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Global Financial and Accounting Centre of Elektrolux to open in Krakow
The Polish real estate market reacted emotionally to events in the US. However, the pessimistic forecasts of a long-term recession need not come true if the banking sector does not severely reduce access to loans. We are in a better situation than the majority of developed EU countries as we have many areas which require additional investment. In Krakow, those include the markets of housing, office and warehousing properties.
Recently, Krakow has been catching up to cities like Warsaw in terms of office projects. By the end of next year, a dozen large projects in excess of 210,000 m2 will be built here. The first are already opening to tenants whose presence in Krakow proves its exceptional potential.
In October, Electrolux, which is opening its Global Financial and Accounting Centre, moved into the newly built Onyx office building in the Powstańców Śląskich Ave. "We plan that it will ultimately employ some 550 staff” - emphasises Marcin Trzaskowski, the administrative head of the Centre. “At present, our reach covers the entire Europe and America. Other global regions will probably join them in the future. With regard to finance, the Krakow centre takes a key position in our global network. We are happy with the building constructed by the Krakow-based Buma Group, as it has been build strictly for our needs and we can treat it, though there will also be another company there, almost as our own.”
Why has Electrolux chosen Kraków? “The rent for offices, which is slightly lower than in Warsaw, obviously played a role” Marcin Trzaskowski says. „However, I do not think that it was the decisive factor. What is more important is that Krakow has a very broad range of very good universities and educated staff. We are still recruiting economics graduates. Electrolux currently has four production plants in Poland, brands like Zanussi and AEG also belong to our group.”
Onyx houses 6,500 sq m of office space in total. The Electrolux Logistics and Accounting Centre will occupy three floors in it, while the top floor, with large, glazed offices, has been rented by Skanska SA. Apart from two large reception areas and an underground parking facility with 42 spaces (the total number of spaces is 156, one per 37 sq m of offices, which is a very good ratio in this office class), the building will also offer a large lunch bar.
A visit to the building allows you to asses the conditions in which employees of large, international corporations work. „It is all open space, every floor includes a well equipped, large kitchen, and even a room for mothers with babies" - stresses Marcin Trzaskowski. „The building has full air conditioning and telecom infrastructure." The Buma Group comprises cooperating companies involved in developments since 1991. It has constructed several large office projects, including the Rondo Business Park (18,000 sq m of leased space) andthe Buma Square Business Park (28,000 sq m). A complex of four office buildings called the Quattro Business Park (48,000 sq m) is under construction.
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