is scheduled at PGE national sports stadium VIP lounges and two luxury Warsaw hotels, the Golden Tulip and Radisson Blu Sobieski, on November 8-10. It will feature some of the most advanced home audio-visual systems and accessories such as audio sets, headphones, televisions and projectors. The Audio Video Show is the only place in Poland where you can listen to and objectively compare devices from various price ranges. Parallel to the presentation of the equipment, there will be numerous seminars on audio and video as well as concerts. There will also be premieres of albums, as well as seminars. During the event, visitors will be able to get hands-on experience of products by LG, Panasonic, Phillips, Sony, as well as exclusive brands such as Bang & Olufsen, Bowers & Wilkins, Marantz and McIntosh. Everyday use mobile technology solutions worth several hundred euro will be featured, along with audio and video systems whose retail prices run into hundreds of thousands.

GATEWAYS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD: GDYNIA AND TEL AVIV

The POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, in conjunction with the Museum of the City of Gdynia, has come up with an exhibition documenting the rise of two cities, the Polish Baltic port city of Gdynia, and Tel Aviv, both built around the same time in the 1920s. They were envisaged as gateways to the outside world, as well as smart seaside resorts featuring genuine pearls of modernist architecture. The exhibition is on at the POLIN Museum in Warsaw until February 3. It features photographs, films, models of some of the two cities’ finest buildings, documents depicting everyday life, period objects and works by contemporary artists. All the exhibits show how Gdynia and Tel Aviv came into being. They focus on their respective climate, architecture, art and inhabitants. "At the exhibition, we show archive photos, models of the most important buildings, but also objects related to the history of the two cities. Modernism in Gdynia is highlighted in mock-ups of the housing complex of Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, known as the Banker, the ZUS national insurance company office building, the complex of market halls and the Juliusz Rubel house at 41 Nowogrodzka Street. Among the museum exhibits, worthy of a note is the original tableware used on board the Piłsudski transatlantic liner.

These exhibits come from the collection of the Gdynia City Museum, as do the valuable series of gouaches by Janusz Maria Brzeski. There are also art works and objects coming from the Emigration Museum in Gdynia, as well as other museums in the neighbouring cities of Gdańsk and Sopot. One of them is an excellent poster by Stefan Norblin entitled 'Gdynia. New Baltic port.' From the collection of the POLIN Museum, we picked a map of Tel Aviv from 1939, which is the chronological turning point of the exhibition. On loan from the Jewish Historical Institute is an extremely valuable post-war account of the tragic fate suffered by the Jews of Gdynia during World War II by journalist Samuel Drueck," says exhibition curator, Artur Tanikowski Ph.D., of the POLIN Museum.

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CULTURE

ROMANTIC CHALLENGE JOLANTA PSZCZÓŁKOWSKA-PAWLIK is the director of the Pawlik Relations Concert Agency, producer of music recordings by her husband, the acclaimed jazzman Włodek Pawlik, and an accomplished classical concert pianist. Her repertoire focuses on songs.

Last January, she defended her doctoral thesis at the Faculty of Chamber Music of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw.

The thesis was entitled "A synthesis of poetry and music based on the example of Stanisław Moniuszko's ballads." Moniuszko, who lived in the 19th century, is described as the father of the Polish national opera. For several years now, Jolanta Pszczółkowska-Pawlik has also focused on recording a complete set of songs by Stanisław Moniuszko, of which there are about 300. Her new album features Moniuszko’s ballads. It is the fourth in a series which is ultimately to include all songs written by the composer. The album is out now under the Pawlik Relations label, under the patronage of the “Polish Market” magazine. It is highly recommended to all music lovers.

Maciej Proliński

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he first album in the series, which contained a selection of songs for mezzo-soprano recorded by Elwira Janasik, was released in 2014. The second album, released at the end of 2016, featured are songs for bass (Michał Dembiński). The two albums were applauded both by critics and record buyers. On an album released at the beginning of the year, entitled "Moniuszko: Songs. Volume 3,” you can find 24 songs performed by the talented young soprano Karolina Róża Kowalczyk, accompanied in four duets by mezzo Katarzyna Szymkowiak. The charming songs have common themes such as love, innocence, youth and natural beauty. Jolanta PszczółkowskaPawlik’s intention is to introduce Moniuszko songs to the repertoire of yet another generation of Polish artists. She also wants to promote often unknown and unrecorded works among a younger audience. Such songs include four “Threnodies” written to famous 16th century poems by Jan Kochanowski, the first poet in the Slav world who wrote in his native language. These songs can be found on the second album. A ballad entitled "Little Fish," written to a 19th century poem by the national bard Adam Mickiewicz, is included on the first album. These songs were recorded on CD for the first time ever.

