Cultivating a community of global publishers in Sharjah

This focus creates a truly innovative and progressive publishing ecosystem designed to streamline operations, and by consolidating services often fragmented across different providers, the free zone aims to simplify the entire publishing lifecycle. Publishers operating within the zone can access support ranging from initial business setup and licensing through to the practicalities of book production, printing, and crucially, navigating distribution channels, creating a potentially more efficient operational environment.

Commenting on their role within the evolving publishing landscape, Saif Al Suwaidi, Director of SPC Free Zone, stated: “Our vision extends beyond providing infrastructure and we are focused on building a synergistic ecosystem where publishers, regardless of scale, can overcome market barriers. By integrating essential services and fostering collaboration; from access to skilled professionals to leveraging technology like print-on-demand and global distribution networks; we aim to create a more streamlined, sustainable, and ultimately more accessible environment for the creation and dissemination of knowledge worldwide.”

Strengthening the publishing community

A key aspect of this model is the provision of comprehensive support and full turn-key resources within a concentrated community. Housing over 800 publishing houses, including a substantial contingent of more than 400 Arab publishers, SPC Free Zone facilitates networking and collaboration, as well as nurturing excellence within publishing. Access to a shared pool of professional resources; including translators, editors, and designers; is presented as a unique benefit, aiming to support publishers through each stage of bringing a book to market.

Addressing industry-wide concerns about cost and sustainability, the free zone promotes cost-effective solutions and sustainable practices. Central to this is the adoption of print-on-demand technology, which currently produces an average of 600,000 to 800,000 print-on-demand copies each month. This essentially allows publishers to reduce upfront printing costs and minimise warehousing needs by producing books closer to the point of sale. Furthermore, mechanisms are in place, involving partnerships with book sales outlets, to help publishers manage excess inventory through significant discounting (reportedly up to 90% off), aiming to reduce financial losses and unsold stock waste.

Facilitating accessibility to the global market

Expanding market access remains critical for publishers, and the free zone facilitates global reach and strategic partnerships, offering participants access to a claimed customer base exceeding 45,000 buyers worldwide. Recent collaborations, such as the integration with Amazon’s global sales platform, illustrate a strategy where the zone handles the printing and fulfillment logistics for orders generated through these partnerships, potentially simplifying international distribution for resident publishers.

To attract new entrants, attractive startup packages are also made available, and the current package priced at AED 6,875 (VAT inclusive), bundles essential services like coworking space, a business license, an investor visa, share certification, e-channel registration, immigration processing, medical screening, Emirates ID, and change of status services. This bundling aims to lower the administrative and cost barriers to establishing a publishing business within the zone. Publishers opting for this package commit to publishing a minimum of five titles annually, contributing to the zone's active publishing output.

The scale of activity within SPC Free Zone is notable, with resident publishing houses collectively responsible for 18 million titles. This concentration suggests it has become a significant hub within the global publishing sector, demonstrating a model focused on providing integrated services and infrastructure specifically tailored to the unique needs of publishers navigating a rapidly changing industry. Its approach reflects broader trends towards specialisation and efficiency within creative and knowledge-based economies.