(Originally published on Aug. 19, 2025)
In the logistical heart of Guatemala’s Pacific coast, just a few minutes from Puerto Quetzal, the Quetzal Free Zone (ZLQ) Special Public Economic Development Zone has demonstrated that investment and development can move forward steadily and yield tangible results in a short period of time.
After just a year and a half of operations in San José, Escuintla, it already has 18 active users in sectors as diverse as vehicle storage and sales, logistics, home appliance assembly, and specialized services.
Access to the ZDEEP Quetzal Free Zone.
Today, 335,000 m² are fully operational—equivalent to more than 47 professional soccer fields—with a cumulative investment exceeding Q250 million. “ZLQ is a hotbed of opportunities for industry and employment,”, says Andrés Sandoval, CEO of the Zone. The figures back up his words: more than 530 direct and indirect jobs have been created to date, and that number will grow with the arrival of new companies in the coming months.
More than just an industrial hub, ZLQ has become a driving force for social transformation.
In the local community, workers who used to be bricklayers are now warehouse managers or forklift operators, thanks to the demand for skilled labor and efforts to develop new skills. “The most important thing is to see how progress reaches people”, Sandoval emphasizes.
The ZDEEP ZLQ is located 4 kilometers from Puerto Quetzal.
The strategic location of the ZDEEP Quetzal Free Trade Zone is key to its growth; just 4 kilometers from Puerto Quetzal, it offers users direct access to international shipping routes, reducing logistics costs and improving competitiveness.
This, combined with the special tax and customs regime offered by the ZDEEP,
makes ZLQ an attractive destination for industrial investors,
retail and service businesses.
ZDEEP ZLQ has created new jobs in the region.