Polish state coal exporter WEGLOKOKS SA has delivered more than 20.5 million tonnes of high quality coal to Ireland in the past half century. At its peak during the oil crises of the 1970s shipments of more than 930,000 tonnes a year were achieved. Since then the figures have diminished somewhat, down to 330,000 tonnes last year.

Much of this drop is attributable to the advent of free market conditions in 1989 and the end of its export monopoly. Despite competition however WEGLOKOKS SA still commands 65 per cent of the export market, a figure which may well grow when privatisation takes place as expected.

According to director Marek Koziarz: "One of the priorities of the present day policy of WEGLOKOKS SA, especially in the face of difficult but necessary reforms in the Polish mining industry, is to maintain close contacts with coal producers.

"At the same time the company will continue its efforts to strengthen the position of Polish coal on world markets, particularly on all the European Union markets, where the native economy is becoming more and more dependent on the import of coal."