The review includes statistical data on all industrial parks in the country (regardless of membership in the Association) that have timely provided information and, according to the expert evaluation of the AIP Russia, meet the requirements of the national standard GOST R 56301–2014 "Industrial Parks. Requirements."
Each new edition is published in the spring, usually in April, allowing the consideration and processing of results from the entire previous year. The 2024 edition presents readers with consolidated key data across different types of industrial parks, characterizing the dynamics of the creation and development of organized industrial areas in both macroeconomic and regional measurements, cumulatively over 11 years as well as in annual dynamics.
The data in this review is not an official source of statistics. All conclusions and generalizations made in the publication represent the expert opinion of AIP Russia and are based on data provided by the managing companies of industrial parks and SEZs as of March 1, 2024.
This publication is intended for a wide range of readers. It will be particularly useful to representatives of investor companies planning to locate their own production facilities in Russia, representatives of industrial parks and special economic zones, employees of state and municipal authorities, leaders and employees of federal and regional development institutions, credit and investment-financial organizations, industry unions, and business associations.
INDUSTRY IMMERSION
INDUSTRIAL PARK IN RUSSIA:
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an engineering-prepared site for the placement of production facilities;
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industrial, municipal, transport infrastructure;
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services of a single professional management company.
An important characteristic of the industrial park is a unified concept for the development of the territory and facilities on it, which includes not only preliminary functional zoning and a land surveying scheme, but also formed architectural solutions, marketing research results, a business plan, and a long-term project implementation strategy.
The proximity of several industries on the same territory allows industrialists to reduce the cost of common infrastructure and saves them from non-core activities for the creation and maintenance of engineering networks.
B2B services similar to modern industrial parks first emerged in Europe in the early 20th century. In Russia, they gained traction in the 2000s, following the shift to a market economy and a new wave of industrialization.
During the 2008–2009 global financial crisis, the first industrial park management companies and regional development corporations in Russia began to unite under the platform of the All-Russian Public Organization "Delovaya Rossiya” (“Business Russia”). The goal of this union was to establish a support system for industrial infrastructure based on unified standards. In 2010, at the initiative of the regions, the first nationwide Forum "Industrial Parks of Russia" was held, where the decision was made to establish the Association of Industrial Parks of Russia. At that time, there were only about 20 industrial park projects in the country. These projects formed the backbone of the Association, around which the industry community began to form.
The first Industrial Park Standard was created by the newly formed Association, based on descriptions of best practices that had developed specifically in the regions of Russia. By 2014, the voluntary industry standard had evolved into the national standard GOST, approved by Rosstandart, and it remains in effect to this day. By that time, the number of parks in the country had exceeded 40, although they were mainly concentrated in the central regions and the Volga area. The standard not only stimulated the development of the industry but also served as a starting point for creating Russia's regulatory legal framework and government support for industrial parks.
Since 2014, the concept of "Industrial Park" has been enshrined in the Federal Law "On Industrial Policy," based on which the Russian Government issued Decree No. 794 dated August 4, 2015, establishing requirements for industrial parks seeking subsidies from the federal budget.
By 2024, the number of industrial parks had grown tenfold, reaching 400. They are now present in almost all regions of Russia, with some regions having more than 10 parks.
The Association of Industrial Parks of Russia continues to play a key role in self-regulating the industry and serves as the center of expertise on the creation and management of industrial parks.
Today, industrial parks cater to the needs of various institutions within the market economy:
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For management companies: Industrial parks represent a business capable of generating profit.
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For regional governments: They serve as an effective mechanism for attracting investments, creating jobs, stimulating economic activity, and developing industrial infrastructure.
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For investors and residents: Industrial parks offer the opportunity to shorten project timelines, reduce risks and costs associated with launching production. Additionally, if the industrial park is located within preferential regimes or regions where laws provide such benefits, residents can receive tax breaks and additional support.
GENERAL ARCHITECTURE OF INDUSTRIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND PREFERENTIAL TREATMENTS
The forms of industrial infrastructure in Russia are diverse and aimed at fostering the development of industry, innovation, and attracting investments. They provide the necessary conditions for the efficient operation and interaction of industrial enterprises, contributing to the economic growth of regions and the country as a whole.
Industrial infrastructure in Russia encompasses a wide range of forms, the main ones being industrial parks, industrial technoparks, and industrial clusters. The total number of such sites exceeds 560, including 407 industrial parks, 93 industrial technoparks, and 60 industrial clusters. Additionally, special economic zones of industrial-production and technical-implementation types form industrial infrastructure in the form of industrial parks.
Besides industrial infrastructure, several types of preferential regimes are applied to stimulate various sectors of the economy and attract investments. These are largely represented by special economic zones, territories of advanced development, territorial development zones, and single-industry towns. These regimes offer tax benefits and privileges for certain categories of entrepreneurs, promoting business development and enhancing its competitiveness. Preferential regimes can be overlaid on forms of industrial infrastructure, further boosting their effectiveness.
