The Pomeranian Regional Chamber of Commerce has its headquarters in Olivia Business Centre, in the Olivia CONNECT space, and for years has been supporting domestic companies in conducting business activities, in the development and implementation of international projects. As part of the Transport Week conference, the eighth edition of which was devoted to port infrastructure development projects in Europe and the opportunities offered by the New Silk Road – the event is once again held under the patronage of Olivia Business Centre – we talk to Bogdan Ołdakowski, member of the board of RIGP and president of Actia Forum sp. z o.o., the organizer of Transport Week. The main themes of “Olivia’s Conversation” are m.in. foreign expansion of Pomeranian companies, the vision of Pomerania’s development and the role of the developing TSL industry (transport, forwarding, logistics) in this process.
ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF COMPANIES IN POMERANIA
Monika Bogdanowicz (Olivia Business Centre Communication Expert): Do Pomeranian entrepreneurs have reasons to be satisfied? According to the Pomeranian Regional Chamber of Commerce, what are the main challenges facing companies in 2018?
Bogdan Ołdakowski, President of the Management Board of Actia Forum Sp. z o.o. organizer of the Transport Week conference, member of the board of the Regional Chamber of Commerce (RIGP).:Yes. Last year was a good year for the economy in Poland. The positive effects of rapid economic growth can also be seen in Pomerania, the revenues of companies are growing, and exports are also growing, although the growth rate is not as fast as in previous years. Undoubtedly, the challenge this year is to find people to work. Problems in the labour market can be seen almost everywhere. This, of course, in addition to the shortage of manpower, translates into an increase in pressure on wages, which increases the costs of economic activity.
INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION OF POMERANIAN COMPANIES
M.B.: How do you generally assess the potential of Pomeranian companies and their preparation for international expansion? How does the TSL industry fare in these professions?
B.O. The Pomeranian region is characterized by a great openness to cooperation with international markets. This is due to many factors, including the characteristic coastal location of the region, which has always encouraged people to travel, to look for markets “overseas”. I rate the preparation of Pomeranian companies for their presence on international markets highly. Of course, you can always point to some problems, such as the collapse of the off-shore market (the extraction of oil and gas from the sea in the world), which has benefited many companies. The TSL industry is also doing well internationally. By its very nature, this industry operates on international markets, but the domain of activity of many companies in this industry is Pomerania, because here we are dealing with a very fast-growing market.
RIGP SUPPORT
M.B.: How does the Pomeranian Regional Chamber of Commerce really help its members in development and promotion abroad? What benefits do RIGP members receive and why is it worth being an active participant in meetings and trainings organized m.in? in Olivia’s conference spaces?
B.O. There are many companies in RIGP and it is mainly thanks to their services that other entrepreneurs have a chance to take advantage of professional help. RIGP also implements projects aimed at helping companies on international markets, such as the Pomeranian Export Broker project, in which it is one of the partners. From the point of view of a company interested in a specific market, it is worth simply attending seminars or trainings to learn about the details of running a business, e.g. in Norway or Iran. For those who want further help, we offer professional advice. The Pomeranian Export Broker project can also co-finance the costs of trips to fairs, conferences, etc. Let us not forget that the Chamber can offer specific assistance in financing business activities. I would like to invite you to the Chamber.
THE ROLE OF GDAŃSK IN THE INDUSTRY
M.B.: Moving on to the Forum prepared by Actia for the 8th time. Transport Week conference, one of the most popular events dedicated to the TSL industry. What is the role of Gdańsk and the entire Pomerania region on the international market today? I mean the cooperation of our companies with companies from the Baltic Sea region, Europe and the world?
B.O. The role of Gdansk and Gdynia has increased significantly in recent years, mainly due to the development of the ports of Gdansk and Gdynia. Such a cut-off date was 2004, i.e. Polish’s accession to the EU. The rapid economic development of the country and trade exchange was reflected in the rapidly growing transshipments in ports. At the same time, also thanks to EU funds, there have been major investments in transport infrastructure, which has further strengthened the position of ports. Along with the increase in the amount of cargo in ports, so does the transport industry, which – to put it simply – handles trade and cargo. It is an industry that creates a lot of jobs, mainly in the vicinity of ports. On the scale of the Baltic Sea, the role of Pomerania is a leading role, and on a European scale, the ports of Gdansk and Gdynia are one of the fastest growing medium-sized port centres in Europe.
POMERANIA 2030
M.B.: And if we wanted to boldly describe what the vision of Pomerania in 2030 will look like in the logistics and transport industry? What will we have then, what do we not have today, and what do we still need to spend a lot of effort and energy on today?
B.O. If I were to try to come up with a vision of Pomerania 2030, the scale of the port business and the TSL industry will probably be much larger. Larger ships will enter here, ports will have a larger, more modern infrastructure. One of the key issues to be resolved is the road and rail infrastructure, both in direct access to ports and further on the so-called “roads”. Hinterland. So if we are talking about an effort, it should be directed towards both the development of ports and the development of land infrastructure. At the same time, the development is not only expansion, but also intelligent management of it and traffic.