The album "Moniuszko - Songs vol. 4 Ballads" contains a set of seven ballads for the voice and piano. Five of the ballads were written to poems by Adam Mickiewicz: "The

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Return of Dad", "Świtezianka," "The Watch", "Three Lithuanians," "Little Fish." There is also a ballad entitled "Magda the Innkeeper" written to a poem by Ludwik Sztyrmer, and a Swedish ballad "Prince Magnus and Trolla” whose lyrics were translated into Polish by Lucjan Siemiński. All the recordings were made at the Witold Lutosławski Polish Radio Concert Studio in Warsaw. The singers are mezzo Wanda Franek, mezzo Elwira Janasik, soprano Karolina Róża Kowalczyk, bassbaritone Jerzy Butryn, bass-baritone Łukasz Karauda and baritone Andrzej Lenart. The ballads are true lyrical vocal masterpieces which can easily compete with better-known works by European masters of the Romantic period. The songs are catchy, perfectly written, they feature striking harmonies,

and highlight the role of the piano. In his ballads, Moniuszko consistently builds the form of a dramatized vocal poem, supported by extensive piano parts which do not just serve as background music. Apart from the length of the songs, which can be from seven to a dozen minutes long, their structure and narrative form provide a major challenge for the performers.

The album is stylistically varied and features contrasting moods, which requires a lot of concentration on the part of the listener. What stands out is the musicians’ elegant performance, perfect teamwork and creativity. Even for a listener who is very familiar with Stanisław Moniuszko's works, the album is a journey full of surprises.

It is also of interest to those record buyers who do not normally pick the classics. The music is lyrical, at other times it is dramatic, thrilling and fiery, but throughout the album, the artists’ attention to every detail distinctly comes through. The recordings mark another chapter in the noble history of Moniuszko’s music. The idea behind the series was not to discover new sounds or forms of expression, but to faithfully convey the message contained in each song, its mood and power inherent in the composer’s unique idiom. The challenge for the artists was to combine their interpretation of poems by Adam Mickiewicz with their own take on music by Moniuszko. By all accounts, Jolanta Pszczółkowska Pawlik and her young vocal • art students have done a splendid job. "

CULTURE

THE MYSTERIES OF TRAVEL OLGA TOKARCZUK, one of the most popular and most widely read Polish writers, has won the Nobel Prize in literature. This year, the Swedish Academy decided to award two Nobel Literary Awards - for 2018 and 2019. Last year, due to a sex scandal within the Academy’s ranks, as well as leaked information about upcoming awards, it was decided not to award this prize. Olga Tokarczuk was honoured with the 2018 award, while this year’s award went to Austrian writer and translator Peter Handke.

Maciej Proliński

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lga Tokarczuk's writing is valued by demanding critics, and is also very popular with Polish and international readers. The writer often touches on moral topics, and considers the existential crisis of man as an individual and as part of a community. Her writing opens up fresh vistas and helps readers to understand the nature of the human condition. It is deeply rooted in Polish culture and history, the settings are Polish towns and villages, yet it is also very universal. Tokarczuk received the Nobel Prize for what was described as narrative imagination, which with encyclopaedic passion reveals the crossing of borders as a way of life. The Nobel Committee praised the Polish writer’s focus on local issues, as well as her ability to look at reality from a broader perspective, to achieve a bird's eye view of complex issues. It also highlighted her effortless blend of the intellectual and the witty. Tokarczuk is a psychologist with a University of Warsaw degree. She worked as a psychotherapist in a mental health clinic, but also did a stint as a cleaner in a smart London hotel. She has written 18 books - novels, short story collections and essays. She is now one of the most frequently translated Polish writers.

