Klaipėda Free Economic Zone

The first steps for the establishment of the Klaipėda zone were undertaken in 1996.{{Clarify|reason=What steps were taken?|date=March 2025}} In 1997, a management company was selected after reviewing five proposals. The Klaipėda FEZ is managed by Klaipėda FEZ Management Company (Lithuanian: Klaipėdos LEZ Valdymo Bendrovė), a private limited liability company. The Baltic Fund, an investment fund, was financed through foreign investors, which owned about 60% of the management company. The remaining shares are owned by city enterprises, municipalities, and the Government of Lithuania. In 2001, the Rockefeller Foundation sold its shares to Pierre J. Everaert Family Trust based in Demarest New Jersey, which then became the largest private shareholder of the KFEZ.

Another set of obstacles was raised during Lithuania's negotiations for accession to the European Union. Klaipėda FEZ began its activities in December 2001. In 2003, Thailand-based Indorama announced an investment of 80M euros into a plastic production factory. To further attract investors to FEZ, Lithuanian-based companies have been allowed to participate since 2004. A year later, the FEZ began plans for expansion and further development of its land, requesting assistance from structural funds of the European Union. By the end of 2007, FEZ attracted some 600M litas (174M euros) of investments. The total attracted investments since 2002 are 783M EUR.

Currently, more than 5,000 employees work at the FEZ investor and supporting companies.

Klaipėda FEZ is located in the southeastern part of the city of Klaipėda near the main transport Klaipėda-Vilnius highway. The distance from the headquarters to the Port of Klaipėda is 8 km; to the Klaipėda-Palanga International Airport is 35 km; to the Kaunas Airport is 218km; and to the Vilnius Airport is 304 km.

Klaipėda FEZ community currently connects over 5,000 employees working in more than 100 industrial businesses focused on plastics & PET, food processing, offshore & large metal structures, electric vehicles & components, value-added logistics, and other industries.

Klaipėda FEZ has 45 clients including foreign and Lithuanian companies. In total, 19 countries are represented. Total investments are approximately €825 million.

Klaipėda FEZ is a recognized economic project of national significance.{{cite web|url=http://www.fez.lt/about-klaipeda-fez |title=About Klaipėda FEZ |publisher=fez.lt |year=2011 |access-date=2012-11-19}}

Companies operating within Klaipėda FEZ include:https://www.fez.lt/explore-the-free-zone/

• Orion Global PET
• Neo Group
• Retal Baltic
• Glassbel Baltic
• Espersen
• Mestilla
• Be-Ge Baltic
• Pack Klaipėda
• Skuba Lietuva
• Klaipėda Business Park
• Albright Lietuva
• Gren Klaipėda
• Dancer Bus
• ANI Plast
• HeidelbergCement Group
• Vingės logistika
• AD REM LEZ
• Lavango Engineering LT
• Lindström
• Rehau Production LT
• Baltic Comri Technologies
• Elme Metall Klaipėda
• Werner Wirth Baltic
• Etman
• Philip Morris International (operating outside the official Klaipėda FEZ territory)

and others.

• Main Award for Digitization and Red Tape Reduction, Honourable Mention for Industry 4.0 and Positive Impact at Economic Zone Sustainable Recovery Strategies Awards 2021https://www.investmentmonitor.ai/investment-monitor-events/economic-zone-sustainable-recovery-strategies-awards-2021/. 2021-10-04.
• Honourable Mention for EU Compliance, 5G connectivity at Global Free Economic Zone of the Year Awards 2021https://www.fdiintelligence.com/content/locations/global/global-free-zones-of-the-year-2021-honourable-mentions-80296. 2021-10-14.
• Bespoke Award for Sustainability at Global Free Economic Zone of the Year Awards 2020https://www.fdiintelligence.com/content/locations/global/asia-pacific/fdi-s-global-free-zones-of-the-year-2020-bespoke-awards-78967. 2020-10-15.
• Honourable Mention for Investor Expansions, Local transport, Workforce Amenities, Flex Start at Global Free Economic Zone of the Year Awards 2019https://www.fdiintelligence.com/content/locations/global/asia-pacific/fdi-s-global-free-zones-of-the-year-2019-the-winners-77968. 2019-10-14.
• Bespoke Award for Investor Expansions, Investor Incentives, Economic Impact and Flexible Space at Global Free Economic Zone of the Year Awards 2018https://www.fdiintelligence.com/content/locations/global/fdi-s-global-free-zones-of-the-year-2018-the-winners-78016. 2018-10-08.
• In 2017, Klaipėda FEZ was recognised within the categories of “Quick Launch award” (Editor’s choice), Expansion, Energy Efficiency, Specialism (for Plastics industry) and Contribution to the National economy. Investors wishing to establish operations in Lithuania’s Klaipėda FEZ can use the zone’s Fast Factory Launch scheme. The scheme offers companies ready-to-use sites that come complete with all the required construction permits, as well as the ability to make minor adjustments to customise the site to fit the investor’s needs. Outside of Klaipėda, construction permits in Lithuania can take up to six months. Additionally, the Flexstart programme aims to allow investors to commence operations in less than one month, with customisable pre-built manufacturing facilities. New offices are currently under construction that will be offered to SMEs as part of the programme.

