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SHOWCASEMALTA
EXPO 2020 DUBAI
Indis Malta
Harmony and counterpoint in industrial property If one were to play a game of word association, ‘sustainability’ would hardly be the average response to the stimulus ‘industrial property’. And yet, when speaking to Showcase Dubai, INDIS Malta Chairman Dr Jean Pierre Attard quickly made that association. And, as the interview evolved, the logic was flawless: a sustainable environment makes for happy workers which makes for a profitable industry. Evolution
Previously operating as Malta Industrial Parks Ltd (MIP), INDIS Malta has evolved over time, now focusing more on its core vision: supporting investment. In its previous guise, its portfolio of properties comprised mainly factories used by the various niches within the traditional manufacturing industry, as well as two villages dedicated to local artisans. As Malta’s economic repertoire expanded, particularly with the opportunities afforded by accession into the European Union and the eurozone, the portfolio needed to change into a more flexible and dynamic one, a portfolio that would adapt as quickly to market needs as the market itself. Nowadays, INDIS Malta also provides other facilities that facilitate further growth in the newer industries, such as laboratories for the life sciences industry, hangars for the aviation clusters, as well as office type space for the ICT and other knowledge-intensive industries. Innovation
INDIS Malta’s support of investment comes through the continuous development and management of qualitative, sustainable, and industrial innovative property solutions. “While we are concerned with the present needs as we have to address the current shortages in industrial properties, our eyes are also firmly fixed on the future. Thus, besides ensuring we have the amount of space the country needs to keep developing and growing, we also want to provide it with the kind of development that caters for its future needs,” said Dr Attard. INDIS Malta, he added, has embarked on a number of projects aimed at ensuring that the necessary infrastructure is available. This innovative trend was the direct result of foreign direct investment requirements. Malta’s agility in servicing the needs of a fast-changing market enabled it to accommodate further growth for those who are already operating in the country and keep attracting new investment. This meant that more wealth and prosperity could be generated and, in turn, ploughed back into the burgeoning economy. To support this economic activity and facilitate further growth, INDIS Malta provided the infrastructure that private businesses operating in a variety of industries required. “In so doing, we had one major stumbling block to overcome: the lack of readily-available properties that investors could start operating from within a short period of time,” noted Dr Attard. This slowed down an enviable growth rate since investors wanted to hit the ground running without unnecessary delays.
j Nowadays, INDIS Malta
also provides other facilities that facilitate further growth in the newer industries, such as laboratories for the life sciences industry, hangars for the aviation clusters, as well as office type space for the ICT and other knowledgeintensive industries.