T

urkey's foremost modern industrial park rests at a prime business location: the crossroads of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Nestled into the city of Izmir, whose history dates back to 3,000 BC, ESBAŞ (the Aegean Free Zone) offers a magnificent quality of life to western executives and their families.
   Opened in 1990 in Izmir, Turkey's third-largest city and No. 1 exporting seaport, ESBAŞ is Turkey's first modern, production-based Free Zone. ESBAŞ, in fact, generates more foreign direct investment and employs more workers than any of Turkey's 20 other Free Zones. With its infrastructure-ready sites and ready-to-use manufacturing facilities, the master-planned industrial park is a site selection hotbed. Recent expansions by powerhouses like Hugo Boss, Hyundai and Delphi have swelled ESBAŞ's work force to more than 13,000 workers. In 2005, the zone generated more than US$3.7 billion in international trade.
   ESBAŞ's singular success, however, is not at all surprising. With its strategic position and easy access to Europe and Asia, Turkey has long attracted U.S. and European businesses eager to establish a foothold in the region.
   Moreover, ESBAŞ offers the arresting appeal of Izmir, a modern, European-style city that's strikingly beautiful and well organized. Much of Izmir was destroyed in Turkey's fight for liberation in the first half of the 20th century. When the city was subsequently rebuilt, attracting international investment was a central focus. That emphasis is clearly evident in today's Izmir, a city of palm-lined promenades, avenues and green parks, all set in sweeping curves along a circular bay. With its exceptionally mild climate and rich history, Izmir also offers an idyllic living environment. It's known, in fact, as "the Pearl of the Aegean."
   Izmir is a city rich in history and culture, offering an array of sites such as Efes, Kusadasi and Cesmeto to history buffs. The seven churches mentioned by St. John in the Book of Revelations are spread around Izmir, and the ancient castle of Kadifekale (called "The Velvet Fortress") offers panoramic views of the Gulf of Izmir.
   ESBAŞ, founded and operated by Kaya Tuncer, a Turkish-American entrepreneur educated in the USA, builds on Izmir's attributes by offering foreign firms the same exacting design standards as in the U.S. and Western Europe. All sites are provided on a turnkey basis, and they satisfy the most demanding tenant requirements as well, from form height, floor capacity and lighting to heating and ventilation.
   Companies operating in ESBAŞ enjoy substantial tax advantages and financial incentives: Manufacturing companies are exempt from corporate tax, earnings and revenues can freely be transferred, there are no VAT taxes on Turkish goods and services for ESBAŞ users, no duties or tariffs for goods imported into ESBAŞ from abroad, imports can remain in ESBAŞ without time limitations, direct sales are allowed to Turkey, and there are no limits on proportion of capital participation in the zone.
   ESBAŞ has long stressed corporate security, adding to the comfort and peace of mind for those living and working in the zone. ESBAŞ is a secure, fenced-in development, staffed by its own police force of 40 uniformed officers, who patrol the zone around the clock. Additionally, ESBAŞ has its own fire department, and customs officials at the entry gates.
   Naturally, ESBAŞ offers all the essential business basics, including electricity, water, telecommunications and natural gas. ESBAŞ supplies a wide array of supplemental services as well, including loading and unloading, equipment rental, stock control, construction, repair and maintenance, customs brokerage, and port-related services. They'll even provide assistance with your labor recruitment!
   ESBAŞ tenants enjoy still more advantageous amenities, including:
   • The ESBAŞ Technology Center, a 250-seat conference center that provides seminar rooms and a product showroom for tenant companies. In addition, the facility offers simultaneous translation, multi-media and teleconferencing capabilities.
   • The ESBAŞ Concert & Sports Hall, a 96,000-sq.-ft. (8,900-sq.-m.) complex with both indoor and outdoor venues. Activities include musical events, plus volleyball and basketball competitions between company teams.
   • The Child Care Center, which provides 16 classrooms for as many as 240 children from 45 days to 6 years old. The center has a permanent staff of professionals, as well as a music room, a library, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, and an amphitheater.
   • The Medical/Dental Clinic, staffed by a physician, an internist, a dentist and two nurses, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
   • The Antique Car Museum, a pleasant diversion for visitors and busy executives, featuring 15 rare, mint-condition autos, including a 1928 Ford Model A Coupe, a 1937 Packard Sedan and a 1940 Cadillac Sedan.
   With its exceptional amenities, outstanding quality of life and extraordinary strategic location, ESBAŞ is expected to continue expanding at its record-setting pace as investors and companies flock to this idyllic location.