Acer computers and laptops will be manufactured in the SEZ PIT Alatau
XFinity Solutions, the partner in the localization project for Acer assembly lines in the Republic of Kazakhstan, has signed an agreement and received resident status in the SEZ “PIT.”
In June 2023, Astana hosted the launch presentation of Acer’s computer equipment production line in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The project partner is XFinity Solutions, a Kazakhstani manufacturer of computer equipment and a system integrator of solutions in the IT and security sectors.
The production of computers (EVM) and peripheral equipment is included in the list of priority activities for participants of the Special Economic Zone “Park of Innovative Technologies.”
To expand its current production facilities and gain access to the technopark infrastructure, on July 19, 2023, XFinity Solutions LLP signed an Agreement on Carrying Out Activities as a Participant of the Special Economic Zone. Resident status will allow the company to more effectively export finished Acer products to neighboring countries by receiving tax and customs preferences. Officially, on July 25, 2023, XFinity Solutions was granted the status of SEZ participant.
In the first stage of cooperation, the Alatau Technopark is providing production facilities of 1,200 m². Under the contract terms, the relocation of production must be completed within 12 months. XFinity Solutions plans to transfer the assembly lines to the provided site by the end of 2023. At the second stage, in 2024–2025, the company plans to invest in the construction of a production and warehouse complex of up to 5,000 m² on the allocated land plot in the technopark.
The SEZ “PIT” is one of the key platforms in the Republic of Kazakhstan for developing an industrial-innovative ecosystem in the following sectors: medical devices and equipment, pharmaceuticals, information and communication technologies, telecommunications and communications technologies, electronics and instrumentation, renewable energy, resource-saving and efficient environmental management, materials production technologies, and technologies in the extraction, transportation, and processing of oil and gas.
Resident status in the SEZ “PIT” provides advantages in trade and investment attraction and offers tax benefits, specifically exemptions from:
- corporate income tax;
- social tax;
- land tax;
- property tax;
- value-added tax (VAT) on the sale of goods and services within the SEZ.
Along with tax incentives, the SEZ “PIT” offers production and office spaces, land plots equipped with all necessary infrastructure (telecommunications, gas, electricity, water supply, etc.) for developing new production facilities.
Olzhas Sartayev, CEO of Alatau Technopark LLP:
“The main goals of the Special Economic Zone are to attract new technologies and to provide comprehensive support and growth for new enterprises. The SEZ operates under customs regimes that allow resident companies to receive goods for their own needs without customs duties. There are also exemptions from customs duties and VAT on exports. These regulations, along with the SEZ’s advantageous location, will positively affect the company’s export potential.”
Maksat Tulegenov, CEO of XFinity Solutions LLP:
“When planning the joint project with Acer, we initially aimed to place the assembly lines in a Special Economic Zone, since such placement has a direct impact on the final product price and simplifies logistics chains. Localizing the production of an international brand will make it possible to equip educational institutions, government organizations, and corporate clients in Kazakhstan and neighboring countries with high-quality computer equipment at affordable prices.”
At present, the first batches of components have arrived in Kazakhstan to begin manufacturing more than 3,000 units of Acer computer equipment. In the near future, the first batches of TravelMate P2 laptops, Veriton X and Veriton S computers, as well as Veriton Z all-in-one PCs will become available to consumers.
After production, the finished goods will be certified to obtain ST-KZ for the Kazakhstani market and ST-1 for export markets. All computer equipment will be labeled in accordance with the standards of the Republic of Kazakhstan and EAEU regulations. Production will be carried out under strict quality control by specialists from Acer and XFinity.
The company is currently negotiating contracts for product distribution with partners in Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Armenia. The first export shipments to these countries are expected in the near future.
The company also plans to participate and showcase finished Acer products at the “Innoprom.Kazakhstan” exhibition, which will be held at the EXPO International Exhibition Center in Astana from September 25 to 27, 2023.