By the early 2000s, the most common mechanism for territorial development was the creation of free economic zones (FEZs), but they proved to be largely ineffective. Over time, this mechanism was revised, leading to the establishment of specific requirements for the sites, permitted types of resident activities, and minimum investment volumes.
By 2005, the concept was relaunched with the introduction of special economic zones (SEZs) under Federal Law No. 116 dated July 22, 2005. Unlike the earlier FEZs, which were aimed at supporting less developed regions, the new SEZs were designed to become growth points for stronger regions. This new mechanism demonstrated its effectiveness.
By 2010, territories of advanced development (TORs), the Vladivostok Free Port, territorial development zones, and the Arctic zone emerged, and the SEZs were gradually restructured. These zones were once again utilized to stimulate regional development.
Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are established to develop industries such as manufacturing, tourism, and the agro-industrial complex, among others. Entrepreneurs operating within SEZs receive various benefits, including tax exemptions or reductions, simplified registration procedures, and streamlined customs processes. SEZs of the industrial-production type (IP-SEZs) and the technical-implementation type (TI-SEZs) primarily foster industrial development and often develop industrial infrastructure in the form of industrial parks.
Territories of Advanced Development (TORs) are areas with a special legal regime for business activities. The goal of TORs is to create conditions for attracting investments, ensuring accelerated socio-economic development, and creating comfortable living conditions for the population. This form is very similar to SEZs but differs in the conditions established for residents and the fact that TORs are used to develop areas with untapped socio-economic potential.
THE INTERRELATION BETWEEN INDUSTRIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND PREFERENTIAL ECONOMIC TREATMENTS
It is important to distinguish the following concepts:
Industrial Park - always refers to physical infrastructure (real estate and engineering networks) managed by a professional management company. There may or may not be benefits within the park, depending on the territory in which the park is located.
Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Territories of Advanced Social and Economic Development (TASEDs) – are preferential regimes operating in specific territories. Single-industry towns (monotowns) also have special preferential treatments (including tax benefits and subsidies). Various infrastructures such as roads, residential buildings, hotels, and industrial parks can be created within an SEZ, TASED, or monotown. Benefits and preferences are available to those conducting activities within these preferential treatment territories and who comply with the conditions established by law.
Therefore, an industrial park (either wholly or partially) can be located within the territory of an SEZ, TASED, or monotown, and residents of such an industrial park have the opportunity to access the relevant benefits, customs preferences, and subsidies.
Most industrial parks in Russia are located outside preferential treatment territories.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The assessment included general information on the industrial park's activities, basic indicators such as area, distance of land plots, infrastructure capacities, presence of a management company and residents, functional zoning, category and type of permitted land use, availability of urban planning and project documentation, specialisation, and the economic performance of the park's residents.
The 2024 review is being conducted for the 11th time, allowing for the analysis of development dynamics over 11 years and the current situation of previously announced projects. Special attention during the examination of industrial parks was given to large and multifunctional sites. As a result of the analysis, several discrepancies with the regulatory criteria for industrial parks were identified, such as: including disparate sites (more than 2 km apart) within a single industrial park, unprepared land plots with a low degree of development (lack of a master plan, technical conditions for engineering communications, urban planning and project documentation, land category mismatches, etc.), lack of completed construction objects, mismatch of functional purposes of objects and types of activities of anchor residents (warehouses, distribution, trade, and logistics complexes), non-compliance with the requirement to place production facilities within the industrial park in a proportion of 50% or more. Additionally, it was found that over time, the implementation of some projects was suspended for various reasons.
As a result of the evaluation, the qualitative and quantitative composition of the industrial parks was adjusted: several industrial parks previously declared as operational were reclassified as being under development or intentions; divided into several sites in accordance with the criterion of distance not exceeding 2 km, according to actual development, functional designation; and the area of industrial park territories was updated. To ensure homogeneous initial data and analysis results, similar adjustments were made to the data from previous years.
ANALYTICS
GENERAL INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT TRENDS
Since 2013, the Association of Industrial Parks of Russia has systematically compiled statistics on the industry's key indicators, allowing us to trace its evolution over an 11-year period.
2023 marked another year of steady growth for the industrial parks sector. By the end of 2023, the annual review by the AIP of Russia included 407 operational and developing industrial parks, 27 of which were new. The relative increase for 2023 was 7%. The rate of new park creation is gradually slowing as the market becomes saturated with corresponding offerings, which is to be expected. However, we forecast the continuation of annual increases in new parks, albeit at a slightly reduced pace.
The stability and efficiency of industrial parks as a form of organising investment activities in the industrial production sector are reflected in the fact that operational sites still outnumber developing ones by more than twofold. The number of industrial parks in Russia has increased fivefold, or by 327 units in absolute terms, from 2013 to 2023. The average annual growth rate of industrial parks during the observation period is 18%. The dynamics in the structure of the overall annual growth are driven by both operational and developing sites. This indicates a long-term trend towards the qualitative transition of industrial parks from developing to operational, as well as the relevance of the industrial parks format for the economy. Currently, more than 35 sites are in the design stage across 19 regions of Russia.
