Statement by Artur Popko – President of Budimex from the Build4Future conference:
Infrastructure investments in Poland account for over 70% of the value of construction production, so they are a lever for the entire construction industry. Polish construction companies are able to implement the largest line investments in the country – said Artur Popko, President of the Management Board of Budimex, during the Build 4 Future Conference. The occasion was a panel devoted to the future of large infrastructure investments in Poland.
By 2040, Poland has investment plans for over PLN 1 trillion. The planned investments include: nuclear power plants, CPK, port, hydrotechnical, offshore and onshore investments, as well as long-term road and rail programs.
I believe that the construction industry is able to “process” this – both road contracts and cumulative railway contracts. Companies operating in Poland successfully carry out the most difficult investments. Where there are some problems in the implementation of few contracts, the contractors are companies either from outside the European Union or that have previously relegated from other road contracts – said Artur Popko.
The President of Budimex confirmed that a lot has been done on the part of PKP PLK, despite the lack of financing. Through dialogue, we agreed and jointly came to an agreement that the railway industry will not waste time. Tender procedures have been announced and the verification of the already submitted offers is currently underway. We are able to invest in people and equipment, which we have shown in the railways, and carry out more contracts with our own resources and specialized equipment. For general contractors, a stable approach to the possibility of submitting bids is crucial – said the President of Budimex.
The company observes how tender procedures look like throughout Europe. Public procurement in Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia is preferred by contractors from the European Union. We submit bids in Latvia and there none of the companies that are not from the European Union enter the critical infrastructure market as a general contractor – added Artur Popko.
The President of Budimex also drew attention to the threats, especially in the energy sector. The energy segment of our economy will develop very strongly. We are facing such a challenge in terms of a huge and long-lasting energy transition. If we are to achieve the EU’s climate goals, we should allow private capital to make strategic investments. In the case of investments in RES, both we and other entities cannot develop all the possibilities, because transmission networks have great limitations due to their age. As Poland, we want to invest in offshore, but private capital has very limited access to this market. This is surprising. Such investments allow for the development of the economy. If we are to achieve such energy neutrality within three decades, private capital should be able to support the State – Translated into.
Artur Popko also explained the motives for the company’s entry into foreign markets. Our foreign expansion is due to two reasons. The first is further development of the company and diversification. The second reason is the desire to reach for additional construction contracts, given that some EU funds may be blocked at some point in Poland. Going beyond the border allows us to develop our staff. Many people have now left our company abroad to learn, to develop and gain experience in the United States or Australia. We also want to gain competence in tunnel construction. These investments are limited on the Polish market for now, but this will change – summed up the President of Budimex.
