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There are plans to expand Turkey's Aegean free trade zone. Privately owned and operated by ESBAS, the zone has become the most successful of Turkey's 19 free zones as measured by trade volume.
ESBAS is the only Turkish Free Zone Development and Operating Company to be awarded with four quality certificates: ISO 9001/2000 Quality Management, ISO 14001 Environmental Management, OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series, and ISO 22000/2005 Food Safety Management Systerns. This achievement, says the company, reflects its commitment to maintaining the best work environment possible for its employees, and to providing the highest quality standards for the user companies in the zone.
This success comes in a difficult year, as the founder of the Aegean Free Zone, Kaya Tuncer, passed away on the 7th of January 201 2. His wife, Mary Mills Tuncer, who has taken over as chairman from her husband said in a statement: "I have been elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors by the General Assembly. We are committed to maintain our efforts to increase the contributions of the Aegean Free Zone to the economy of Izmir and Turkey under the policies and principles followed by Kaya Tuncer.
Automotive Industries (Al) asked Tuncer what she saw as the way forward for the Aegean Free Zone.
Tuncer: The zone is a regional development project. Therefore, our priority is to be involved in or support any activity for the economic development of Izmir and the Aegean Region. Today, employment is provided for 20,000 people. We estimate that the trade volume of the zone will exceed US$5.5-bn this...