Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/901315
subsidiaries may take part in tendering procedures concerning sup- plying equipment to the Polish army? Piotr Wojciechowski: To be honest, I really don't understand this decision. We are a Polish enterprise entered into the list of entre- preneurs of special economic-defense significance. There are three entities within WB Group that are honored and obliged to operate as enterprises. We carry out very important economic activities related to national security and act in many consortia on equal terms with our partners from PGZ. We support them with all of our technical knowledge as much as we can. They cooperate with us and we often work together on very difficult and technically complex military proj- ects. Our cooperation is really good and effective on all levels. We're always ready to accept MND's invitation and provide them with the latest solutions at the best price possible. Adam Bartosiewicz: We've been providing UAVs to clients across the whole world since 2002. For many years now we've been competing with foreign companies operating in this sector, mainly with those from Israel. A PGZ UAV competence center was established in 2016 – and that's good as we don't – and don't intend to – manufacture all types of UAV systems. Every new system of a new manufacturer requires tests, trials, and quite often a painful, time-consuming pro- cess of removing various defects and design flaws. The parameters of new systems are best tested in combat conditions. WB Group UAVs are used in such conditions 24/7. I think that's the best proof to show that we're ready to provide reliable solutions, proven in real battlefield conditions. Business rationality plays a big part as well. In order to keep on manufacturing a product, you need to have cli- ents not only in Poland, but also in many countries across the world. Maintaining the right production and R&D capacity requires consid- erable expenses to be incurred each year. To face this challenge, you need revenues from domestic sales or from exports. An alternative is to apply for state subsidies. We focus on exports, that's why we not only do not reach for subsidies, but we also feed the national budget with huge amounts of tax. In Israel, a country much smaller than Poland, there are three big manufacturers of UAVs. The Israeli gov- ernment chooses always those that are the best in terms of quality, reliability, and price. Piotr Wojciechowski: Speaking again about MND, I have to say that the cooperation with them and their support in the scope of our ac- tivity and many projects we run is very good, useful, and valuable. We feel supported by our state administration at every turn. MND, MFA, MIA, MD, the Chancellery of the President, NSB – all these institu- tions support our activity in the country and abroad. They support the promotion of our products and help us in the scope of all activities related to export. They treat us on equal terms with state enterprises, and all diplomatic posts and military attaché's offices provide us with help and support whenever we need it. These institutions regard us a Polish business that represents Poland abroad in a really good way. Adam Bartosiewicz: What more can you ask for? A chance to give more. We would like our experience in the area of: UAV, military com- munication, and C2 and combat system design to be better taken advantage of for domestic purposes. So that we're able to provide our solutions to the Polish army and help equip our soldiers with the best and most advanced equipment manufactured in a Polish plant and designed by Polish engineers. We're open to all forms of coop- eration with all domestic entities. We want to work with the Polish industry to create the best equipment that can be possibly made in Poland – and offer it to Polish soldiers. Generating and fueling conflicts between the biggest domestic enterprises operating in the defense industry does not work in favor of national security. And our overriding goal is national security, actually. WB Group offers a broad range of technological solutions that are unique on a European scale, and we are ready to contribute our competence to projects carried out together with our partners from Poland. Piotr Chełchowski: Indeed, in the economic reality of today, with the biggest international enterprises competing in tenders for the Polish army, an additional exacerbation of competition between Polish en- terprises seems to be unreasonable. To conclude: what can I wish you on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of WB Electronics? Adam Bartosiewicz: We've been building WB Group for several years now. Our ambition for the next 20 years is to develop it by maintain- ing the current competence and by strengthening our position in the area of manufacturing products provided to the international market. Piotr Wojciechowski: At present, WB Group is involved in a series of export projects of great development potential. We're starting marking our presence on key foreign markets, we're opening our subsidiaries abroad. Malaysia was first on the list, and will soon be followed by other countries. We're opening our subsidiaries because our clients want to work with us for many years to come and carry out some big projects together with us. As for military solutions, we're working on a few interesting products – with the first of them to be presented at MSPO 2017. You will be also able to meet us at DSEI, ARMS SECURITY, and AUSA, where our latest solutions will be shown as well. We will also keep on developing our offer for civil purposes, with a particular focus on areas where we can utilize our www.fragoutmag.com