The Aegean Free Zone began operations in 1990. US-owned, private-sector company ESBAS is developing the Zone’s infrastructure, providing all utilities and food services, and leasing land or buildings.

The Zone is home to 360 companies and 12,500 workers and generates more than $2.5bn annually in international trade. It is located in Turkey’s third largest city, Izmir, which has a population of 3.5 million. Izmir offers a young, well-educated labour pool, a 21st century infrastructure, a world-class port, a new international airport, up-to-date rail and highway systems and well developed communications. Izmir is the pearl of the entire Mediterranean.

The Zone is 20 minutes from the Port of Izmir, 45 minutes from the Ro-Ro terminal in Çesme and 10 minutes from the airport. It is a contemporary industrial park with infrastructure-ready sites; ready-to-use factory buildings for manufacturers; open and covered warehousing facilities; and rental business units for distributors and traders.

Gateway to the world

ESBAS (the Aegean Free Zone Development and Operating Company) prides itself on having the most modern, cost-conscious and congenial zone in Turkey and one of the premier industrial parks in the entire world. It is the strategic gateway to the EU, Asia, the Middle East and northern Africa.

ESBAS provides a comprehensive menu of primary services, starting with all the basic utilities, each reliably provided at reasonable and highly competitive rates. ESBAS also offers a broad selection of supplementary services, such as loading and unloading, equipment rental, stock control and labour recruitment.

Food service is a critical part of any manufacturing facility. The Zone’s industrial kitchen is the largest and most modern facility of its kind in the region, supplying delicious meals 24 hours a day to more than 10,000 people.

All of the services above – and other advantages – make the Zone unique for its market.

Over the years, strategic marketing and high-quality infrastructure and services have drawn many major foreign manufacturing companies to the Zone. These include Germany’s Hugo Boss; US companies Delphi Packard and Pulse Eldor; France’s FTB; and Germany’s PFW.

ESBAS leases top-quality industrial sites and commercial facilities at surprisingly favourable rates and with a variety of financial incentives.

Company sales and profitability growth and length of stay are obvious indications of the performance of the Zone. Yet there can be no stronger testimonial to ESBAS’ value than the ongoing expansion by current user companies and the continued expansion of new investors.

The total area of the Zone is 2.2 million square metres, 700,000 of which is reserved for expansion, and it has the capacity to welcome more than another 100 companies.

Best in class

The Zone is the most modern, cost-conscious and congenial in Turkey – and one of the world’s premier industrial parks. As the global market continues to mature, the Zone will continue to be the place from which international firms can penetrate the world’s highest potential growth markets in eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East, north Africa and central Asia.

To learn more about the Aegean Free Zone, join us at the annual conference of the World Free Zone Convention on 21-22 April 2005