The young Polish factory shows no signs of slowing down. Further automation awaits.

• "At Iglotex, we're promoting a shift in organizational culture—from hierarchical to collaborative and adaptive. Why? Industry 4.0 forces greater collaboration between departments: production, IT, quality, logistics, sales, and HR; they must work as one team on strategic projects, of which we have a lot at the company," emphasizes Maciej Włodarczyk, CEO of Iglotex.
• Collaboration with universities on digitalization? "The barrier to development in this area is 'unverified know-how', ideas unsupported by real-world experience. Universities and startups have the theoretical knowledge, but it's business that invests and verifies the validity and profitability of the investment," says our interlocutor.
• "From our perspective, acquiring and exchanging data with B2B partners – both suppliers and customers – carries significant business potential, but also risks that must be consciously managed. (...) Companies that provide 'informational value' are perceived as more professional and predictable – and this improves business relationships," notes Maciej Włodarczyk.
• The conversation is part of a series of interviews that will serve as the basis for the report "From Tape to Algorithm: How Digitalization Is Shaping the Future of Industry," prepared by WNP Economic Trends in conjunction with the New Industry Forum (Katowice, October 14-15, 2025).

What investments in the field of digitalization and digitization (and other related elements of Industry 4.0 - robotization and automation) have you made in the last five years?

- In 2020, we launched a modern factory for the production of frozen and chilled products in Skórcz, characterized by advanced automation and energy efficiency.

This complex of production halls and freezer-type warehouses, along with social and office facilities and associated technical infrastructure, as well as a distribution department, is comprised of six production lines. The production halls and six production lines were designed based on Lean Industry 4.0 technology, enabling precise and flexible production management at every stage and the rapid implementation of necessary changes.

We can more easily change the product range, product shapes and flavors, and produce short series in a much more cost-effective way.

As a result, we achieve a significant increase in production cost-effectiveness while maintaining the highest and consistent quality of manufactured products. We can also respond more efficiently to the changing expectations of our customers and trends in the FMCG market.

“The term 'real-time' remains key”

What is the importance of the new research and development center for the development of product innovations and Iglotex's competitive advantage?

- This is the first technologically advanced center of this scale for the entire Iglotex Group... Research is conducted here to develop new products, as well as tests to streamline technological processes and improve products.

Returning to the new production facility, it has a significantly smaller impact on the natural environment. The use of appropriately scaled and energy-efficient machinery has significantly reduced the energy consumption of the production process.

The plant is powered by electricity, steam, and heat for central heating and hot water from a specialized system, independent of external suppliers, resulting in significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, thanks to the automation of the production process and the linear organization of production (from raw materials to finished goods warehouse), we have significantly minimized waste and raw material wastage.

What digitalization projects, especially those related to Industry 4.0, are you planning for the next few years?

- We plan to further automate factory processes. We are currently in the process of commissioning our latest investment in packaging automation.

In our second factory located in Tarnów, we plan to expand sensors monitoring production parameters in real time and to expand devices communicating and collecting data from the production environment.

The term "real-time" remains crucial here, as it allows for a significant reduction in the risk of producing a product with unacceptable parameters , and consequently reduces losses, waste and the impact on the environment.

Further digitalization of production processes, development of business processes, including the development of real-time data analysis – these are the directions of action in the coming years.

"The challenge is to predict when and at what stage of development a given investment will be more profitable than another"

What criteria dominate decisions about digital investments? Do you primarily consider cost optimization, or perhaps production growth, competitive advantage, meeting quality requirements, or a shortage of available labor?

When making decisions about this type of modern investment, we consider all the issues you mentioned. They cannot be separated... They are interconnected.

Cost reduction means increased competitiveness, which in turn means a better (in terms of quality and price) response to customer expectations and, consequently, increased production.

However, it is a great difficulty and a challenge to predict when, at what stage of development, a given investment will be more profitable than another…

Who are you working with to implement digitalization and what barriers hinder this process?

