( CNN ) -- At Oknoplast 's production site outside Krakow , Poland , windows of all shapes and sizes are stacked up ready for delivery -- and they all have homes to go to . The family-run business has been churning out its bespoke windows for nearly 20 years . Now , 45,000 a month are sliding off the production line , most of them destined for export locations across Europe . Read more : Auto industry revs up recovery on Spain . `` Last year was the first year when most of our production went to export '' , Oknoplast President Mikolaj Placek told CNN . For Placek , Poland 's entry into the European Union in 2004 provided an opportunity to expand beyond his home market , but it 's a delicate financial balancing act . `` We export only to EU countries . The export is profitable when you export up to a maximum of 2,000 to 2,500 kilometers from the factory , '' he explained . Read more : Ebro CEO : Strong euro is 'major concern ' So , Placek targeted Italy for his expansion plans -- and it 's now the company 's biggest market outside of Poland . Poland has been a success story amongst the transition economies , proving resilient to the cold winds of recession which have swept across Europe . It 's maintained growth , but is now slowing down . `` Naturally I 'm worried , '' Placek told CNN . `` But the key is to be better than our competitors . We have to work harder , lower our costs and be more competitive in service and flexibility . '' Read more : Henkel : Reaping rewards of its revamp . While the recipe is not new , the implementation is vital if Poland 's manufacturing sector is to thrive . `` We can use the advantage that our labor costs are lower than in Western Europe '' Placeck said . `` Poland is becoming one of the biggest country 's for production that is labor intensive , '' he added . Oknoplast 's annual turnover topped $ 120 million last year , but , with unemployment rising and growth in Europe and Poland slowing down , exports are coming under pressure . Despite that Placek is optimistic , because he 's been here before . `` When the crisis hit for the first time in 2008 I took market share ; -- this is our policy -- to take market share from our competitors , '' he said . `` We are very aggressive with our plans to take over our competitors ... only in this way can we develop faster . '' Placek is confident his strategy will compensate for any slowdown in the domestic market , which still accounts for 45 % of Oknoplast 's sales . The EU Flag flying outside the factory reflects Placek 's ambitious outlook for the business . `` We want to be perceived as a European company , not as a local Polish one '' he declared proudly .
Poland has been a success story amongst the transition economies , proving resilient to recession . Oknoplast 's annual turnover topped $ 120 million last year but exports have come under pressure . The EU Flag flying outside the factory reflects Placek 's ambitious outlook for the business .