Dell opens Polish plant

DELL HAS opened a plant in Poland to exploit the cheaper labour that was there before they all came over here.

Dell said it has invested €200 million in the new 37,000 square-metre site in Lodz, which will initially employ 1,200 workers.

Chief executive Michael Dell spun: "As we saw our central and eastern European businesses grow, we knew we needed a manufacturing base here to maintain our ambition for the region.

"Our operations in Lodz mean that we can maintain this momentum and offer a superior service to customers."

The factory will initially produce laptops and Dell estimated central and eastern European and Nordic customers would get see their orders fulfilled a couple of days more quickly than at present.

Dell has also begun wooing the locals. "We want to be a positive influence beyond our role as an employer in the city," said Sean Corkery, vice president of manufacturing at Dell EMEA, after more than 100 Dell employees have planted trees in the Lublinek forest park.

"We plan to extend these activities in partnership with the local community and the region as a whole," he claimed.

Dell said the Polish plant complements its established operations in Ireland - for now. µ