"The barrier to development in this regard is unverified know-how," ideas unsupported by real-world experience. Universities and startups have the theoretical knowledge, but it's business that invests and verifies the viability and profitability of the investment."

What is the current level and impact of data collection, especially production data? What are the plans, for example, regarding smart factories, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), resource digitization, and virtual twins?

- We strive to ensure that our plans for smart factories, the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), resource digitization, and virtual twins are clearly defined and implemented in stages.

The level of advancement varies; we treat these threads as part of our ongoing improvement efforts. For example, the industrial internet of things was state-of-the-art when the Skórcz factory was built, but we're five years behind and need to continue improving.

Therefore, implementing smart factories, IIoT, resource digitization and virtual twins is not only a matter of investing in technology, but also a change in the company's organizational culture.

For us, this is an opportunity to further improve control over food quality and safety, enhance flexibility in response to changing demand, and sustainably increase energy and operational efficiency. This is our goal!

Some companies are skeptical about spending money on cybersecurity

How do you assess the potential and risks associated with acquiring and exchanging data with B2B partners, such as digital solution providers or clients you work with?

- From our point of view, acquiring and exchanging data with B2B partners – both suppliers and customers – brings significant business potential, but also risks that need to be consciously managed.

It's a universal truth: where there are opportunities, there are also threats. However, the upside is increased competitiveness and partner loyalty.

Companies that provide “informational value” are perceived as more professional and predictable – and this improves business relationships.

On the other hand, let's not forget about cybersecurity and the risk of data leakage. B2B data exchange increases the attack surface, especially with system integrations (e.g., EDI, APIs, data warehouses). Additionally, there's the risk of losing sensitive commercial, pricing, or customer data (e.g., in the event of a ransomware attack).

How do you assess the level of awareness and protection against cyberattacks in industry? What actions should the government take in this regard?

- The level of awareness regarding protection against attacks is constantly increasing, although there are still companies that do not treat such threats realistically and, as a result, they only have basic protection systems at their disposal, which are certainly insufficient.

On the other hand, according to the "CyberPortret Polski Biznes" report , almost 88% of companies have experienced an incident in the last 5 years, which only shows the scale and effectiveness of criminals.

Of course, the larger the organization, and therefore the IT resources, the more comprehensive the understanding of the seriousness of security, which remains the key to effectiveness in this area.

The state is already taking appropriate defensive measures, based on the acts that create the framework, e.g. NIS2, but this is an issue that should be disseminated more widely and much more effectively.

Educational campaigns, publicizing examples of attacks and showing their effects, promoting and supporting investments in cybersecurity would certainly have a positive impact on the awareness of companies that are still skeptical about spending on protection against cyberattacks.

"The current system of educating technical and digital personnel does not fully meet the needs of the market"

How do digitalization and the broader transformations of Industry 4.0 impact/will impact management and organizational culture at your company? Have you introduced personnel changes, retrained some staff, or appointed leaders responsible for the smooth implementation of the technological transformation process?

At Iglotex, we're promoting a shift in organizational culture—from hierarchical to collaborative and adaptive. Why? Because Industry 4.0 forces greater collaboration between departments: production, IT, quality, logistics, sales, and HR; they must work as one team on strategic projects, of which we have a number within the company.

We promote openness to change, commitment, collaboration, rapid adaptation, and experimentation. It seems that agile management elements in strategic projects are much more effective than traditional approaches.

How do you assess the current system of educating personnel in specialties used in digitalization and Industry 4.0 in general? What changes are needed? And how should roles be divided: what should the role of the state be, and what tasks should the business sector carry out?

- We believe that the current system of educating technical and digital staff does not fully meet the needs of the market – both in terms of competences and the range of available specialists.

As for the biggest pain points, I would mention the following:

• insufficient link between education and business practice – technical and vocational universities often offer too general education, detached from the real needs of the food and logistics industry, including integrated production systems, warehouse management, or IoT solutions;
• lack of soft skills – even people with good technical knowledge often lack basic teamwork skills, digital project management or analytical thinking in the context of process optimization;
• gaps in the field of secondary and vocational education – there is still a lack of well-prepared technicians or operators of modern production lines, which is particularly important for companies such as Iglotex, investing in the automation of production and logistics.

