Aegean Free Zone, which has maintained its high trend of increase in trade volume for the last 2 years, in the first quarter of 2023, realized a total trade volume of 201 million dollars in January, February and March compared to the same period of the previous year. In the first quarter, the trade volume of the region increased by 16 percent to 1 billion 465 million dollars. Aegean Free Zone had a trade volume of 2022 billion dollars in 5.3.
Sales made abroad from the Aegean Free Zone, on the other hand, increased by 18.4% in the first quarter of the year, reaching a total of over $696 million. In the January-March period, the foreign trade balance of the Aegean Free Zone gave a surplus of 398% when the amount of sales made from abroad to the region was 75 million dollars.
Compared to the same months of 2022, the trade volume of the Aegean Free Zone increased by 23.2 percent in January, 9.5 percent in February and 15.9 percent in March. The total trade volume provided by the region in the first quarter of the year exceeded 1 billion 465 million dollars.
The Aegean Free Zone increased its trade volume, which was 2020 billion dollars in 3.8, to 2021 billion dollars with 21.5 percent in 4.6, and over 2022 billion dollars with an increase of 13.5 percent in 5.3. Pointing out that these years were affected by the Covid 19 pandemic and the ensuing global economic crisis, Ege Free Zone Kurucu and Operator A.Ş. (ESBAŞ) Chairman of the Executive Board Dr. Faruk Güler said, “The ESB, which has a foreign trade surplus every year, had a foreign trade surplus of 75 percent in the first quarter of this year. Our region has been providing great benefits to our economy for the last 3 years, when Turkey wanted to fix the current account deficit problem.
Emphasizing that the Aegean Free Zone has been a region that adds value to Turkey's foreign trade balance for many years, Dr. Faruk Güler noted that the companies in the region continued to increase their exports in the first quarter of this year as well. Dr. Faruk Güler noted that when compared to the same months of the previous year, ESB's exports increased by 20.4 percent in January, 6.8 percent in February and 28 percent in March, and that a total of 2023 million dollars more exports were made in the first quarter of 106 compared to the same period of the previous year.
Employment Increase Continues
Reminding that 2022 new companies started operating in the region in 16, 2 thousand 70 people were hired with the growth of existing companies, and the total employment in ESB reached 23 thousand 370 people last year. Güler noted that employment continued to increase this year and a total of 24 employees were reached as of February. Dr. Faruk Güler made the following assessment regarding the employment and increase in exports provided by the region: “Since our establishment, we have searched for investor companies all over the world and convinced the companies that do the best in the automotive supply industry and aviation sector to invest in our region. Apart from these, there are textile and different sectors in our region. But these are all companies that are branded, produce technology and can export continuously. Therefore, the companies here produce with high added value and sell 164% of their production abroad. While the average export value of Turkey is 85-1 dollars per kilo, this value reaches 1,5-8 dollars in our region. Today, 9 percent of the total exports of all free zones are realized by the Aegean Free Zone. Again, nearly 25 percent of İzmir's total exports are made by our region. However, we did not reach this point immediately. We have a business philosophy and business plan that has lasted for 20 years. In this way, we have set a good example. “
Successful Model Rising in Bergama
Dr. Guler stated that they established a new free zone in Bergama, considering that the Aegean Free Zone model, which has been one of the most successful examples in the world in free zone implementations, should be expanded, and said, “The West Anatolian Free Zone, which we established in Bergama with BASBAŞ legal entity, has an area of 2,5 million square meters. and will provide direct employment to 20 thousand people when it reaches full capacity. From the moment the region was established, it started to attract the attention of investors. Western Anatolia Free Zone, which will reach an annual trade volume of over 4 billion dollars and an export figure of over 2 billion dollars when it reaches full capacity, will add strength to the economy of İzmir and the country with the economic activity it will provide, like the Aegean Free Zone, and will change the fortunes of the North Aegean, where it is located. .
Giving information about the works in the Western Anatolia Free Zone, Dr. Faruk Güler stated that the electricity, water and telecommunication infrastructure of the region, which has the shortest and fastest road connection to Europe by bypassing Istanbul with the 18 March Çanakkale Bridge and a seaway connection with Aliağa ports, is ready and some constructions have started in the region by 2024. He added that the factory chimneys will start to smoke in the year.