Białystok
In the 19th century Białystok was an important center for light industry. This was the reason for the substantial growth of the city's population. The tradition continued with many garment factories established in the 20th century, such as Fasty in the district of Bacieczki. However, after the fall of communism in 1989 many of these factories faced severe problems and subsequently closed down. Currently Białystok is a major center for the developed machine industry (electronics, machinery and metal), wood, alcoholic beverages, building materials, glass factory and power generation.