ISTANBUL, January 17, 2026
Turkey Unveils Plan for Massive Industrial Expansion Across 13 Provinces
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A new master plan aims to dramatically increase Turkey’s industrial capacity, shifting focus away from the congested Marmara region.
- Turkey announced 16 new industrial investment areas totaling 59,000 hectares.
- The areas, located on the Samsun-Mersin line, are intended to be 11 times larger than existing Organized Industrial Zones (OIZs).
- The initiative seeks to alleviate industrial concentration in the Marmara region and capitalize on new trade routes.
- The Industrial Areas Master Plan aims to expand planned industrial areas from 160,000 to 350,000 hectares over the next 30 years.
Turkey is betting big on industrial growth, unveiling plans to create sprawling new investment zones across 13 provinces. Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır announced the initiative in the Official Gazette, detailing 16 new industrial areas encompassing a total of 59,000 hectares along the Samsun-Mersin corridor. This expansion represents a 37 percent increase to the country’s current planned industrial capacity.
Shifting the Industrial Landscape
The move is a deliberate attempt to redistribute industry away from the heavily populated and often congested Marmara region. “While positioning our Istanbul as the ‘mind center’ of our industry, we also aim to expand our industry stuck in Marmara in Anatolia,” stated Minister Kacır, adding that the new zones will leverage opportunities presented by the Development Road and Zengezur projects to enhance global connectivity.
What factors influenced the selection of these locations? The master plan considered a range of critical elements, including earthquake and disaster risks, efficient water resource management, land suitability, agricultural impact, proximity to rail networks, and opportunities for sectoral clustering. The goal, according to Minister Kacır, is to provide industrialists with “safe investment places with strong infrastructure and logistics connections at the most affordable cost.”
A 30-Year Vision
The Industrial Areas Master Plan isn’t just about immediate expansion; it’s a long-term strategy. The plan aims to increase the total size of planned industrial areas from the current 160,000 hectares to a substantial 350,000 hectares over the next three decades. “We have prepared the Industrial Areas Master Plan, which will shed light on the next 30 years of our industry,” explained Minister Kacır.
The new investment areas are located in Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Eskişehir, Hatay, Karaman, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kırşehir, Konya, Nevşehir, Niğde and Yozgat. These zones will prioritize infrastructure development, including connections to railways and ports, alongside essential social facilities like employee housing and specialized industrial and technology colleges for families.
Minister Kacır expressed optimism about the project’s success, stating, “With this historical step, we have brought an additional area of 37 percent of our current planned industrial area size to our country’s industry with the announcement published in today’s Official Gazette.”
