How to Choose a Business Park in a Free Trade Zone

A free trade zone business park is a private, state- campus , which brings together offices, warehouses, lots, and services for companies that operate internationally. The tax Regime is the same in all of the country’s free trade zones, so the choice is based on operational considerations. Here are the seven criteria for comparison.

Licensing and Permitted Activities

Confirm that the industrial park is designated as a free trade zone and that the company’s business activities are permitted there. Some industrial parks also offer industrial park Regime or general Regime for activities geared toward the local market.

Flexibility of Spaces

Ask if there are ready-to-move-in offices, custom-built buildings, and lots available, and how you can expand your space without moving. An office that starts with 20 people could have 200 in just a few years.

Connectivity

Ask if there is a data center within the park, what level it is, and how many fiber providers it has.

Logistics at the site campus

If the company handles merchandise, it is advisable for the warehouses and logistics operators to be located within the same complex as the offices.

Business Ecosystem

Determine how many companies are based here and in which sectors. A diverse ecosystem facilitates partnerships, supplier relationships, and the recruitment of talent with international experience.

Employee Services

Dining, transportation, healthcare, and sports within the park all play a role in retaining talent.

Sustainability and Certifications

Review the buildings' certifications and verify whether the operator provides measurement data for the company's ESG report.

How Zonamerica Meets These Criteria

Since 1990, Zonamerica has operated a 92-hectare campus in Montevideo, home to more than 500 companies across 14 industries and employing more than 7,000 people. It offers offices, warehouses, private buildings, and lots under the free trade zone “ Regime ,” as well as an industrial park and offices under the “ Regime ” general regime. It has a Tier 3 data center at campus, more than 12 logistics operators, and buildings with LEED, EDGE, WELL, and MAS certifications. In 2025, fDi Intelligence recognized it as the most sustainable free trade zone in the Americas.