Economy, Manufacturing

After the Communists came to power, Poland’s manufacturing base was expanded and placed largely under governmental control. Heavy industries, including machinery and iron and steel, were particularly emphasized. When the Solidarity-led government took over in 1989, it adopted a program to return many of Poland’s industries to private ownership. Under the Communists, economic investment was concentrated largely in Upper Silesia, Warsaw, Lodz, and Krakow; however, recent policies have encouraged a broader regional distribution of industry to include smaller cities and rural areas. In the mid-1990s Poland’s chief manufactures included machines, iron and steel, cement, chemicals, ships, food products, textiles, and automobiles.