NewsWhore
01-31-2007, 04:40 PM
Manufacturing at free zones continues to diversify as the country moves away from traditional apparel operations due to competition from Chinese factories. Listin Diario reports that the new contracts coming into the DR include the construction of airplane turbine parts, computerized architectural design for New York City Hall, patterns for clothing, test drive car dummies, pacemakers, software, printer ink cartridges, American Airlines tickets, even breaded eggplant among others. The DR still has an advantage in proximity to the US market, being only a 90-minute plane flight away, while ships from China take seven weeks. Luisa Fernandez, director of the National Council of Free Zones (CNZFE) told Listin that the DR was able to attract a company that produces baby music carrousels that used to be made in China. As a result, the apparel factories that used to dominate the free zones are no longer so common, making up just 41% of the sector. Of the 83 companies that requested authorization to operate in the DR last year, only 14.5% were apparel companies. In 2006, free zone exports totaled US$4.49 billion, compared to US$4.73 billion in 2005.
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