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Global trade and special economic zone network
Supporting international innovation and investment within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical drug development, manufacturing, and global supply chain industry.
Global trade and special economic zones are designated geographic areas that offer specialized customs procedures and duty advantages to support trade and manufacturing.
These zones help biotechnology and pharmaceutical drug development companies reduce costs, streamline operations, and improve the efficiency of their global supply chains.
Our network of global trade and special economic zones spans 11 strategically located sites across four countries and includes five zone types:
With customized zone strategies, expert regulatory guidance, and end-to-end logistics support, Thermo Fisher makes operating within these zones simple, compliant, and efficient.
Zone benefits at a glance:
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Asia Pacific (APAC)
Location
Ahmedabad, India (Domestic Tariff Area)
Capabilities:
Clinical supply solutions
Economic Zone(s):
DTA
Domestic tariff area
Location
Ahmedabad, India (Special Economic Zone)
Capabilities:
Clinical supply solutions
Economic Zone(s):
SEZ
Special economic zone
Location
Suzhou, China (Free Trade Zone)
Capabilities:
Clinical supply solutions
Economic Zone(s):
FRZ
Free trade zone
Latin America (LatAm)
North America (AMER)
Location
Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA
Capabilities:
Clinical supply solutions
Economic Zone(s):
FTZ
Foreign trade zone
Location
Frederick, Maryland, USA
Capabilities:
Clinical supply solutions
Economic Zone(s):
FTZ
Foreign trade zone
Location
Florence, South Carolina (East), USA
Capabilities:
Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)
Economic Zone(s):
FTZ
Foreign trade zone
Location
Florence, South Carolina (West), USA
Capabilities:
Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)
Economic Zone(s):
FTZ
Foreign trade zone
Location
Greenville, North Carolina, USA
Capabilities:
Steriles
Economic Zone(s):
FTZ
Foreign trade zone
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Capabilities:
Oral solid dose
Economic Zone(s):
FTZ
Foreign trade zone
Location
High Point, North Carolina, USA
Capabilities:
Softgels
Economic Zone(s):
FTZ
Foreign trade zone
Location
Location
Manatí, Puerto Rico, USA
Capabilities:
Oral solid dose
Economic Zone(s):
FTZ
Foreign trade zone
Europe Middle East Africa (EMEA)
Location
Location
Horsham, United Kingdom
Capabilities:
Clinical supply solutions
Economic Zone(s):
CW
Customs warehouse
Thermo Fisher Scientific's Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) is a secure area that allows biotech and pharma companies to import raw materials, APIs, drug products, and components without paying duties or taxes upfront.
Materials can be stored, processed, or manufactured within the zone, with duties applied only when the finished product enters US commerce. In some cases, those duties can be reduced or eliminated.
Benefits of Foreign Trade Zones:
- Defer or eliminate duties
- Accelerate clinical timelines
- Reduce regulatory risk
- Mitigate supply challenges
- Ensure GMP compliance
- Centralized trade management
Foreign Trade Zone locations:
- Cincinnati, OH, US
- High Point, NC, US
- Allentown, PA, US
- Frederick, MD, US
- Greenville, NC, US
- Florence, SC, US
- Manatí, Puerto Rico, US
Free Trade Zones provide regulatory flexibility, customs efficiencies, and tax deferral benefits to support Global-to-China (G2C) and China-to-Global (C2G) operations.
Thermo Fisher Scientific's Suzhou, China, site supports packaging and labeling of clinical trial materials for domestic and international multicenter studies while deferring certain regulatory licensing requirements, reducing lead times, and improving cash flow.
Additionally, the Suzhou depot operates under a flexible offshore international trade model aligned with the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) policies.
Benefits of Free Trade Zone:
- Faster, more flexible operations
- Cross-border cash flow benefits
- Packaging and labeling for trials
- Compliant with trade regulations
- Located in industrial hub of China
Free Trade Zone location:
Suzhou, China
Import customs duties and value-added tax (VAT) on investigational medicinal products, clinical ancillary materials, and commercial materials can significantly affect the cost and logistical efficiency of pharmaceutical supply chains in the UK.
Our Customs Warehouse enables the suspension or deferral of these duties and fees while supporting long-term storage, preserving product quality, and integrating seamlessly with our transportation services to improve supply chain resilience.
