Ten years on, Police is a robust company forming an integral part of the parent Grupa Azoty Group, the largest chemical company in Poland and one of the leading players on the European chemical market. The string of successes achieved by the company in recent years include the completion of an ambitious restructuring plan, record-high revenue and profit figures, and the launch of various new investment projects. Over the past decade, the value of the company’s stock has increased by more than 120%.

 “Ten years ago our company made its debut on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Since then it has set directions for the future of the Polish chemical industry and the economy as a whole,” says Krzysztof Jałosiński, President of the Grupa Azoty Police Management Board. “We also had to face a challenging and volatile market environment, but we managed to overcome all obstacles and, stronger for the experience, opened a new chapter in the history of Police, striving for dynamic growth. The Warsaw Stock Exchange provided us with access to funding, which opened new possibilities for us. With the support from investors, we could pursue our growth organically and through acquisitions, which helped us to consolidate our market position,” Mr Jałosiński explains. Five years ago, Zakłady Chemiczne Police was close to bankruptcy. The then Management Board decided to embark on a bold restructuring programme. In 2011, a 66% interest in Police was sold to Grupa Azoty S.A., which had undertaken the task of consolidating the Polish chemical sector. Following its acquisition, Police became an active player in the process of building one of the largest chemical groups in Europe. Zakłady Azotowe Police and the entire Grupa Azoty Group now face a new challenge of strengthening their position on international markets. To this end, the Group has launched a six-year investment programme worth around PLN 7bn.  Grupa Azoty Police, with Krzysztof Jałosiński at its helm since 2011 (Mr Jałosiński also serves as Vice-President of the Management Board of Grupa Azoty), is the second largest business of the Grupa Azoty Group. Last year, the company booked PLN 2.5bn in revenue and PLN 42m in net profit.  The Grupa Azoty Police Management Board has also launched several strategic investment projects, the largest of which is the construction of a PDH propylene production unit with a power generating unit and a chemicals terminal in the Police port facilities owned by the Group. The project is worth close to PLN 1.7bn. The size of this flagship investment is so great that it could easily be compared to building an entirely new production plant in Police. Hence its name ‘Police II’. The complex, once it is launched in 2019, will be the most advanced production plant of its kind in Europe. The project is consistent with the idea of re-industrialisation of Europe, and will allow Grupa Azoty Police to increase its revenue by approximately PLN 2bn, and significantly improve its net profit. In addition, over the past few years Grupa Azoty Police has spent hundreds of millions of złoty on organic growth, implementing such projects as the construction and modernisation of the flue gas treatment unit, CHP boilers, ammonia unit and ammonia reactors. “Constant, sustainable growth and our consistent efforts have contributed to increasing the company’s value. I am delighted with our results also because they give security to our investors. The currently implemented Operationalisation of the Strategy for 2014−2020 will generate even higher rates of return for them. In the past decade, the price of our shares has grown by over 120%, and we would like to see this growth continue,” Mr Jałosiński adds. Grupa Azoty Police’s many accomplishments have been recognised by business and industry organisations. In 2014, the company received the Golden Share award. Between 2011 and 2013, the company’s value rose by 230%, making Grupa Azoty Police the top-performing state-owned company. The Golden Share award crowns the immense effort made by the Grupa Azoty Police Management Board to grow the company and build its value. Grupa Azoty Police has also won a number of industry distinctions and titles, including the Pillar of Polish Economy, the Pearl of Business, the Eagle of Export, the Locomotive of Enterprise and the Eco Trendy awards.