In August, Klaipėda Free Economic Zone (FEZ) Management Company signed a general contracting agreement with Binkauskas ir Stašinskas and began construction of FlexStart 04, the fourth manufacturing and administrative building in the FlexStart family, designed to be adapted to tenants’ needs quickly. The 9200 sqm project represents an investment of approximately €8.5 million, with completion expected in June 2027.
Having fully leased the first three FlexStart buildings to international and Lithuanian investors, Klaipėda FEZ is taking the next step in developing the concept. At 33 Pramonės street, next to the first three FlexStart buildings, construction has begun on FlexStart 04, a project divided into four independent blocks that can be connected if required.
Designed by WALL architectural studio (architects Donatas Laucius and Vilmantas Bavarskis), the building will feature four independent manufacturing blocks, each comprising 2000 sqm of manufacturing space and 300 sqm of administrative space.
The spaces within each manufacturing block are designed as an integrated whole with the respective administrative areas and mezzanines, which are connected into a single functional structure. This will ensure a seamless relationship between manufacturing and administrative processes.
The architectural focal point of the industrial building will be its prominent glazed façades with vertical fins and contrasting finishes. Green areas and employee recreation spaces will surround the building, while convenient bicycle and car parking facilities and EV charging points will also be provided.
According to the architects, the project will become the fourth manufacturing building in a systematically and consistently developed streetscape. Its architectural expression has therefore been deliberately aligned with the existing urban structure, maintaining a continuous rhythm of industrial volumes and a clear functional logic within the composition of this section of the street.
According to Darius Urbonas, FlexStart Project Manager at Klaipėda FEZ, there is demand in the market for new modern premises both from existing FEZ investors looking to expand and from potential new Lithuanian and international clients.
“The market is not easy and decisions are being made more slowly. However, our experience shows that it is possible to attract clients by offering a high-quality, flexible manufacturing product that is ready for a fast start. This is precisely the essence of the FlexStart model: giving companies the opportunity to start operations significantly faster than if they were developing a factory from scratch themselves. The FlexStart 04 concept is designed so that, after signing an agreement, a tenant can be ready to start operations in approximately one to two months,” says Darius Urbonas.
The first three FlexStart buildings are home to Lithuanian and international companies from a range of sectors, including German hydraulic solutions manufacturer HAWE Hydraulik, UK-owned electromechanical components manufacturer Albright Lietuva, fragrance development and manufacturing company Aromatic 89, modular scaffolding and technical insulation solutions provider ITCC, ballistic protection equipment developer Kovo Armor, furniture company POD Furniture and packaging manufacturer Retal Baltic Films.
Eimantas Kiudulas, CEO of Klaipėda FEZ, says that the FlexStart building family could expand further in the future. For now though, the FEZ management company wants to focus more attention on transforming the wider territory, developing the Curonia campus and building high-value-added ecosystems.
“We consider this family of buildings a success story, but for some time now we have also been preparing for the future of a new-generation Klaipėda FEZ, with an even stronger focus on innovation, creator communities, developing and sharing expertise, startups and an attractive environment. This year, we introduced Curonia, a campus for offices, laboratories and manufacturing, as well as an urban vision for the transformation of part of the FEZ territory. We believe that over time, Klaipėda FEZ will increasingly be seen as a place where not only products, but ideas are born,” says Eimantas Kiudulas.
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