Shaykh Najjar is a relatively new development and is the closest Syrian industrial center to the border with Turkey. By 2010–11, there were 1,923 companies operating in the industrial zone. About 40% of the firms inside the city are Turkish-owned. In addition to proximity, Turkish business owners benefit from tariff-free trade agreements between Syria and Turkey as well as the tariff-free exports of Turkish products made in Syria to the Arab world. Investors that open businesses inside the industrial zone are able to be assigned land and have the documents to proceed operations within 24 hours.Oxford Business Group. (2011). The Report: Syria 2011. Oxford Business Group. pp. 149–152.
