TFK is the successor of four formerly state-owned cable companies. Created in 1992, just a couple of years after the fall of the communism block, in a period in which the rules of the free market were gradually making their way in a once state controlled economy, TFK has travelled the long road from being a local initiative, to that of being a player of international calibre. Present as a supplier of cables in over 80 countries world-wide, the company reached a certain halt in evolution in the last years, mostly due to the economic crisis.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing PLN 250 million (€59 million equivalent) to the Polish cable and wire producer Tele-Fonika Kable SA (TFK) as part of a PLN 1.1 billion refinancing package arranged by the commercial lenders BZ WBK and mBank. The received aid is justified, as there is still a strong and authentic demand for cables in all the markets.

The funds received from the EBRD will be mostly used for a program including financial and operational restructuring. The initiative targets significant improvements in IT infrastructure, as well as bringing production in the high-tech era. The company also plans a complete makeover in terms of marketing and branding, in order to address the needs of a public residing more and more behind the assumption that technology should be accessible and user-friendly.

Grzegorz Zieliński, EBRD Director of Poland and Baltics operations, considers the loan as a clear sign that ERBD shows total support towards companies addressing the challenges of keeping up the pace with a dynamic market. The loan is intended to provide support in implementing new and modern solutions for the cable market, while addressing internal needs for improvement in terms of logistics and services. The loan acts as a protective umbrella, allowing the company to pursuit with success it strategy of reconstruction.

Monika Cupiał-Zgryzek, stated on behalf of Tele-Fonika Kable SA (TFK) that the new financing deal help puts its company in a pole-position for continuing to be a strong player on the global cable market. The cooperation with EBRD, planning to stretch over the coming five years, is considered to be the most notable success of the company in recent times.

It is important to note that since the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development began providing financial support for operations in Poland, over €7.6 billion were invested in what is now close to 350 projects. The refinancing package for TFK is just another example of the efficiency of its instruments for Eastern and Central European companies.