“Initially, we planned to organize production for the American market in Poland, but in the current facilities we had too little space. We wanted to build a hall in Nowy Sącz for this production, but we did not obtain permission from the city hall” – explains Ryszard Florek, president of Fakro.
“It was a pity to miss the increase in demand for the American market and wait for the good will of the president of Nowy Sącz. We fought for four years with bureaucracy in Poland, and in the US it went much easier. In the lack of good will by the authorities of Nowy Sącz, Fakro did not lose, but lost the region and Poland,” he says.
The start of production in North Carolina is scheduled for the second half of June. The president of Fakro in an interview with PAP emphasized that the company met in the US with great favor and even support proposals.
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“So far, the only challenge was the availability and competitiveness of construction teams. All other procedures – building permits, acceptance, fire or electrical arrangements – were very smooth. We obtained decisions in a short time, and the local authorities actively supported the project, including help in the process of recruitment of employees,” said Florek.
“We were surprised that in the States the owner has no restrictions on cutting down trees or even a forest, which is often in Poland a very large limitation in development, especially in tourism,” he says.
The start of production was originally planned for the first quarter of 2025, but it was necessary to adapt new stairs models to changed American technical standards. Currently, all technical acceptance has already been completed, and the production line is ready to start.
“The changing recipes and customs rates in the US make local production becoming more and more profitable. Distributors, especially after the experience of the pandemic and interrupted supply chains, increasingly prefer suppliers producing on site, even if they are slightly more expensive than foreign competition,” explains Florek. As he emphasizes, the label “Made in USA” also gains importance in the political and consumer context.
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As the company's president explained, the plant in Elizabeth City will focus on the production of two new attic models: fireproof and thermal insulation. They were designed specifically for American building requirements. The company does not exclude the further expansion of the product portfolio on the US market, but in the first place it wants to gain operational experience and better prepare for possible scenarios for the development of a trade situation.