The rights to translate her books into foreign languages have been sold to publishers in over 20 countries. Her books have been made into films and plays. One of the films is based

on her novel "Drive Your Plough over the Bones of the Dead.” This eco-thriller was published in 2009. The film, whose name was changed into "Spoor" was shot by the award-winning Polish director Agnieszka Holland. Many of Tokarczuk’s books have become bestsellers and won prestigious literary awards. She received her first Nike award (the annual literary award for the Polish book of the year) in 2008, for her novel "Flights," which also became a hit in English speaking countries. In it, she asks what humanity has in common with the Earth’s poles, and the Eastern Orthodox Old Believers sect who tame evil through movement. The book does not revolve either around a central character or a single story, it is about the phenomenon of travel. "Travel is probably the closest approximation of what the modern world seems to be – movement and instability.

Each age is tempted to capture the state of humanity in a single word. It seems to me that nowadays this word could be 'the pole'. I feel I am a pole myself," she said on receiving the Nike prize. Ten years later, for the same novel, translated into English by Jennifer Croft, she received the Man Booker International Prize - one of the most prestigious literary prizes in the world awarded to the author of the best book translated into English. “Flights" is a cornucopia filled with delight. This book is full of energy, it’s brilliant, witty, and completely addictive, "said Lisa Appignanesi,

chairwoman of the jury. Tokarczuk also got a lot of publicity when she received her second Nike award in 2015 for "The Books of Jacob." She had done years of research before she sat down to write the novel. It is a vivid, rich panorama of the multi-ethnic, multi-denominational society Poland was in the 18th century, when an intriguing sect of the Frankists - Jewish dissenters appeared on Polish territories. It is a book about crossing borders and migrations which carry fresh ideas.

The Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded since 1901. Four Polish writers have received it so far. Henryk Sienkiewicz was the first to receive it in 1905 for his attainments in the field of epic writing, and his rare genius which the Academy said embodies the spirit of the nation. Nearly two decades later, in 1924, the prize went to Władysław Reymont for his four-volume "The Peasants," a gripping, raw description of life in the Polish rural countryside. In 1980, the Nobel committee honoured Polish poet Czesław Miłosz, who lived in exile in the US, for his uncompromising insight into threats facing the human being in a world full of violent conflicts. The award came as a profound embarrassment to Poland’s communist rulers, because Miłosz’s books were banned in Poland at the time. In 1996, Wisława Szymborska received the prize for her poetry, which “with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to appear in glimpses of human reality."

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CULTURE

MOVING At the 44th Polish Feature Film Festival held in the Baltic port city of Gdynia, some artistically and socially challenging new Polish films came to light.

Among the award winners were "Icarus. The Legend of Mietek Kosz" directed

by Maciej Pieprzyca and Jan Komasa’s “Corpus Christi.” The latter is this season’s Polish candidate for the Academy Award. Both films have gone on general release, and they promise not to leave viewers indifferent.

Maciej Proliński "Icarus. The Legend of Mietek Kosz" is a biopic devoted to one of the most important Polish jazzmen. It tells the moving story of a talented blind artist who reached a cult status in his day. Mieczysław Kosz (19441973) was a pianist and composer who had a significant impact on the Polish jazz school.

He was a master of jazz improvisation.

Although he only recorded one album, as well as a few solo recordings for Polish Radio, he became a legend for jazz fans. He performed at the prestigious jazz festival in Montreux, played in Paris jazz clubs and the best concert halls.

He was admired by the greatest musicians and audiences. He achieved all this, against all odds. Coming from the rural backwaters of Antoniówka in eastern Poland, the artist managed to develop an original idiom. Polish

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jazz icon Tomasz Stańko said that Kosz’s music was "waiting for beauty." Kosz himself claimed that "only sadness is beautiful." Whatever you make of this, the fact remains that when the artist sat at the piano, he was all alone with the music which was his life. In this new feature, director Pieprzyca intends to restore this extraordinary character to the collective imagination of Polish music lovers.

There is a lot in this film to show that the two quotes really capture what Kosz and his music were all about. It is a tale of the birth of a rare talent, twists and turns of fate, the search for happiness, hard work, and pressing on against all odds. The title character is played by one of the most successful young Polish actors Dawid Ogrodnik. The film also stars Justyna Wasilewska, Piotr Adamczyk, Jacek Koman,

Jowita Budnik and Maja Komorowska, who makes a welcome comeback in this production.

