Bulletin 407 - Friday, February 6, 2009

Coahuila, Mexico,- General Motors announced they will lay off around 600 workers from their plant in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, due to fewer orders, mainly for the export market. Angel Antonio Sanchez, GM's spokesman, informed in an interview that most workers to be laid off are permanent workers and a severance payment will be made as stated by law, Layoffs will take place "in stages between February and March". Therefore, after a series of technical stoppages which will be over next February 16, the announced personnel cut will start, unless there is a change in the number of orders for General Motors. Angel Antonio Sanchez informed that in Ramos Arizpe Complex there will be around 4 thousand people working and no further personnel cuts are expected to be made this year.

Source: Vanguardia

Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila,- At least four new investments are expected in Ramos Arizpe next year,some of them completely unrelated to automotive industry, because indicators are not very encouraging for said sector. After acknowledging that there is out-of-the-record information about several layoffs in companies located here, City Mayor Ricardo Aguirre Gutierrez said that conditions are expected to improve for the production sector and avoid losing jobs. "We have information about three to four companies that might arrive in 2009 and some that will start operating in January have already started recruitment, such as Lennox and Bic; these investments are not related to automotive industry, which guarantees there will be employment. He said they do not know yet the number of people who lost their jobs due to the crisis in automobiles assemblers, which implemented technical stoppages that keep more than 30 thousand idle workers, receiving 50% of their salaries.

Source: Milenio

Puebla Puebla,- After starting activities on January 12, Volkswagen de Mexico ended the first month of 2009 with a production volume of 20 thousand 011 unit,s plus 94 heavy trucks, in twelve working days. The model with the largest production was Bora with 8 thousand 706 units, followed by Bora SportWagen with 5 thousand 315. In the third place there is Jetta with 3 thousand 556 units and finally New Beetle with 2 thousand 434. This production volume corresponds to a reduced demand in international markets. By markets, production in January 2009 was distributed as follows: United States 6 thousand 756, Canada 1,030, South America 593 and 4,864 for the Mexican market (including trucks) and for Europe and the rest of the world 6 thousand 862.

Source: VW

Horst Engineering and Manufacturing Co, of East Hartford Connecticut will establish a new manufacturing facility in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico under The Offshore Group's Shelter Program. The company will lease 18,326 square feet of industrial space at the Roca Fuerte Industrial Park. This move will substantially expand Horst's capacity to produce close tolerance precision-machined aerospace and medical components. Simultaneously, Horst officials reported that the company would be increasing its recruiting activities in Connecticut, and will be seeking to add experienced manufacturing employees to handle anticipated sales growth, particularly in the aerospace and medical products industries. When fully staffed, Horst Engineering de Mexico will employ approximately 50 individuals at the new facility in Guaymas This factory will replace a smaller Horst Engineering facility at Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. About half of the employees from the Nogales operation will take positions in Guaymas. "The new factory will help to us lay the groundwork for future expansion and will allow us service customers in Mexico and the Southwestern U.S. , as well as to develop new and profitable relationships with others; relationships we expect will benefit the operations in Connecticut as well as in Mexico," said Scott Livingston, Horst Engineering Chief Executive Officer. The Guaymas facility will also augment our international presence. This an increasingly important consideration for a number of our customers." Horst Engineering, founded in 1946, is a contract manufacturer of precision machined components and assemblies for high technology industries. Its core processes include Swiss screw machining, turning, milling, thread rolling, centerless grinding, and assembly.

Source: www.offshoregroup.com

San Luis Potosi, Mexico,- With the kickoff of the construction of the premises that will lodge. Metrican Estampados, a Canadian-based company, San Luis Potosi Government keeps on taking significant steps in the right direction to protect employment and give support to families' income. San Luis Potosi Governor Marcelo de los Santos Fraga, Remo Tony Gigliotti, Metrican Group Vice-president, and Carlos F. Barcena Pous, Minister of Economic Development, among others, attended the ceremony. This Plant will produce metal stamps of the highest quality for the industry within 200 to 600 tons range, with activities mainly focused on the automotive industry. This company will generate around 175 quality jobs and additional investments for US$15 million in one of the strategic sectors that the State Government is permanently fostering, due to effects of production chain in said sector, mainly companies such as Magna, Faurecia, General Motors, Nissan, Chrysler, BMW, Volkswagen and General Electric, among others.

Source: SEDECO

Hermosillo, Sonora,- After a 45-day technical stoppage, 2 thousand 538 workers from Ford Motor Company went back to work yesterday, though with a reduced production. Ricardo Martinez, Leader of Ford Workers Union, said that even if they kept 92% of the labor force here, unlike other Ford factories, there is uncertainty because the world crisis is worsening. "It is obvious that this is a complicated situation, both in the Company's economy and in the world market; as a matter of fact, we are concerned about this", he said. The technical stoppage started last December 12 and simultaneously 162 workers were laid off, out of 2 thousand 700; therefore a 92% of the labor force was kept, i.e. 2 thousand 538 workers who went back to work today in three shifts.

Source: El Diario