Bulletin 387 - Friday, September 19, 2008

Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua,- Flextronics industrial complex in Ciudad Juarez is heading to become. leader in the generation of jobs with high value added in the border, because they have finished their third plant and are getting ready for the formal opening next month. There are two plants in full operation at the campus, the third plant has been finished and they are getting ready for the fourth building. Also, from the 2 thousand employees the Company has now, the idea is having more than 10 thousand people working there in the medium term, as was recently explained by Gabriel Macias, Flextronics General Manager in Ciudad Juarez to a business publication. Flextronics currently has more than 20 thousand employees all over Mexico and more than 200,000 in the whole world. After Solectron was purchased, the plant this company had in Chihuahua was closed and operations were distributed among several plants in Mexico, per Flextronics' needs. Solectron added around US$9 billion to Flextronics' sales, which will show in 2009 profit.

Source: Juarezpress

Mexico,- Sony Mexico inaugurated its second Sony Style store in Mexico where, they assure, customers will profit from the experience on all of Sony's line of products in one sole place. Sony Style Store Arcos offers benefits such as renting films in Blue-ray format, technical service and special courses to show tricks for equipment and connectivity among different devices to help customers get the most from their products. The main purpose of this new store is providing consulting services to customers, listening to their needs and comments to offer personal, customized service. A wide products catalogue will also be available, standing out new OLED screens, 3 millimeters thick, Bravia TV sets and Vaio laptops, as well as equipment from Sony-BMG Music Entertainment and cell phones manufacturer Sony-Ericsson.

Source: El Financiero

Ciudad Juarez, Chih,- Two new maquiladora plants are being built in Juarez. One is Intermatic, from Illinois, which manufactures electronic devices, and the other one is Strattec, which was already established in Ciudad Juarez. According to a report by Intermex, Intermatic is raising a building in Boulevard Independencia and Strattec, from Milwaukee, is doing it in Los Aztecas Industrial Park; construction started last July. Strattec is a world company which manufactures closing mechanisms for car doors and start mechanisms, and has presence in several countries, including Mexico. Intermatic manufactures mechanisms for outdoors home lighting, industrial clocks, sensors dusk-to-dawn lighting controls, etcetera. In addition to these two companies MENLO LOGISTCS - based in California, USA - opened a subsidiary Santa Teresa, New Mexico, and will generate around 100 direct jobs, informed Steve Vierck, Chairman of Mesilla Valley Economic Alliance.

Source: Juarezpress.com

SLP,- Mr Belden Elizondo, President of Industrias Gesta, devoted to plastic injection, talked. about the road this Company has travelled in the 17 years since the business started, from the manufacture of vouchers printers to the manufacture of auto parts for General Motors. "We started with 20 people manufacturing credit card voucher printers, with a couple of very old plastic injectors. In 1996 we realized we could be taken out of business, and our task was then to get in touch with maquila industry to provide plastic injection services". This Company, which started with 20 workers, has now in its payroll 240 people, who work seven days per week in three shifts. "After obtaining QS 9000 certification, given by automotive industry, in 1999, we worked on and were certified on TS 16 C49, a new standard in the automotive industry. In 2007 we started supplying products to General Motors and we will soon start supplying Chrysler. We knocked on several doors for 10 years, until they started opening". The Company is now getting ready to open a new industrial and automotive plastic injection plant in San Luis Potosi, with a US$5 million investment. Belden Elizondo said that the automotive market is diversified; the Company is supplier for General Motors and is negotiating with Chrysler.

Source: Milenio

In addition to the US$251 million investment announced early this year, Kansas City Southern. Mexico (KCSM) will invest US$300 million in the construction of a new intermodal terminal. Jose Zozaya, President of this railroad in Mexico, said in an interview that this will be the most modern terminal in Latin America, and the purpose is to increase competitiveness and improve the system, as well as increasing containers handling. "We are about to close the operation of the land and after all red tape is completed we will start the construction, which process will be faster". The investment will amount to US$80 million (resources included in forecasts for this year) and will be located in a 180 hectares plot of land in Isla de Las Palmas, where the strategic fiscal yard will be located. These works are expected to have capacity for up to two million containers per year and will provide for more efficiency in cargo handling and transportation and lower costs. The main goods to be handled will be grains, minerals, refrigerated food, automotive parts, garments, watches, clocks, home appliances and vehicles.

Source: Milenio

Monterrey, Mexico,- President Felipe Calderon inaugurated yesterday the second stage of Monterrey II Electric Power Generation Plant of the company Bioenergía de Nuevo León (Benlesa), which uses methane gas released by the landfill of the Integral System for Ecological Management and Waste Processing, Sistema Integral para el Manejo Ecológico y Procesamiento de Desechos (Simeprode). With a US$7.5 million investment, the plant is increasing its capacity by 5.3 megawatts, going from 7.42 to 12.72 megawatts. Natividad Gonzalez Paras, Nuevo Leon State Governor, said that power generated in this plant, in addition to going to private organizations, is also used for public lighting in the municipalities at the metropolitan area, as well as in some suburbs, public administration offices and Monterrey water and sewage facilities. "Monterrey II Plant is the best role model for other metropolitan areas and other municipalities… with more of these works we will be fostering investment that is not only profitable, but that allows for timely and safe electric power supply, as well as a cleaner planet which controls its natural wealth", he assured.

Source: El Norte