The industrial zones form part of the political agreement Red Carpet for Production Companies, which aims to strengthen Denmark’s framework conditions for manufacturing and large-scale industrial investment.

The 11 zones are located in Esbjerg, Horsens, Ikast-Brande, Kalundborg, Kerteminde, Lolland, Næstved/Vordingborg, Skive, Viborg, Aabenraa and Aalborg. Together, they connect potential production sites with regional industry strengths, infrastructure and access to Denmark’s national One-Stop Shop for production facilities.

The industrial zones are particularly relevant for foreign companies considering investment in Denmark, as they offer a combination of ready-to-use industrial land, strong infrastructure, streamlined and transparent permitting procedures, and access to a highly skilled workforce. Together, these factors reduce the time – and risks – from investment decision to operational production, which is often a decisive factor for multinational companies.

A key objective of the industrial zone initiative is to improve Denmark’s competitiveness as a production location. The designated industrial zones must either already have the necessary infrastructure in place or concrete plans to establish it, including access to electricity, water, wastewater treatment, transport links and digital connectivity.

In addition, companies investing in the zones can use a national “One stop shop” scheme, which coordinates public approvals and sets time limits of either 12 or 18 months for permit processing. This reduces regulatory uncertainty and lowers establishment costs for investors.

The industrial zones are located throughout Denmark rather than concentrated in the capital region, providing access to available land, competitive costs, regional labour markets and sector-specific industrial strengths across the country.

This balanced distribution of the industrial zones reflects a national strategy to promote growth across the whole country while maintaining high-quality infrastructure and logistics connections to the rest of Europe, including ports, highways and rail corridors.