[Intl-tobacco] BAT plans to move production from Belgium to Poland

[rob@essential.org]

British American Tobacco plans to move production from Belgium
to Poland -

Interfax-Europe
February 10, 2004

Warsaw - British American Tobacco intends to move part of its production
from a Belgium plant to a Polish plant in mid-2004, BAT Polska spokesperson
Marek Kosycarz told Interfax.

"We are moving part of production from Belgium to our Augustow-based plant
[in north-eastern Poland]. We plan to move production of 2.2 bln cigarettes
annually, increasing output in Augustow by 20% to some 12 bln a year,"
Kosycarz said.

The production will likely begin in mid-year after the Polish machines are
adjusted.

"The additional production will be exported mainly to those markets which
were service the Belgium plant, namely Western Europe," Kosycarz said.

BAT was Poland's third-largest tobacco producer with a 14.8% market share in
2003. The company has been operating in Poland since 1991. It owns the plant
in Augustow and a Warsaw-based office, and operates a nationwide sales
network. The company employs close to 950 in Poland of which 540 work at the
plant.

BAT Polska is part of the British American Tobacco Group, selling its brands
on 180 markets worldwide. The group owns 85 plants in 66 countries and
employs 85,000.