The total number of productions established in industrial parks now exceeds 5,200 (+500 in 2023). The absolute figures for jobs have increased fourfold over 11 years. The number of jobs created by residents of industrial parks has increased fivefold since 2013, already surpassing 300,000 (+65,000 in 2023). The number of jobs created and residents placed in industrial parks, the main indicator of the effectiveness of these sites for organizing production activities, has shown confident and steady growth over the 11 years. Since 2013, the annual growth for these indicators has averaged 17–19%.
Thanks to the systematic regional industrial policy of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation and measures to stimulate regional industrial infrastructure, the level of regional presence of industrial parks in the country has reached 80%. The number of regions where industrial parks are being created or have been created has more than doubled in 11 years, with industrial parks operating in over 70 regions of Russia. Regional coverage is growing by an average of 10% per year.
In recent years, we have identified a distinct category of Russian regions where the number of industrial parks exceeds 10. It is important to note that the occupancy level of ready-made areas in such regions is not lower than in others. This confirms the advantage of professional sites over unorganised industrial assets and reflects the ongoing trend of high demand for industrial parks.
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Regions with the most Industrial Parks:
In recent years, we have identified a distinct category of Russian regions where the number of industrial parks exceeds 10. It is important to note that the occupancy level of ready-made areas in such regions is not lower than in others. This confirms the advantage of professional sites over unorganised industrial assets and reflects the ongoing trend of high demand for industrial parks.
As of the end of 2023, the highest number of industrial parks is traditionally recorded in the Moscow Region, the Republic of Tatarstan, the Leningrad Region, the Kaluga Region, and the Republic of Bashkortostan. For several years, the Chelyabinsk Region, the Sverdlovsk Region, and the Kurgan Region have also been among the leaders. Saint Petersburg and the Ulyanovsk Region have strengthened their positions, having increased the number of industrial parks over the past year. It is noteworthy that 50% of the total number of industrial parks in the country are concentrated in the aforementioned regions. The Novosibirsk Region, Samara Region, Udmurt Republic, Republic of Dagestan, Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories, and Belgorod Region also show stable positions in terms of the number and development of industrial parks.
Geography of Industrial Parks: number by Federal Districts in 2023
Infrastructure development, the level of socio-economic activity, population density, and demand from manufacturers significantly influence the distribution of industrial parks, with a large part of the sites being concentrated in the Central Federal District. Naturally, the concentration of sites in the Center and the Volga region is gradually being balanced by the emergence of new projects in other federal districts. Organized industrial sites are an important tool for territorial development. Established support programs, industry associations, and development institutions on one side, and the increasing role of territorial potential on the other, have collectively contributed to active growth in the Ural and Northwestern Federal Districts as well. Siberia and the Far East are also gaining positions.
The analysis of the list of industrial parks in the planning stage supports the observed trends – new sites are emerging most actively in regions where the practice of operating industrial parks is already established.
Distribution of Industrial Parks by Federal Districts in 2023:
1. Central Federal District: High concentration due to infrastructure and economic activity.
2. Volga Federal District: Significant presence but gradually balanced by new projects in other districts.
3. Ural Federal District: Active growth supported by territorial potential.
4. Northwestern Federal District: Increasing number of parks due to development initiatives.
5. Siberian Federal District: Gaining positions with new industrial park projects.
6. Far Eastern Federal District: Also showing growth with new developments.
These trends indicate that industrial parks are becoming an integral part of regional development across various federal districts, driven by both state support and the inherent potential of these territories.
Age of Operational Parks
the form of industrial parks in modern Russia began in 2008–2009 and has been around for over 15 years. The industry experienced a period of explosive growth and is now forming a layer of "mature" management companies with successful experience in implementing one or more industrial parks. The investment phase of creating an industrial park (from creation to filling the first phase) averages 7–10 years.
To date, the number of industrial parks that have been operational for more than ten years has reached 57. These represent dozens of success stories, established competencies of management companies, many of which are now undertaking new projects in other regions of Russia and some even abroad. Many of these management companies were at the forefront of the formation of the Association of Industrial Parks of Russia and continue to contribute to the industry's development. Currently, 168 industrial parks have been operating for 5 to 10 years. The total number of parks that have existed and operated for more than 5 years is 243, which is more than half of the total number. These figures indicate the maturity of the industry. Meanwhile, only 30 industrial parks in Russia have been operational for less than three years.
Dynamics of the Average Area of an Operational Industrial Park Over 11 Years, in hectares
With the steady growth in the number of operational industrial parks over many years, their average area tends to be rational and gradually decreases per site. For example, in 2013, the average size of an industrial park was 329 ha, while in 2023, it is already 155 ha. Thus, over 11 years, this indicator has halved, contributing to the increased efficiency of the sites – in particular, it has inevitably positively influenced the speed of filling available areas. It can be concluded that, having gone through the natural stages of industry formation, the most effective forms of site organisation have naturally emerged, including in terms of the optimal area of the territor