{{reflist|30em|refs=

{{cite web |date=2017-10-09 | title=fDi Global Free Zones of the Year 2017 – the winners |url=http://www.fdiintelligence.com/Rankings/fDi-Global-Free-Zones-of-the-Year-2017-the-winners |language=en}}

{{cite journal| title=Corporate member profile: The Baltic Fund Today and Tomorrow |first=Vanda |last=Shadigian | journal=American Investor in Latvia | volume=11 |date=May 2000 |url=http://americanbaltic.com/press4.php }}

{{cite journal|url=http://archyvas.vz.lt/news.php?id=316871&strid=1002&rs=240&ss=1&y=2000%2004%2011 | title=Miglotos LEZ perspektyvos |first=Edgaras |last=Valeckas|date=2000-04-11 |journal=Verslo žinios |issue=71 |page=7 |language=lt}}

{{cite journal| title=Klaipėdos LEZ bus plečiama pramoniniu parku|first=Gabrielė |last=Vasiliauskaitė |date=2005-04-12 |publisher=Verslo žinios |issue=69 |page=6 |language=lt}}

{{cite web| url=http://archyvas.vz.lt/news.php?id=34671&strid=1003&rs=160&ss=1&y=2003%2012%2004 |title=Klaipėdos LEZ atkunta: atkeliauja ir Lietuvos, ir užsienio kapitalas |publisher=Verslo žinios |date=2003-12-04 |language=lt}}

{{cite journal|url=http://archyvas.vz.lt/news.php?id=389455&strid=1002&rs=300&ss=1&y=1997%2003%2021 | title=Laisvoji ekonominė zona jau popieriuje |first=Edgaras |last=Valeckas|date=1997-03-21 |publisher=Verslo žinios |issue=26 |page=5 |language=lt}}

{{cite journal|url=http://archyvas.vz.lt/news.php?id=215601&strid=1002&rs=140&ss=1&y=2004%2002%2013 | title=Nuo pelno mokesčio - į LEZ |author=BNS |date=2004-02-13 |publisher=Verslo žinios |issue=30 |page=7 |language=lt}}

{{cite journal|url=http://archyvas.vz.lt/news.php?id=390168&strid=1002&rs=300&ss=1&y=1997%2004%2023 |title="Siemens" pirmoji| author=BNS |date=1997-04-23 |journal=Verslo žinios| issue=39 |page=17 |language=lt}}

{{cite journal|url=http://archyvas.vz.lt/news.php?id=27720&strid=1002&rs=200&ss=1&y=2002%2006%2012 |title=Klaipėdos LEZ jau statomos gamyklos |date=2002-06-12 |journal=Verslo žinios| issue=113 |page=3 |language=lt}}

{{cite journal|url=http://archyvas.vz.lt/news.php?id=27720&strid=1002&rs=200&ss=1&y=2002%2006%2012 |title=Klaipėdos LEZ'ą pasaulis pastebėjo |first=Nijolė |last=Dvarionaitė |date=2007-11-26 |journal=Verslo žinios| issue=224 |page=4 |language=lt}}

}}

• {{Official website|http://www.fez.lt}}

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{{Lithuania special economic zones}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Klaipėda Free Economic Zone}}

Category:Economy of Klaipėda

Category:Free economic zones of Lithuania