Zona Franca del Cauca

What Zona Franca del Cauca does

Zona Franca del Cauca is a Colombian free trade zone operator established in December 2009 under the Ley Páez regulatory framework (Law 218 of 1995). The zone is structured as a "copropiedad empresarial" (business co-ownership) and operates four industrial parks spanning Caloto, Guachené, and Puerto Tejada in the Norte del Cauca region, approximately 19 minutes from Cali and 205 km from the Pacific port of Buenaventura. Its tenant base comprises 32 companies primarily engaged in industrial manufacturing, attracted by the regime's tax advantages: a 20% income tax rate compared to 35% nationally, 0% VAT, and 0% tariffs on imported inputs and capital goods.

The operator's core technology platform is the proprietary CIRA system, which centralizes tenant services, operational reporting, and coordination across the four parks. It has also launched LAB ZFC 4.0, an innovation laboratory aligned with Industry 4.0, intended to support tenant digital transformation. In June 2026, the zone obtained ISO 9001 quality management certification and is actively pursuing international Eco-Industrial Park (PEI) certification. The organization is lean, with 12 employees, and operates supplementary sustainability and social-equity programs (PROMESA, ZFC ProEquidad, Circular Economy initiatives) alongside talent-development partnerships with SENA and regional universities.

The business model is built on a hybrid of co-ownership, lease fees, shared-service charges, and management fees levied on tenant companies. Tenant revenue mix is concentrated in industrial manufacturing, with multiple sectors represented across the 32 installed companies. The model is asset-light relative to traditional industrial-park operators, with revenue scaling directly with tenant occupancy and the breadth of services monetized through the CIRA platform and LAB ZFC 4.0 initiatives.

Name

Zona Franca del Cauca

Legal name

Zona Franca del Cauca

Website

https://zonafrancadelcauca.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zona Franca del Cauca is a Colombian free trade zone operator in Norte del Cauca hosting 32 manufacturing companies across four industrial parks, generating revenue through co-ownership fees, leases, and shared services under the Ley Páez tax regime.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Free Trade Zone Services

SIC

Non-Operating Establishments (9995)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIACAE

Planning, Zoning, Permitting & Code Enforcement

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAIACAN

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

Keywords

• Free trade zone operations
• Industrial park leasing
• Tax incentive services
• Customs facilitation
• Eco-industrial infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Caloto

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Industrial Zone Leasing and Services: Revenue generated from leasing industrial spaces and stages to companies (usuarios industriales), along with providing infrastructure services including DIAN office, security, utilities, and operational support services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Zona Franca del Cauca is a Colombian free trade zone operating as a business co-ownership (copropiedad empresarial) that leases industrial space across four industrial parks in Norte del Cauca municipalities (Caloto, Guachené, Puerto Tejada). It provides qualifying industrial users (usuarios industriales) with a special Franco Regime offering 20% corporate income tax, 0% VAT, and 0% tariffs on foreign merchandise, alongside shared infrastructure such as a DIAN customs office, water treatment plant, 24/7 industrial security, telecommunications, and emergency response services. Currently housing 32 companies across multiple productive sectors, the zone also pursues Eco-Industrial Park certification to integrate circular economy practices.

Product overview

Zona Franca del Cauca operates as a unified industrial free trade zone ecosystem offering comprehensive business infrastructure and services. The core offering is the Zona Franca itself, providing tax incentives (20% income tax, 0% VAT/ tariffs) across 4 industrial parks. Supporting this are proprietary technology platform Plataforma CIRA, innovation lab LAB ZFC 4.0 for STEAM education, and various social and sustainability programs including PROMESA, ZFC ProEquidad, Programa de Economía Circular, and talent development initiatives. The portfolio integrates industrial infrastructure with technology, human development, and environmental sustainability services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LAB ZFC 4.0: Innovation laboratory of Zona Franca del Cauca, a strategic space designed to drive talent, creativity and technological transformation. Focuses on STEAM education, robotics and technology for children, youth, companies and institutions in the Norte del Cauca region.

