"The company is already listed under the Carlsberg Group in the Copenhagen Stock Exchange, so we have made this move to make the listings procedure more straight forward," said a Carlsberg spokesperson. "This simply makes running the company far more easier, as previously we had to be accountable for all financial transactions to both stock exchanges."
Carlsberg first partnered up with Okocim in 1996 and the Polish brewer began to brew Carlsberg beer under license in 1997. Since then Carlsberg has gradually increased its share in the company over the course of the last eight years.
In December 2003 Carlsberg announced a public offer for the remaining shares in Carlsberg Okocim, which resulted in the company increasing its stake from 85 per cent 93 per cent. This was followed by another public offering in March this year which extended the company's share in Okocim to 93.73 per cent. At the time of the last offering the company made it clear that the objective would then be to delist the company from the Warsaw Stock Exchange.
Carlsberg has grown the Okocim brewery into one of the leading beer producers in Poland. In 2001 it added three other breweries to its Polish portfolio and in 2002 undertook a major programme to consolidate all of its businesses under the Okocim roof. Other than the Carlsberg brand the company also brews the Okocim and Hamas brands. It currently employs 1,625 people.