VITEBSK, 13 January (BelTA) – In 2011 the Free Economic Zone Vitebsk (FEZ Vitebsk) registered 27 residents, BelTA learnt from FEZ Vitebsk. Among new residents are eight foreign companies, three joint ventures and 16 firms with the Belarusian capital. The total amount of investment is $407.3 million. Investment projects envisage over 1,800 new jobs. The majority of companies plan to export more than 70% of their products. The products of Natrix, Energokomplekt and Polimerkonstruktsya are included into the list of import-substituting goods. There are plan to include seven more companies: GVA Lighting, Communication Equipment, Energotekhnokholod, Niplast and Nizu, Diapazon-Tekhno and Sivital. Among the most interesting projects the FEZ administration names Commodities Complex East with the biggest amount of investment declared ($116.8 million), LINPAC Packaging East, Diapazon-Tekhno (production of innovative products). All in all as of 1 January 2012 there were registered 61 residents in the Free Economic Zone Vitebsk. Founded in August 1999, FEZ Vitebsk is implementing 45 investment projects today. Over 60% of FEZ Vitebsk residents are joint ventures and foreign-owned companies with investments from 13 countries, including Germany, Poland, the United States, Czechia, the UK, Russia, Canada, the Netherlands and Israel. The industrial backbone of FEZ Vitebsk is the companies that specialize in mechanical engineering, woodworking, food industry, chemistry, fuel industry and light industry. The free economic zone includes 12 sectors with the total area of more than 2,100 hectares within the city limits of Vitebsk, Postavy, Orsha, Baran, the village of Bolbasovo (Orsha District), Vitebsk District.

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