Products and services

• Zona Franca del Cauca (Free Trade Zone) A free trade zone (zona franca) providing industrial infrastructure, tax benefits (20% income tax vs 35% national rate, 0% VAT and tariffs), and comprehensive business support services across 4 industrial parks housing 32 companies in Norte del Cauca, Colombia.
• Industrial Infrastructure (Infraestructura Industrial) Modular industrial spaces and parks designed for different industry types, built to national and international technical standards, available across 4 stages spanning the municipalities of Caloto, Guachené, and Puerto Tejada.
• Plataforma CIRA Proprietary technology platform developed by Zona Franca del Cauca to centralize information management, optimize processes, and strengthen interaction between administration and installed companies.
• LAB ZFC 4.0 (Innovation Laboratory) Innovation laboratory offering STEAM education, robotics, and programming training for children and youth in Norte del Cauca, fostering technological skills and talent development for the regional ecosystem.
• Shared Industrial Services Shared infrastructure services including on-site DIAN customs office, cafeteria and food services, water treatment plant (PTARD), SSI emergency services, telecommunications (telephony and internet), and 24/7 industrial security provided to installed companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% corporate income tax rate vs 35% national rate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ANDI (Asociación Nacional de Empresarios de Colombia)minorOthersInstitutional affiliation with Colombia's largest business association, providing network access and representation for the free trade zone and its member companies.
• Analdex (Asociación Nacional de Comercio Exterior)minorOthersAffiliation with Colombia's National Foreign Trade Association, supporting international trade activities and connections for zone companies.
• LAB ZFC 4.0 Strategic Allies NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLAB ZFC 4.0 works with educational institutions, public entities, companies, and organizations that contribute knowledge, resources, and opportunities. These allies share the vision of transforming the territory through innovation, expanding the lab's reach and generating greater community impact.
• SENAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical education institution partnership for human talent development, skills training, and competency strengthening for the ZFC ecosystem workforce.
• Universities and Educational InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic-articulation partnerships connecting companies with universities and research centers for joint projects, innovation, and applied knowledge development.
• CENCAUCAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup of visionary managers from CENCAUCA who initiated the free trade zone project in 2009, representing the founding vision for regional competitiveness development in Norte del Cauca.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA): One of the world's largest free trade zone operators, part of DP World, offering industrial, logistics, and trading facilities with tax incentives to multinational tenants. Represents the global benchmark for scaled FTZ operations and tenant ecosystem development.
• Shenzhen Special Economic Zone: Iconic Chinese special economic zone offering tax incentives, industrial park infrastructure, and export-oriented manufacturing support. Conceptual comparable for the FTZ/sepecial economic zone operating model that Zona Franca del Cauca applies at regional scale.
• Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZA): UAE-based free zone offering 100% foreign ownership, tax exemptions, and industrial/commercial infrastructure. Broad incumbent in the global FTZ space with substantially greater scale and tenant diversity than regional Colombian peers.

Emerging players

• Kalundborg Symbiosis: World-renowned industrial symbiosis park in Denmark where companies share resources and circular economy infrastructure. Conceptually comparable as a model for Zona Franca del Cauca's Eco-Industrial Park and circular economy initiatives, though it operates without equivalent tax-incentive framework.

Direct peers

• Zona Franca del Pacífico (Tumaco): Pacific-coast Colombian free trade zone with port adjacency and Franco Regime benefits. Competes for export-oriented tenants in southwest Colombia and provides similar industrial park infrastructure model.
• Zona Franca de Palmira: Free trade zone located in Valle del Cauca near Cali, operating under the same Colombian Franco Regime with similar manufacturing-focused positioning. Direct regional competitor in southwest Colombia.
• Zona Franca de Barranquilla: Colombian Caribbean-coast free trade zone with similar Franco Regime benefits and multi-park industrial infrastructure. Competes for manufacturing tenants seeking tax-advantaged industrial space and port logistics access.
• Zona Franca de Rionegro: Colombian free trade zone near Medellín serving manufacturing and logistics tenants under the Franco Regime. Comparable business model of multi-park industrial operations with preferential tax treatment and customs services.
• Zona Franca de Cartagena: Major Colombian free trade zone with strong port-adjacent positioning and significant tenant base across industrial sectors. Operates the same Franco Regime tax model and competes for the same export-oriented manufacturing tenants.
• Zona Franca de Bogotá: Colombia's largest and most established free trade zone operating under the same Franco Regime tax framework. Directly comparable as a domestic FTZ operator offering preferential tax rates, customs infrastructure, and industrial park space to manufacturing tenants.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ZonaFrancadelCauca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zona-franca-del-cauca
• Instagraminstagram.com/zonafrancadelcauca

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zona Franca del Cauca