Article by: Trakia Economic Zone
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More than EUR 150 million are the investments in 2019 in Trakia Economic Zone. Thanks to its dynamic growth, Plovdiv has been ranked among top three in the Foreign Direct Investment Strategy category in the European Cities of the Future 2018/2019 ranking of the popular British edition of the Financial Times.
In 2013 officially started like a brand, Trakia Economic Zone is a successful project of the Sienit Holding Ltd and partners from Italy and Israel. It unites 6 industrials zone in Plovdiv region – “Maritsa”, “Rakovski”, “Kuklen”, Industrial Park “Plovdiv”, High – Tech Park “Plovdiv” and Agrocenter “Kaloyanovo”.
- 10 700 000 sq. m. /1/3 of it is already occupied/ is the TEZ area.
- Over EUR 2 billion of investments has been made in 24 years /since the creation of the first zone in 1996 so far/.
- Over 180 Bulgarian and foreign companies are currently working in TEZ.
- Over 30,000 new jobs have been created
TEZ is the largest and most sustainable industrial zone not only in Bulgaria but also in Southeastern Europe. Plants, commercial and logistics facilities have built by world leaders such as ABB, Liebherr, Osram, Socotab, Schneider Electric, Schenker, Agri Bulgaria, Shell Gas, Hanon Systems, Sensata Technologies, William Hughes, Kaufland, Zobele, Mecalit, Techno Aktas, MAN, Jumbo, Intrama, Odelo, Willi Elbe Gelenkwellen, SMC Industrial Automation, Milara International. Here is located one of the most important companies in Bulgaria – KCM 2000. Famous Bulgarian brands – Bella Bulgaria, MAXCOM, Dimitar Madjarov, Biofresh, Refan, Ataro Clima, Andi, Agria – Bulgaria, Biomashin also have factories in TEZ. This is where PIMK, the largest road carriers in the country operates.
Trakia Economic Zone is a successful model of public – private partnership. Nine municipalities cooperate for its development – Plovdiv, Asenovgrad, Kaloyanovo, Kuklen, Maritsa, Parvomay, Rakovski, Rodopi and Stamboliyski two associations – Cluster Trakia Economic Zone and Cluster Information and Communication Technology Plovdiv and the business. In the last 2 years the municipalities of Burgas, Gabrovo and Haskovo have joined the territorial scope of the Trakia Economic Zone. This public – private partnership one of a kind in Bulgaria, provides a good example of how businesses and municipalities can be successful together. In 2018 Cluster Trakia Economic Zone, which manages and supports the development of Trakia Economic Zone, signed a cooperation agreement with the Invest Bulgaria Agency. The role of public – private partnership in the project is further enhanced through the government agency. Thanks to the symbiosis created, not only a favorable business climate was built and we are working to attract and retain investors but we also are solving together problems related to vocational education and skills of the workforce.
In 2019 in Trakia Economic Zone was opened a Vocational Training Center TRAKIA. It is the first of its kind in the country located and serving businesses in an industrial area. For the first time multinational companies such as SMC, Schneider Electric, Milara International and ABB are uniting to solve the problem of industry skills in a very effective way. The center is unique for Bulgaria – here is top notch training equipment, the practical classes are done on industrial equipment used in actual production.
Part of the investments in Trakia Economic Zone in 2019:
- The best sign that Trakia Economic Zone is the place of successful business is the fact that those who have already invested here continue to invest 2nd, 3rd,4th In 2018 the first in Bulgaria aircraft factory of the French company Latecoere start to operate. In 2019 the company doubled its capacity and the plant’s area increased by another 4,000 sq.m. Production of a new product – the nose for Airbus aircraft – has begun.
- Odelo Bulgaria – part of the Bayraktarlar Holding – the world’s leading automotive light supplier opens a plant for rear lights for Mercedes on 10/22/2019. Within a record time of a 1 year a production base and an office part with a total built-up area of 23,000 sq.m was built.
- The Bulgarian leader in cosmetics Biofresh opened a second production for tubes, created 120 new perfumes and 150 new products. One of their new series of cosmetic products won the annual award of the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and Spa Tourism for the best Bulgarian spa cosmetic line.
- The German group Mecalit has built a factory for the production of dies and punches with the Chinese concern VEM.
- In March 2019, Kaufland officially opened the expansion of its logistics base in TEZ. With the extension the total area of the complex is 390,000 sq. m., making it the largest logistics center in Bulgaria and one of the largest in the Balkans.
- Turkish – German company SPINNER is building a new plant for CNC machine tools.
- Turkish Turquoise Textiles launches a textile manufacturing plant for aircraft and cars.
- BTL Industries – the leading world –manufacturer of high–tech medical equipment builds factories, plant and administrative buildings a solar park
Another expansion and new production and logistics space were built by the Bulgarian companies Biomashin, TVT, Elko Mes, ENKO Plastics, Interlink Group, Sting, Cima-99, Kukov & Ko, Properties online and Real M, German companies Liebherr- hausgeräte Maritsa, Humanita, Willi Elbe Gelenkwellen, Moto Pfohe, Italian Zobele, Swedish Volvo Group Trucks and English William Hughes.