Page 93 - magazine-jan-feb14

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despite the global crisis, this sector has
continued to grow in recent years. The
number of companies in the sector
has increased and so have the scale of
production and export volumes.
Polish economy is becoming increasingly
competitive and enjoys a good reputation
worldwide. Since 1995, GDP has grown
by 4.8% on average per year. Poland has
also proven to be resistant to the external
shock caused by the global crisis.
The tradition of medical device
manufacturing in Poland can be traced to
the nineteenth century. Despite Poland’s
complicated political situation at the time,
it was then that the first businesses started
to emerge, the tradition of which is now
carried on by contemporary medical
device manufacturers.
A distinguishing feature of the Polish
market was also the fact that the country’s
medical equipment service network
provided a breeding ground for talented
engineering sta who were able to operate
and repair medical equipment. Poland
is a thriving and highly competitive
centre o ering a service that the medical
equipment maintenance service market
refers to as a multi-vendor service.
Poland has also seen the dynamic growth
of private health care services. Vast
technical and human resources have
led to the development of numerous
private networks of medical facilities.
These include outpatient clinics,
multi-profile hospitals and diagnostic
centers (diagnostic imaging, laboratory
and biochemical diagnostics). The
dynamic development of private health
services is an excellent opportunity for
manufacturers of medical equipment
to acquire new customers, introduce
new products and expand technical and
service facilities.
The rapid growth of the medical
equipment market in Poland has also
resulted from demographic and social
changes. The medical equipment market
is growing rapidly at the moment and
in many directions, too. With a wide
range of products on o er, it is resistant
to periodic changes in demand. The
major export products manufactured
by the Polish medical equipment
industry include bioelectronics
apparatus, operating theatre equipment,
rehabilitation equipment, furniture for
medical facilities, surgical instruments
and devices using medical imaging
technologies.
One of the most thriving branches of
the industry comprises producers of
bioelectronic equipment, which is used
for vital functions monitoring (patient
monitors, defibrillators with the function
of monitoring and data transmission,
ECG equipment, Holter recorders,
spirometers, etc.) Equipments designed
for operating theatres and recovery
rooms, including operating theatre lamps,
electrosurgical systems, infusion pumps,
hospital beds and other types of furniture
designed for various hospital wards were
displayed.
Our tour of Poland included Plant tours,
production houses, Laboratories and R&D
Departments, which was informative and
interesting.
Polish companies can raise capital in many ways. In the face of the crisis,
the Polish banking system has turned out to be one of the most stable
in Europe. In addition, Poland has a number of loan funds which offer
favorable loans financed by central or local governments.
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