Samsung Electronics acquired Amica, a Polish consumer electronics maker, in order to prepare a stepping stone for its access to the European market. This acquisition is part of Samsung’s goal of becoming a leading consumer electronics maker in the European market which is predicted to generate revenue of KRW 50 trillion by 2015.Samsung Electronics said on December 22 that Samsung Electronics Vice President Shin Sang-heung, head of European Business, and Amica’s President Jacek Rutkowski signed an agreement at Warsaw in Poland.Under the agreement, Samsung Electronics will acquire Amica’s manufacturing facilities for refrigerators and washers for $76 million without the license of Amica’s brands.Amica is a consumer electronics maker in Poland with the history of 65 years, located 320 kilometer west of Warsaw. The newly acquired facilities have a capacity of 450,000 refrigerators and 500,000 washers per year.The acquisition allows Samsung Electronics to secure a strong manufacturing hub for its white appliance business in Europe. Currently, the company has 6 manufacturing hubs for its white appliance business in Korea, China, Thailand, Malaysia, India and Mexico.An insider at Samsung Electronics said, “This is our first hub for the European region. The acquisition allows us to build a time-to-market regime for releasing white appliances to the European market at an appropriate time.” The acquisition will help the company to reduce the lead-time of 4 weeks to deliver large-size white appliances to the European market while improving the price competitiveness of its home appliances products. Samsung has produced its white appliances for the European market in China and Southeast Asia.With the acquisition, Samsung plans to secure a strong leadership in the home appliance market in Europe in addition to the TV and mobile phone markets.Vice President Shin said, “This acquisition provides Samsung with the assets it needs to reach the top of Europe’s home appliance market, due to the synergy generated by Samsung’s technology and excellent human resources in Poland.”