THE NEW SILK ROAD
M.B. One of the topics of the conference will be a discussion on the development of the New Silk Road. How do you assess the opportunities for further development for the Baltic and European logistics sector?
B.O. This topic is present at many meetings and conferences. The policy of the Chinese government within the framework of the so-called The New Silk Road is mainly about strengthening China’s investment presence in the world, including Europe. Chinese investments are also carried out in ports, e.g. in Greece or Portugal. It should be remembered that the transport route between Europe and Asia, in particular China, is the largest scale of trade in the world. Therefore, it can be said that Chinese investments in European ports are a natural direction for achieving the goals of the Silk Road. However, the scale of investment in Europe is still small. It remains to be seen whether Chinese capital will be invested in ports to a greater extent.
INNOVATION IN BUSINESS
M.B.: Having been observing the development of the TSL sector for many years, do you think that there is room for creating demand for innovations and new types of services and the development of start-up forms?
B.O. Absolutely. The port industry, or more broadly TSL, is a fast-growing industry and at the same time considered to be quite conservative. The simultaneous development of the industry and its state of technological advancement creates opportunities for the implementation of many innovative projects or the so-called start-ups. In general, we have been observing the process of the so-called digitization or digitization of this industry, which in consequence is to increase the efficiency of logistics solutions for the transport of goods.
TRANSPORT WEEK GALA IN OLIVIA
M.B.: As part of the program of the 3-day Transport Week 2018 event, you have also planned a special meeting for all guests, which took place in a unique place – Olivia Sky Club, from which you can watch the panorama of the entire Bay of Gdańsk. It is from this place that you can also see the sea transport routes. Could you tell us what the guests experienced on this special evening?
B.O. First of all, the guests had the opportunity to have a good time in the Olivia Business Centre, with a view of the Bay. Such meetings provide an opportunity for informal talks and initiating business contacts. Generally, guests who visit Gdańsk or Gdynia once every few years are amazed by the pace of development and places like Olivia. On behalf of the organisers of Transport Week, I would like to thank you for your hospitality this evening. It is worth noting that during the meeting, the “Baltic Transport Journal” presented awards to companies for their special achievements in the transport industry in the Baltic Sea. Among the winners were m.in. companies from Pomerania: DCT Gdansk and the Port of Gdansk Authority.
POMERANIA – A WINDOW TO THE WORLD
M.B.: Listening to your experiences presenting the development of Pomeranian companies and their connections with the world, as well as observing the intensive growth of transport-related industries – focused in Gdańsk – it is safe to say that our window to the world is more and more open!
B.O. Oh yes! Pomerania and Gdansk, the windows to the world have always been wide open.
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Bogdan Ołdakowski, CEO and founder of Actia Forum Sp. Ltd. Since 2006, he has also been the Secretary General of the Baltic Ports Organization. Also the President of the Management Board of the Baltic Press Sp. z o.o. and the Motus Foundation. From 1996 to 2003, he worked for the Port of Gdansk Authority SA in various positions. During this period, he participated in the work of the Baltic Ports Organization (BPO), the European Seaports Organization (ESPO) and other international organizations. In the years 2000-2003 he worked as an advisor at the Gdansk Airport. Lech Wałęsa Sp. In the years 1994-1998 he was associated with the consulting company GEOMOR, where he ended his cooperation as a member of the management board and managing director. He participates in the work of industry and economic organizations, member of expert and advisory groups, m.in. Member of the Board of the Pomeranian Regional Chamber of Commerce, member of the European Sustainable Shipping Forum and the European Ports Forum – advisory groups to the European Commission. Participant of many consulting projects in the field of maritime sectors, ports, infrastructure, transport, energy, environmental protection. Organizer, speaker and host of international conferences and forums. A graduate of the University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Biology, Geography and Oceanology. During his studies, he received a scholarship from the Tempus Program. After graduating, he received a scholarship from the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark. He completed Postgraduate Legal and Management Studies at the Faculty of Management and Economics of the Gdańsk University of Technology and managerial courses: Port Management and Organization organized by Ports of Stockholm. He also completed the Baltic Leadership Programme organised by the Swedish Institute. He is active in sports: tennis, football, skiing. He is interested in jazz, literature and contemporary painting.
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About Olivia CONNECT. The CONNECT project was created to stimulate and facilitate cooperation between all residents of Olivia Business Centre. Its overarching goal is to create an environment conducive to business development and to initiate projects whose joint implementation is conducive to the expansion of the Pomeranian region. Numerous non-governmental organizations, m.in. associations and foundations, as well as business support institutions, have their headquarters in Olivia CONNECT. Among the residents of Olivia CONNECT are, m.in: infoShare Foundation, Marek Kamiński Foundation, Marek Kamiński Institute and Inspiring Examples Foundation, as well as the Pomeranian Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Pomeranian Association of Entrepreneurs Lewiatan, GUP Job Office, the Interizon ICT Cluster and the BPO Education Centre – Sopot University of Applied Sciences.
TRANSPORT WEEK GALA 2018 IN OLIVIA