Leszek Możdżer, one of the best known and respected Polish jazz pianists, took care of the music side of the film, which includes incidental music and arrangements of famous songs, jazz standards and Polish songs. At this year's Gdynia festival "Icarus" was honored with the Silver Lions award. The film also won an award for the best music, and for the best leading male part. It also won the Best Cinematography Award for Witold Płóciennik, while Agata Culak won an award for costume design. Jolanta Dańda received an award for the best makeup. The film also won the Golden Clapper prize, for the longest-applauded festival entry. The film went on general release on October 18.

Still from the film "Ikar...", courtesy of Next Film

STORYTELLING

CULTURE

"Corpus Christi" may seem like a simple tale, but it is definitely rich in meaning. It is set in a small community in Poland, but its message turns out to be universal. It is an open-ended tale. This latest film by Jan Komasa portrays 20-year-old Daniel, who while being confined in a youth detention centre, undergoes a spiritual renewal and secretly dreams of becoming a priest. Several years later he is released on parole and sent to work in a carpentry workshop. Instead of going there, Daniel heads for the local church, where he befriends the parish priest. When, in his absence, an opportunity unexpectedly arises, the young man seizes it to play the role of a priest. From the beginning, his evangelism methods stir controversy among the congregation. Over time, however, the impostor’s teachings and charisma begin to move local residents who are still reeling from a tragedy which hit the community a few months before. “Corpus Christi” is described by critics as a mature, original and much needed work. Komasa’s debut movie "Suicide Room" of 2011 also tackled a number of vital issues, such as the dangers lurking in Internet chat rooms and the sense of empty and meaningless existence experienced both by adults and their children. The latest film by Komasa is a revealing depiction of today’s Poland, with its deep political divisions and intolerance. It is also about Christian values which the director tells us can also find expression outside church walls. It is about growing up, and about a single person who can change the world - or at least profoundly affect the lives of a few people in a small community. The production is deeply rooted in Polish realities, yet it is by no means hermetic. Komasa has produced a genuine work of art. He invites viewers to take a close look at their own values and ask universal questions such as the meaning of religious faith and testimony. "I wanted to capture a moment when a person discovers they need faith. I wanted to show where it comes from, how it evolves and how it gives one relief and redemption. Everyone has faith, regardless of whether they are an atheist, an agnostic or a believer,” the director says.

Bartosz Bielenia, considered as one of the most exciting young Polish actors, is brilliant in his portrayal of the conflicted central character. The cast also features talented actors of the younger and middle generations: Eliza Rycembel, Tomasz Ziętek, Aleksandra Konieczna, Łukasz Simlat, and Leszek Lichota. The screen writer is Mateusz Pacewicz, and cinematography is by Piotr Sobociński Jr. The film's intriguing music was written by Evgueni and Sacha Galperine, who wrote scores for such cult movies as Andrei Zvyagintsev’s "Lovelessness" and "The Past" by Asghar Farhadi. "Corpus Christi" has been nominated for the Academy Award. It premiered to rave reviews, and a standing ovation, at the Venice festival. The distributor has signed contracts for the film to be released in a number of countries. In Venice, the production was shown in the prestigious Giornate degli Autori section and won the Europa Cinemas Label prize.

At the Polish Feature Film Festival in Gdynia, the film won awards for the best screenplay, directing, best supporting role (Eliza Rycembel), as well as a series of valuable distinctions awarded by the audience, journalists and art house cinema • networks.

I WANTED TO CAPTURE A MOMENT WHEN A PERSON DISCOVERS THEY NEED FAITH. I WANTED TO SHOW WHERE IT COMES FROM, HOW IT EVOLVES AND HOW IT GIVES ONE RELIEF AND REDEMPTION. EVERYONE HAS FAITH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE AN ATHEIST, AN AGNOSTIC OR A BELIEVER.

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ORGANIC FOOD

EKOGRAM NUT SPREADS AND GHEE FROM THE AZTECS TO AWARD-WINNING SWEET DREAMS TO THE GIFT OF THE GODS In Warsaw cafes you can now find bulletproof coffee, though instead of this ominously militarily sounding name, it’s probably safer to describe it as turbo coffee.

It is coffee with clarified butter and spices, a David Asprey invention of 2009. While quality coffee is not so easy to find, it is probably even more difficult to lay your hands on 100% pure peanut butter without any additives.

