Logistic Park of Zaragoza

The Logistics PLAZA of Zaragoza, a ten year project that started in 2000, is the largest logistic park in Europe. At this time it is midway through completion. PLAZA is an attempt to strategically locate logistic activities in decentralized areas creating job opportunities and encourage economic growth by attracting people into the region.

Case Study Summary

The Logistics PLAZA of Zaragoza provides a blueprint for future developments by weighing the possibility of like projects in the same industry. The case provides us various examples of office parks that house businesses that feed off the same clientele and collaborate to solve problems and provide solutions such as Silicon Valley. According to the author, PLAZA has been built in an effort to create more jobs in Aragon, an area of Spain where the population has been continuously decreasing. (Watson, 2015)

This project is under development and intent on curving the stereotype that southern European countries are unable to compete with more developed regions in Europe. PLAZA founders are focusing on the younger forward moving population who are highly skilled. They also want to increase investment in Research and Development and attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Spain. The strength of PLAZA’s 3 key elements of success, geostrategic area, intermodality, and competitive land pricing, rely on a strong infrastructure.

The majority of companies currently moving into PLAZA are small national companies which carry out most of their activities in the area of Zaragoza. Most are relocating as a result of low-priced land and the chance of benefitting from what the facility has to offer once fully functional. However, they do not add any true value to the park. PLAZA’s desired tenants would be those that allow for FDI and also help in promoting Zaragoza as a significant European logistics staple. Although these local companies are not the target businesses that PLAZA would like to draw, they may help PLAZA...