This year, one of the largest metalworking companies in Latvia, Jensen Metal Ltd, announced the construction of a new production building in Liepāja, Karosta, which is expected to create around 90 new jobs. The company is investing EUR 6.2 million in the construction of the new plant. The Danish company started its operations in Liepaja 20 years ago and has been developing its production in the territory of Karosta Industrial Park for several years.
"As production capacity increases, the number of employees also increases, so the existing 27,000 square meters in Jensen Metal Ltd has become too narrow. A third production facility is under construction, which will open up opportunities for further development and growth. Both an office and a production facility are planned on almost 6,000 square metres. We can take more orders, execute them more quickly and more efficiently," says head of the office of Jensen Metal, Anita Smilkts.
After the collapse of the once grand metalworking plant Liepājas Metalurgs, Karosta Industrial Park became a potential location for industrial development. The idea was executed, the streets and other necessary infrastructure were arranged, and investors were found for these territories, continues Uldis Hmieļevskis (Liepaja Party), Liepāja Special Economic Area Manager.
"Personally, I am very happy that we have managed to convince entrepreneurs, including Latvian entrepreneurs, that historical values should be preserved, and in one of the industrial buildings the historical facades of tsarist buildings have been integrated. This example has made many more entrepreneurs want to integrate more old buildings into their production workshops in a similar way. These will not be ruins, but interesting production buildings with historic facades," said Hmielevskis.
Over the last few years, more than 500 new jobs have been created in the Karosta district, which has also led to changes in the urban environment and people's habits.
"Traffic is much busier and denser than it was a few years ago. People are traveling to and from Karosta. We also see people buying apartments in Karosta - if you work in one of the companies in Karosta, you have no motivation to drive all the way across the city. The everyday life of Karosta is also becoming more crowded, which can create other development opportunities," says Hmieļevskis.
There are still several plots of land available for industrial development in the Karosta, Hmielevskis points out. Three companies operate in the Karosta - Jensen Metal, already mentioned; Interspiro Production, an experienced manufacturer of diving and fire-fighting equipment; and the newest company, Golden Fields Factory LV, a protein producer and processor of peas and beans.