PEANUT BUTTER FOR THE AZTECS AND ELVIS PRESLEY

Peanut butter was first made by the Aztecs at the turn of the 3rd century B.C., and in more recent times, its career started in Battle Creek, Michigan. Since 1893, it was used as a herbal medicine by one John Harvey Kellogg, a medical doctor, health reformer, dietician and head of a health clinic. His peanut butter patented in 1898 became the favourite spread of Elvis Presley, who used it on bacon and banana sandwiches, and Ernest Hemingway, whose favourite

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ORGANIC FOOD

was a peanut butter and onion ring sandwich. This healthy spread first entered American and Dutch cuisines, from where it spread around the world. It is a source of unsaturated fatty acids, it contains proteins, vitamins B3 and E, magnesium, folic acid, fibre, arginine and antioxidants. But not every producer uses the best production methods. In small factories, carefully selected, preferably organic ingredients are usually used. In large factories, it is important to process enormous amounts of food to produce low-cost peanut butter with the use of cheap ingredients. What are known as fillers include sunflower oil, margarine, which is codenamed hardened vegetable fat, palm oil, glucose and salt. Peanuts usually account for 65 - 81% of the final product. So you need to carefully read labels and choose peanut butter which actually contains nothing but peanuts which have been ground to a paste. There is no reasonable justification for the use of any additives. Peanut butter which contains no sugar and preservatives has a shelf life of at least a year.

"OUR PEANUT BUTTER IS PREPARED FROM NOTHING BUT ROASTED PEANUTS. IT DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY SALT, OIL, SUGAR OR OTHER ADDITIVES. IT CONSISTS ONLY OF PEANUTS. IT IS NATURAL AND UNPROCESSED.

EKOGRAM PLAYS BY THE RULES

One example of a company which cares for the quality of its organic food products is Ekogram based in the city of Krakow. It is a member of the Polish Ecology Association. For 10 years it has been using a method which is close to the original 19th century peanut butter recipe devised for the Michigan clinic. Ekogram may well be following in the footsteps of Aztec chefs, and its organic products have conquered the organic market in Poland. The company owner, experimenter and avid YouTuber Michał Pelc explains the secret of the company’s success. “Our peanut butter is prepared from nothing but roasted peanuts. It does not contain any salt, oil, sugar or other additives. It consists only of peanuts. It is natural and unprocessed. That is why this peanut butter should be included in your daily menu. Thanks to its nutritional values, it is recommended for all those who lead an active lifestyle, athletes, competitive as well as amateurs, and those who do their best to keep fit. The high protein content helps your muscles regain strength after an exhausting workout, it also helps you build your muscles. Peanut butter is also recommended for those on a vegan diet to make up for the lack of animal fat in the diet.”

LOSING WEIGHT WITH PEANUT BUTTER

Peanut butter is also perfect for weight-watchers. Despite its high calorie content, just two teaspoons of it (40g) make you feel full for over two hours. Peanuts, and hence peanut butter, naturally support our body and brain. For this reason, it should permanently appear on our breakfast menu, and should also be eaten at other times of day.

Peanut butter is a natural and tasty spread, it is great for cocktails, rice and cereal wafers, puddings, pancakes, porridge, cakes and sauces.

It goes well with both sweet and savoury dishes. It is up to you how to use it to creatively conjure up exciting new dishes.

Apart from peanut butter, a whole family of Ekogram products includes walnut, hazelnut, coconut, cashew, sesame and almond spreads. In doctor Kellog’s parlance, they are all herbal medicines.

They are nutritious foods, which perfectly supplement a number of special diets. In this family, there is one exception, a multi-ingredient spread, a hit of the Natura Food 2018 fair, which received the gold medal in the organic product category. It is called Sweet dreams.

SUGAR-FREE SWEET DREAMS

Michał Pelc says that this time they let their imagination run free.

“Don’t quality ingredients and an exciting flavour sound like a dream? Sweet dreams is our date-hazelnut-cocoa spread. It only

contains 100% organic ingredients, with no added sugar. Dates add the sweetness, yet it is not too sweet, to me the flavour is perfectly balanced. Customers just love this snack.”

