photo: RAILTARGET/Maciej Olek
In an engaging interview with RAILTARGET at the Polish Logistics Day conference, Maciej Olek, COO of Railway Energy and Industrial Construction at BUDIMEX, delves into the company's significant role in Polish infrastructure development. From tackling BUDIMEX's major projects, including extensive railway and road constructions, and the company's readiness to contribute to high-speed rail projects in the Czech Republic to highlighting the key factors that make Polish construction processes efficient and cost-effective, Olek demonstrates why BUDIMEX is indeed a leader in infrastructure advancement in Poland and beyond.
We are here at the Polish Logistics Day conference, where Budimex plays a key role as one of the main partners. Could you share your thoughts on how the conference has unfolded?
I think it's a very nice idea to share the experience. We are very glad that, as the main Polish general contractor, we can be a part of this event. I would love to thank our ambassador for the invitation, and I think this event will bring a lot of experience for both sides. We can know better the Czech market, people, and companies just like the Czech Republic knows our possibilities and competencies.
As a leading force in Polish construction, BUDIMEX has been involved in several significant infrastructure projects. Could you highlight some of the major projects that your company has successfully completed in Poland?
In the past years, we've been involved in many crucial projects in Poland because, as I mentioned before, we are the biggest general contractor. If I should say something about completed investments, I think the reconstruction of Railway Line 7 and 120 km of Railway Line 1 between Warsaw and Lublin are one of the biggest projects we have completed. There were several road projects we have conducted in the past years as well because we are doing every, I would say, 5th kilometer of Polish motor- and expressways, so we have finished many crucial infrastructural projects in Poland. I would love to name, maybe, two of them. One was Trasa Łagiewnicka in Krakow, a very complex project with tramlines and a lot of geotechnical and roadworks in the middle of one of the biggest cities in Poland. The second project worth mentioning is the water reservoir in Racibórz, one of the biggest Polish projects of this type. The third one is, I guess, Railway Line 7 connecting Warsaw and Lublin. It is 120 km of high-standard line, making it possible to go 200 km/h. These were the main three, but as I said, there have been many projects we were involved in because we are doing many of these all the time.
The Czech Minister of Transport has often referenced Poland as a potential model for the Czech Republic in terms of infrastructure development. In your view, what are the factors that contribute to more efficient and cost-effective construction processes in Poland?
It's a very difficult question. There isn't just a single factor deciding what's good or bad. As we have spoken on the panel, there are many factors influencing the efficiency of the processes. I think either a low environment connected with the construction process or the possibility of having enough resources, materials, and subcontractors, and, in the end, we must have money for the project because, without financing, it's not possible to do any kind of the project, especially in infrastructure since these projects are very money-consuming.
High-speed rail (HSR) is a significant topic in the Czech Republic. Does BUDIMEX possess the necessary expertise and experience to contribute to the development of HSR projects in the Czech Republic?
Yes, of course. We are very interested in these projects connected with the development of the high-speed rail in the Czech Republic for the future. I can say that in Poland, we are currently executing three biggest railway projects done by the Polish railway owners. We are also involved in the high-speed line in Rail Baltica on the Latvian market. I think we are prepared. We have quite new machines and experienced people. We are ready to be a part of this project in the Czech Republic, too.
Looking at the landscape of infrastructure development in the Czech Republic, what other projects or areas do you find particularly appealing for Budimex's involvement?
As a company, we are involved in all kinds of construction projects in Poland, but roads, railways, and infrastructure are our core business and the area where we feel quite comfortable. We have our resources, experiences, and designers, so I think we can fulfill all requirements connected and necessary to do such projects on markets in Poland and countries around it as well. These are the first projects we are interested in. When we get some experience in the Czech Market, for example, I can imagine that in the future, general and industrial construction or environmental projects can also be a part of our business scheme in the Czech Republic.