The Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice summed up the year with partners, member companies and friends of the Chamber. The Economic Closing of the Year, combined with a Christmas meeting of RIG member companies, was held on December 16, 2024 at PreZero Arena Gliwice.
What was the past year, what trends will open the door to success in 2025? Answers to these – and other – questions were sought at the Economic Closing of the Year.
– Welcome to the annual meeting, which for us has a dimension not only economic, but also social and friendly. I am glad that you are with us in such a large group. All the more so because a landmark year is behind us, a time of difficult decisions and choices for the entire business community and local government officials, which had to be made – said Tomasz Zjawiony, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice, the organizer of the event.
The official part included speeches by distinguished guests, summarizing the past 12 months and presenting forecasts for 2025. Borys Budka, Member of the European Parliament, wishing everyone success, pointed out that Europe and Poland must bet on creative industries, innovation and the use of human capital.
– Such an example that we can find our way in competitive markets is the New Gliwice project. It’s a center of modern industry, bringing together companies in new technologies, IT, drones. It shows that the best thing that came out of us after 1989, besides local government, is entrepreneurship – Borys Budka pointed out.
Bogumil Sobula, First Deputy Mayor of Katowice, focused on presenting the situation of the capital of the Silesian region, as well as the impact of global economic policy on our region.
– The opening of the Ministry of Industry in Katowice has become a symbolic opportunity for us. The city must focus on preserving its potential. We have lost as much as PLN 500 million in personal income tax. Nevertheless, next year we will allocate PLN 700 million for investments and our own contribution to EU projects, mainly those that improve the quality of life. We want to preserve our talents to stay in the city and the region. Without education and innovation, we have no chance to compete – stressed Bogumil Sobula. – It’s worth thinking about whether we shouldn’t focus on the arms industry in the Silesian region? This could be an opportunity for us. Ahead of us, certainly an interesting year, in every dimension – political, economic, social and technological. Fortunately – we can do it, because we have creative people, entrepreneurs and institutions such as the GIS. 2/3 of Poland’s gross GDP is generated by small businesses. You are our treasure. The stronger the business, the stronger Silesia. There is no future without economy – added the first vice-president of Katowice.
Stanislaw Korman, Member of the Board of the GZM Metropolis, thanked for a year of good cooperation, valuable initiatives, contributing to the growth of recognition of the GZM. As well as Dr. Rafał Żelazny, President of the Katowice Special Economic Zone, who invited companies to four subzones: the Gliwice, Sosnowiec-Dąbrowa Górnicza, Jastrzębie-Zory and Tychy subzones.
– I would like to thank the Polish companies that were our largest investors in 2024, nearly PLN 2.5 billion in pledged funds. In general, we felt the year of the global economic slowdown, but we do not lose optimism. The Gliwice subzone made a very good result – almost PLN 1 billion in investments, and we are soon preparing a new one in Katowice worth PLN 48 million – Dr. Rafal Zelazny mentioned.
Katarzyna Kuczynska Budka, mayor of the city, spoke about the uniqueness of Gliwice as the best place today to make investments and invest capital.
– I’m glad you’re visiting us, because it’s a fantastic, adventurous place with great companies. If it weren’t for your entrepreneurial spirit, all of this wouldn’t exist. The economy of mid-sized cities is based on how SME companies operate. I wish entrepreneurs, visionary ability to look into the future. In Gliwice in 5-6 years there will be an academic hospital, we will build a thousand public housing units. Be with us and support the activities of the Gliwice local government – encouraged the Gliwice mayor.
Michal Dąbrowski, chairman of the board of the Industrial Development Agency, spoke about the huge potential of Poland and the region and the need to change the approach to the new economic balance of power.
– As entrepreneurs, we always manage somehow, but we should act on a macro scale, point the way forward. Poland is no bigger than Shanghai, Europe is a different scale. We are going through a transformation, we have amazing engineers, excellent technologies. What characterizes us, as Poles, is courage, determination and positive thinking. I wish us all to remember this enormous potential in 2025.
The official part closed with a lecture by Marek Jóźwiak, an Ebury analyst: “The year 2024 in a nutshell. What trends will open the door to success in 2025?”. The expert presented a macro-enomic analysis of Poland, in the context of global political changes, the growing economic dichotomy between the US and Europe.
The event had an extra dimension, as it was combined with a Christmas meeting of RIG member companies. There was no shortage of welcoming new entrepreneurs who joined the Chamber. What, worthy of note in the past year it was as many as 120 companies!
The educational activities that took place in 2024 – the fourth edition of the Katowice Academy for Entrepreneur Development and “Practical Entrepreneurship Lessons”, projects carried out jointly with the City of Katowice – were also summed up in a ceremonial way.
During the Economic Closing of the Year there was also a charitable touch. There was a Christmas fair organized by the Fundacja Śląskie Anioły (Silesian Angels Foundation), during which one could support children from the orphanage in Katowice. Specially prepared for the occasion were extraordinary Christmas works made by talented children with disabilities.
The finale could not be complete without an intense dose of networking over festive refreshments.
– Thank you for this difficult year. I wish you good health and happiness in the New Year. Well, and reflection, so that 2025 will be the result of the education and experience that 2024 gave us. Let’s be brave, let’s move forward – summed up Tomasz Zjawiony, President of the Chamber.
The Katowice Chamber already invites you to the Economic Opening of the Year, which will take place on January 27, 2025.
We welcome the new Member Companies of the RIG in Katowice:
