When we look at the automotive world today, it seems as if the industry resembles a driver on a road full of bends, changes in surface and sudden detours.
Just a few years ago, the ride was relatively smooth, production was growing steadily, technologies were developing predictably, and the future looked bright. Today, it is a completely different route. Strong winds such as the war in Ukraine, energy price hikes and global tensions between the US, Europe and China. Despite this, the automotive industry is moving forward and we are moving with it.
Global corporations are currently facing challenges that have not been seen in decades. Electrification, which was supposed to be a quick sprint, turned out to be a marathon with tough uphill stretches. Sales of electric cars continue to grow, but slower than expected, as customers are increasingly careful about costs and the infrastructure in many countries is still lagging behind. Hybrids have become the golden mean, a compromise between modernity and practicality. At the same time, all the software and AI implementation has become the heart of the modern car. It is increasingly said that a car is a ‘smartphone on wheels’. Software, online updates, assistance systems, sensors and real-time data
Added to this is a revolution in supply chains. Manufacturers no longer want to depend on a single continent or country. They are looking for stability, shortening transport routes and moving production closer to their final markets. This is no coincidence, as the war in Ukraine has shown how fragile the industry is. Ukraine was an important producer of electrical bundles and gases for chip production, while Russia supplied metals that are the basis for many components. When the war broke out, factories around the world came to a sudden halt. Added to this was the rise in energy and fuel prices, which hit Europe the hardest. No wonder companies started looking for new, more stable, predictable and well-connected locations.
This is where Poland comes in, and in a really important role. We are the third largest manufacturer of car parts in the European Union, and around 400,000 people work in this industry in Poland. This is enormous potential, which is being talked about all over Europe today. More and more quality, logistics, engineering and manufacturing projects are coming here. Central and Eastern Europe has become a place that, in times of global turmoil, offers companies something very valuable: operational peace of mind and predictability.
This is also evident in the daily work of quality teams. As the world changes and factories need to operate faster and more efficiently, the importance of people who care about small details, precise measurements, part control and process stability is growing. What we do every day, such as working on production lines, inspections, measurements and responding to problems, is more important today than ever before. Global companies can invest billions in new technologies, but in the end, it is people, their knowledge, eye, experience and responsibility that count. Without that, nothing will work.
Looking ahead to the coming years, the direction is clear: the automotive industry will continue to change, but Poland will play an increasingly important role in it. We will be a centre for production, quality control, logistics, engineering and process support. We are in an ideal position to take advantage of global trends, not just react to them.
And perhaps that is why the end of the year is a good time to slow down for a moment, look back and appreciate what we have achieved together. Because despite all the global twists and turns, despite the challenges and pressure, we have made it. Every day of work, every detail checked, every challenge solved is a real part of this huge global puzzle.
