Panama Pacifico: Best Free Trade Zone of the Americas

The Special Economic Area is awarded as the Best Free Trade Zone of the Americas and deserves nine awards in the “Global Free Zones of the Year 2018” awards, an initiative of the fDi Intelligence study center, associated with the Financial Times newspaper, based in London.

The progress achieved through a 40-year vision based on a Master Plan, the constant development of talent, the giant clients that make up the Panama Pacifico business community, complemented by a broad residential offer, among many other reasons, have enabled The Special Economic Area is awarded as the Best Free Zone of the Americas and deserves nine awards in the “Global Free Zones of the Year 2018” awards, an initiative of the fDi Intelligence study center, associated with the Financial Times newspaper, based in London.

This year, with nine awards in hand, Panama Pacifico distinguishes itself as: the best free zone in the Americas, the best free zone for large tenants in the Americas, and the best free zone for expansion, oneconnectivity, education, academic collaboration, workforce training & development and for career development support.

These acknowledgments show the advantages of having a Master Plan and show that Panama Pacifico is globally an area of ​​economic and social development, inspired by integral and sustainable urban planning. Similarly, the awards obtained confirm that Panama Pacifico is a unique platform of opportunities for creativity, growth and well-being of the people, companies and institutions that make life in the area.

Entertainment in this community is something that is not on the side. In the project there is a team dedicated to creating and developing cultural, sports and recreation activities for all public, with the aim of promoting the well-being and quality of life of the people.

It is for these reasons that the Financial Times recognizes for the second time Panama Pacifico as “Best Free Zone for Education”, “Best Free Zone for Academic Collaboration”, “Best Free Zone for Workforce Training & Development”, “Best Free Trade Zone for Career Development Support “, for the joint work done with universities, schools and other academic institutions such as ADEN, INCAE, INADEH and the schools in the area, providing residents, collaborators and inhabitants of Western Panama with opportunities to develop and learn in the different stages of formal education

Since 2016, the project has products (office and warehouses) with LEED certification. Among the main characteristics of these sustainable buildings are: their energy efficiency, low water consumption, responsible use of materials and waste, healthy internal spaces and innovation that generate well-being and satisfaction for the collaborator, thanks to their spaces, healthy environment, views and abundant natural light.

This year products have been developed according to the needs of customers, which include environmentally friendly initiatives, one of them is called Big Client, deals with suppliers of photovoltaic panel generators that reduce energy costs to all customers and, in addition, in residential areas, technologies such as home automation have been incorporated.

fDi Intelligence also distinguished Panama Pacifico with the sixth place as “Best Global Free Zone” and also as “Best Free Zone Big Tenants of the Americas”, “Best Free Zone for Expansions”, “Best Free Zone for Oneconnectivity”.

Each of these awards is extended to important allies of the private industrial sector who believe in this macroproject: Grupo STT, ZPMC, Dell, Grainger, 3M, FedEx, BASF, Lacoste, VF Corp, EY, PepsiCo, Cummins, Agrekko, Damco, Ingersoll Rand, Kuehne + Nagel, Lacoste, Man Diesel, Nipro, PPG, Quest, Avon, Wilhelmsen, PriceSmart, PPG Industries, Rozo, Nipro.

The government sector is also the protagonist of this achievement, since the public-private partnership has managed to carry out the operation of 18 government entities organized in a Single Window that facilitate the procedures of users.

This outstanding model community will expand its impact, with the development of mega infrastructure works such as the expansion of four to eight lanes of the Pan-American Highway, which will have a distance of approximately 10 kilometers, with five interchanges and improvements to existing structures. The fourth bridge over the Panama Canal is another transcendental work, with a cost exceeding $ 1,000 million, this work is considered the second largest in the country, after the expansion of the Panama Canal and the third line of the subway that will be a monorail It will depart from Albrook, making its first stop at the Panama Pacifico station, benefiting more than 1.7 million users.

 Source PanamaOn