Is Poland leading Europe’s next trade shift?

For businesses navigating today's global economy, location has become a strategic question. Should production move closer to customers? Is it better to diversify suppliers across more countries? And how can companies build supply chains that remain flexible when trade policies, demand or transport routes change?

There's no single answer. But Central and Eastern Europe is attracting growing attention. Countries such as Poland, Czechia, Hungary and Romania are becoming increasingly important to European manufacturing, trade and distribution networks. Their proximity to major consumer markets, expanding industrial capabilities and international connections offer businesses new opportunities to grow and diversify.

And perhaps nowhere is this transformation more visible than in Poland.

Consider how much Poland has changed in just two decades. Since joining the European Union in 2004, the country has grown into the EU's sixth-largest economy, with GDP reaching approximately €923 billion in 2025. GDP per capita has more than doubled since 2005, while the country has developed into a major European manufacturing and trade hub.

The numbers tell an even more compelling story. According to the DHL Globalization Tracker, Poland's goods trade grew 2.1 times as fast as global trade and 2.7 times as fast as EU trade between 2016 and 2025. Between 2026 and 2029, Polish goods trade is forecast to grow 28% faster than world trade and 91% faster than EU trade.

But perhaps the most interesting change isn't how much Poland trades. It's what Poland produces. Poland is increasingly moving beyond cost competitiveness toward higher-value manufacturing, engineering and technology, with established capabilities in industries such as automotive, aerospace, electronics and pharmaceuticals.

For businesses deciding where to source, manufacture or distribute, that matters. Poland combines proximity to European customers with established industrial capabilities and international trade connections. And while Germany remains its largest trading partner, trade with the US and China has also grown significantly over the past decade.

Poland's transformation challenges a familiar assumption: stronger regional economies don't necessarily mean smaller global networks. Here, industrial development has gone hand in hand with growing international connections.

A growing manufacturing and trade hub needs the logistics infrastructure to match. As production expands and businesses reach new markets, the challenge isn't simply moving more goods. It's connecting factories, suppliers, warehouses and customers across borders while keeping operations flexible.

Poland's e-commerce market offers a glimpse of this growing demand. International retailers are increasingly using Poland as a distribution base for European operations, while cross-border e-commerce is opening opportunities for Polish businesses to reach customers abroad.

DHL has been building these connections in Poland for 35 years. One recent milestone was the opening of its €180 million International Logistics Center in Robakowo near Poznań in 2024. The facility can sort 45,000 parcels per hour and process up to one million parcels per day during peak periods, strengthening connections between Poland, Germany and other European markets.

Now DHL Group plans to invest more than €400 million across Central and Eastern Europe through 2030. The program will expand warehousing, transportation networks, international express services, freight capabilities and technology-enabled supply chain solutions. Plans include a new DHL Express air express terminal in Katowice, while DHL Supply Chain's entry into Romania through an extended partnership with Polish retailer Pepco illustrates how logistics networks can support businesses growing across the region. 

For companies rethinking their supply chains, Central and Eastern Europe's geographical position offers advantages. Manufacturing and distribution operations located closer to European customers can help businesses serve those markets more directly.

But a shorter supply chain isn't necessarily a stronger one. A factory may be nearer to its customers, but what happens if a critical component is delayed? Or if demand suddenly shifts to another market? Without reliable transportation, alternative sourcing options and visibility across operations, geographical proximity alone cannot guarantee resilience.

That's why supply chain diversification is about more than choosing new locations. It's about building networks that give businesses options. Warehousing, transportation connections and supply chain visibility can help companies adapt when conditions change while maintaining access to markets beyond their immediate region.

For DHL, these capabilities are central to supporting customers as they navigate increasingly complex supply chains. The planned investments aim not only to expand logistics capacity, but also to help businesses connect regional operations with international markets.

Poland's transformation illustrates a broader opportunity for Central and Eastern Europe. Rather than choosing between regional operations and international trade, businesses can build networks that support both.

What began as an economy opening itself to international markets has developed into an important European manufacturing, distribution and trade hub. For DHL, which entered Poland in 1991 and today employs more than 10,000 people there, the next chapter is about building on those connections.

Ultimately, supply chain resilience isn't simply about making networks shorter. It's about making them more adaptable, more visible and better connected. And Poland's growing role in Central and Eastern Europe shows how regional capabilities and international connections can work together.