THREE CHEERS FOR GHEE

As you read the 260-item Ekogram product list, with 99% of the products being ECO-certified, you cannot help but notice a nearly 100% butter under the Indian name ghee. In India, it is referred to as the world's most perfect cooking fat and a gift of the gods. During clarification and filtration, 17.5% of the original ingredients, i.e. casein and water, are removed. What remains is pure cooking fat which contains vitamins, pantothenic acid, beta carotene, niacin and retinol. This ancient technique developed 4,000 years B.C. comes from Ayurveda (the knowledge of life). There is even a hymn to ghee in the Vedic rituals. Michał Pelc explains why you should include bio ghee in your daily diet: “It is definitely healthier than margarine and refined oils, which is why it is increasingly appreciated in everyday cooking. Ghee has a more expressive, and at the same time, a more delicate flavour than traditional butter. Free from milk solids, lactose and casein, it becomes pure fat, thanks to which it can be eaten by those with food allergies, whose bodies do not tolerate milk proteins.

In Ayurvedic cuisine, it is considered a rejuvenating product.

TURBO OR BULLETPROOF COFFEE FOR BREAKFAST?

Ghee can be used for frying in high temperatures as its smoke point is 252 °C. It adds a unique flavour to fried dishes. It is part of the original bulletproof coffee recipe. Free from lactose and casein, it is a great alternative for those with food allergies. Ghee was included

by Agnieszka Maciąg, a well-known Polish writer, model, actress, journalist and blogger who promotes a healthy lifestyle, in her books "Taste of Happiness" and "Taste of Love". In her view, "in Ayurvedic cuisine, ghee is the absolute basis of healthy cooking, it is great for the body, mind and spirit. I can't imagine my kitchen without it. I use it to cook almost all dishes that require fat, except for baking, regardless of what style I cook in on a given day." Since Poles increasingly focus on quality and taste, such products with a history dating back to ancient times, are becoming more and more popular. They keep you healthy and make you look good. Turbo coffee, which is also known • as bulletproof coffee, gives you the extra energy you need.

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EVENTS

L A B O R ATO RY AC C R E D I TAT I O N RELIABLE CALIBRATION AND TEST RESULTS

For the first time, a meeting of the European co-operation for Accreditation Laboratory Committee was held in Warsaw at the end of September. It was attended by over 70 representatives of accreditation bodies from all over Europe. The organiser of the three-day event was the Polish Centre for Accreditation (PCA.)

T

he aim of the committee, which meets in various European countries twice a year, is to discuss issues related to the accreditation of laboratories, including requirements and guidelines concerning the activities of accreditation bodies and accredited laboratories. This year, most of the committee meetings were devoted to the introduction of updated ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standard requirements used in the assessment of competences of testing and calibration laboratories. The deadline for the implementation of the requirements is November 2020. This concerns nearly 1,500 accredited laboratories in Poland which provide services in almost all fields of the economy on a daily basis, also covering many areas of public life. European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) is a non-profit organisation which brings together European accreditation bodies officially appointed by the governments of individual countries to conduct accreditation in all areas of activities related to conformity assessment, i.e. testing, calibration, verification, certification, inspection and proficiency testing.

LUCYNA OLBORSKA ,

Director of the Polish Center for Accreditation - “It is worth emphasising that thanks to accreditation, it is possible to obtain reliable and accurate results of analyses and tests in areas related to safety, health and the environment, e.g. medical, mechanical and chemical tests. The rules of accreditation are included in international standards and guidelines. This is where the requirements are defined, both for accreditation bodies and for conformity assessment bodies subject to accreditation. The fact that an entity is accredited means that it has been assessed in relation to requirements set out in these documents. Importantly, thanks to multilateral agreements, accreditation contributes to the elimination of barriers in trade through the mutual recognition of the results of conformity assessment. Free international trade, which stimulates economic growth, is thus facilitated. Standards are in use in all areas.

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From left: Sergio Guzzi - EA Vice-Chair, Laurent Vinson - EA Chair and Samantha Haddar - EA Secretary

Sometimes we even fail to notice how common they are. In general, nearly every sector of the economy is subject to certification, inspection or tests aimed at confirming quality, protecting health and, consequently, ensuring safety. When we know that a particular product, service, process, machine or device has been assessed or tested by an accredited conformity assessment body, we can be sure that the requirements of safety standards are also met,” says Lucyna Olborska, Director of the Polish Centre for • Accreditation.

ACCREDITATION IN ALL AREAS OF PUBLIC LIFE

In Poland, the accreditation of conformity assessment bodies is carried out by the Polish Centre for Accreditation (PCA.) Accreditation guarantees the correct level of independence and impartiality of entities in relation to conformity assessment services. It is used to build and strengthen confidence in the results of calibration, testing and inspection, certified products and services, qualifications of certified persons and certified management systems.

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