The Wałbrzych Special Economic Zone “INVEST-PARK” has yet again been appreciated in fDi Magazine’s prestigious ranking “Global Free Zones of the Year.” The zone was commended as one of the most investor-friendly destinations in Europe. The magazine also noted the company’s involvement in constructing new facilities and modernizing infrastructure to meet the investors’ needs.
The “fDi Global Free Zones of the Year” ranking selects the world’s best economic zones. In the most recent edition, 76 entities were taken into consideration, including those from the UAE, China, Morocco, Brazil and the USA. The judges scrutinized each of the locations and recommended the best areas both in individual regions and depending on the size of the investor’s company.
The Wałbrzych Special Economic Zone was commended as a particularly attractive destination for investors in Europe. Among the factors contributing to this was the location of the plots near the Czech and German border, access to expressways and motorways, and the proximity of airports and large agglomerations.
The WSEZ was also appreciated for the projects which make the decision to invest easier. In 2014, the Wałbrzych zone built four production floors for lease. The pilot program turned out to be a huge success and all the facilities are now being used by entrepreneurs. This year, the construction of another two floors has begun, which is scheduled for completion in spring next year. The company is planning to erect further ones.
The zone has also made investments in infrastructure development in order to increase the attractiveness of its plots. In Wałbrzych, the territory of several plots was leveled, and offices for rent were prepared. A road was built in Syców and Nowa Ruda. In Kłodzko, “INVEST-PARK” co-financed the construction of a stormwater drainage system. However, the largest project involved the preparation of 330 ha of land in Września, where Volkswagen’s factory is currently being built. Meanwhile, the zone is preparing parking lots, a road and another production floor there.
“I am proud that the Wałbrzych zone received high marks in this prestigious ranking. All the more so because it was not the first time we had been commended by fDi Magazine. Last year, the judges appreciated the quality and comprehensiveness of our investor services. Before that, we had been named the fourth most attractive destination for investors in Europe and 22nd in the world,” said Barbara Kaśnikowska, President of the WSEZ “INVEST-PARK”.
The Wałbrzych zone is the largest of the 14 special economic zones in Poland. It covers almost 3,000 ha of land. There are currently 180 firms functioning within the zone, which have invested almost 20 billion zlotys and created 40,300 jobs. Many of the investors are household names, e.g. Mondelez, 3M, Toyota, IBM or Electrolux. More than 30% of the tenants are companies with Polish capital, e.g. Cersanit, Oleofarm, Sonel, Krispol and PZ Stelmach. Around 40% of tenants are micro, small and medium-sized firms.