In terms of robotization, we're lagging behind the EU, and the use of solutions like digital twins and cloud computing is still rare. What's the main reason for the slow digitalization of Polish companies so far?

It's important to remember that digital transformation is a huge cost for businesses. A cost that can't be quickly and painlessly passed on to prices for customers and consumers. It's an investment that will take years to complete.

The last few years have brought companies a massive increase in labor, raw materials, and energy costs. Uncertainty related to the pandemic, high inflation, and the war in Ukraine—this is not an environment conducive to investment. Addressing these challenges was a priority. Indeed, we have significant catching up to do, and it's time to address them.

What are the reasons for the low use of artificial intelligence in Poland? In which areas does AI have the greatest industrial potential? What investments have you made or are planning in this area?

The main reason for the poor adoption of AI remains the relatively high implementation costs, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises. Many companies in this group often limit themselves to basic document automation, avoiding more advanced solutions due to limited financial resources.

It's also important to remember that AI is a relatively new phenomenon and technology. It will take some time to better understand it and consider its potential applications.

Another significant factor may be the insufficient IT infrastructure in Polish organizations or the lack of comprehensive and coherent implementation plans/strategies aligned with the organization's development strategy. This requires the involvement of all stakeholders and appropriate communication…

Another barrier may be unclear legal regulations regarding artificial intelligence, or sometimes the lack thereof. This lack of regulations makes many companies hesitant to invest in AI, fearing future legal consequences.

At the Iglotex capital group, we are developing an Organizational and Digital Transformation Strategy based on three pillars: people, technology, and processes. Naturally, it includes the use of AI within the organization.

We are currently analyzing back-office processes (finance, administration, IT, HR), which we initially want to cover with AI/ML tools on a pilot basis, and ultimately we see the potential for using the tools in various processes, i.e. sales, customer service, and perhaps also in production.

On the horizon we also have the implementation of a new ERP system and the optimization of supporting, complementary systems, which we also believe will enable us to take advantage of the native artificial intelligence mechanisms operating in these systems.

"In our company, digitalization is directly linked to ESG, especially in the optimization of energy and raw material consumption"

Is the new concept of Industry 5.0—combining technology, sustainable development, and people-centeredness, along with company resilience to crises—an inevitable direction? Will businesses be able to meet these expectations?

- I have no doubt that expectations towards companies – including those like Iglotex – are growing simultaneously on several levels:

• organizational – as the need to integrate new technologies (AI, IoT, automation) with organizational culture, work systems and employee development;
• environmental – pressure to reduce emissions, save energy, circular economy, responsible supply chains;
• social , i.e. the need to care for the well-being of employees, transparency of activities and responsibility towards local communities;
• resilience – by building the capacity to quickly respond to disruptions (e.g. energy crises, pandemics, regulatory changes).

These goals are valid, but their implementation requires significant financial resources, competence, a change of mindset... and time!

I want to make it clear that constructive support from the state will be invaluable here. Without this element, it will be difficult to increase the competitiveness of Polish enterprises in the international arena. It may seem like a truism, but it's worth repeating.

To what extent does the digitalization of the Polish state and production and management processes support the implementation of sustainable development goals (ESG)?

- For Iglotex, this is an element of modern management, but also a real tool for improving environmental, social and organizational efficiency.

At our company, digitalization is directly linked to ESG activities, particularly in the area of ​​optimizing energy and resource consumption. We implement intelligent energy management systems that reduce energy consumption and thus reduce our carbon footprint.

Another aspect: logistics and transport management. Our logistics systems support route and load optimization, which helps reduce empty runs and CO2 emissions. Digital fleet and transport temperature management improves delivery efficiency and quality while reducing environmental impact.

I would like to mention that we are preparing to implement integrated ESG reporting tools that will automatically aggregate environmental, social and governance data from various departments.

“At the end of the day,” this process makes sense when a significant number of entrepreneurs understand the ESG concept in the same way…