Benefits of Customs Warehouse:
- Suspend or defer customs duties
- Suspend or defer value-added tax
- Supports long-term product storage
- Integrates with transportation services
- Reduce overall program costs
- Hyper-local UK regulatory expertise
Customs Warehouse location:
Horsham, UK
Our Ahmedabad site operates within a designated Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which is treated as outside India's domestic customs territory.
This provides tax advantages, duty exemptions, and streamlined regulations that enable duty-free imports, simplified international shipments, and a flexible, cost-efficient environment for global and multi-country clinical trials.
Goods moving between SEZs and Domestic Tariff Areas (DTAs) are treated as imports or exports under standard customs regulations.
Benefits of Special Economic Zone:
- Leverage available tax advantages
- Simplify regulatory compliance
- Provides export-focused incentives
- Lower overall operating costs
- Streamline access to global markets
Special Economic Zone location:
Ahmedabad, India
Our Ahmedabad Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) site operates within India's standard trade, tax, and customs framework, serving the domestic market with goods subject to standard duties.
The site supports India-only clinical trials through compliant import and export processes, domestic distribution, and local investigator support.
Goods moving between DTAs and Special Economic Zones (SEZs)—including our other Ahmedabad SEZ site—are treated as imports or exports under standard customs regulations.
Benefits of Domestic Tariff Area:
- Simplified access to domestic market
- Streamlined in-country distribution
- Guidance with regulatory processes
- Faster delivery of clinical materials
- Reliable local operations within India
Domestic Tariff Area location:
Ahmedabad, India
Explore our network of global trade and special economic zones
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio, US
Capabilities: Oral solid dose
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Location
High Point, North Carolina, US
Capabilities: Softgels
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Location
Allentown, PA, US
Capabilities: Clinical supply solutions
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Location
Frederick, Maryland, US
Capabilities: Clinical supply solutions
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Location
Greenville, North Carolina, US
Capabilities: Steriles
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Location
Florence, South Carolina (East), US
Capabilities: Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Location
Manatí, Puerto Rico
Capabilities: Oral solid dose
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Economic Zone: FTZ Foreign trade zone
Location
Suzhou, CN (Free Trade Zone)
Capabilities: Clinical supply solutions
Economic Zone: FRZ Free trade zone
Economic Zone: FRZ Free trade zone
Location
Horsham, United Kingdom
Capabilities: Clinical supply solutions
Economic Zone: CW Customs warehouse
Location
Ahmedabad, India (Special Economic Zone)
Capabilities: Clinical supply solutions
Economic Zone: SEZ Special economic zone
Location
Ahmedabad, IN (Domestic Tariff Area)
Capabilities: Clinical supply solutions
Economic Zone: DTA Domestic tariff area
Which zone is right for your drug development program?
| Zone type | Location | Best suited for | Key benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) | US | US clinical trials and manufacturing | Defer, reduce, or potentially eliminate duties |
| Free Trade Zone | Suzhou, China | Global-to-China and China-to-Global clinical supply | Tax deferral and cross-border cash flow benefits |
| Customs Warehouse | Horsham, UK | UK storage and supply | Suspend or defer customs duties and VAT |
| Special Economic Zone (SEZ) | Ahmedabad, India | Global and multi-country clinical trials | Duty exemptions and available tax advantages |
| Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) | Ahmedabad, India | India-only clinical trials and domestic supply | Simplified access to the Indian domestic market |
Frequently asked questions about global trade and special economic zones:
A Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) is a secure, designated area in the US where imported goods can be stored, processed, or manufactured without paying duties or taxes upfront. Duties are generally applied when products enter US commerce and may, in some cases, be reduced or eliminated.
Both offer customs and duty advantages but operate under different country-specific frameworks. US Foreign Trade Zones can defer duties until products enter US commerce, while our Free Trade Zone in Suzhou, China, provides customs efficiencies, regulatory flexibility, and tax deferral benefits for Global-to-China and China-to-Global operations.
A Customs Warehouse allows eligible imported goods to be stored while applicable customs duties and VAT are suspended or deferred. Our Horsham, UK, Customs Warehouse also supports long-term storage and integrates with transportation services to improve supply chain efficiency.
A Special Economic Zone (SEZ) operates under specialized customs, tax, and regulatory rules. Our Ahmedabad SEZ is treated as outside India’s domestic customs territory, enabling duty-free imports, available tax advantages, and simplified international shipments for global and multi-country clinical trials.
A Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) operates within India’s standard trade, tax, and customs framework. Our Ahmedabad DTA supports India-only clinical trials through compliant import and export processes, domestic distribution, and local investigator support.