Sharjah Publishing City inks pact with global publishers

SHARJAH: The Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone (SPC Free Zone) has secured over ten promising partnerships with esteemed Arab and international publishers.

The entities from Sweden, Egypt, and Algeria have elected to establish branches of their publishing houses in the emirate of Sharjah, to benefit from its comprehensive services and ecosystem that cater to investors in the publishing and creative industries, enabling them to access global markets.

Participating under the Sharjah Book Authority pavilion, at the 32nd edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF), SPCFZ held a series of meetings with more than 50 publishers from around the globe interested in opening branches in Sharjah, and highlighted the emirate’s efforts and facilities designed to support the publishing and creative industries.

SPCFZ has more than 2,000 companies from 60 countries operating in the free zone, creating a vast network while offering a wide range of services beneficial to publishers to operate and conduct their business with ease.

It also highlighted its services such as translation, distribution, and book promotion, as well as printing, shipping and facilitating commercial licences.

The free zone also underscored its initiatives and endeavour in advancing the book and knowledge sector. By fostering an environment conducive to a wide array of publishing, printing, and aligned enterprises, this pioneering free zone aims to provide a fertile ground for the establishment, expansion, and exploration of new markets, propelling the global publishing industry to even greater heights.

The visitors were presented with a comprehensive introduction to the many benefits of joining SPCFZ, including highly competitive rental rates, cuting-edge shipping services, and state-of-the-art office spaces equipped with the latest technologies.

Mansour Al Hassani, Director of Publisher Services at SBA, and Acting Director of SPCFZ, said, “SPCFZ’S active engagement in local and internationalexhibitionsformsapivotalcomponent of our overarching strategy, aimed at amplifying awareness of the emirate’s visionary aspirations. Through these plaforms, we showcase the many appealing services, facilities, opportunities, and workspaces that Sharjah provides, atracting a great number of publishers and investors within the creative and knowledge industries.”

Expanding on the role SPCFZ plays in the emirate, Al Hassani stated, “Our commitment is to promote Sharjah’s esteemed status and vital role as a global hub that supports and stimulates the book industry.