Bulletin 420 - Friday, May 15, 2009

Chalco, State of Mexico,- The largest Coca-Cola distributor in Latin America, FEMSA, started operating a Distribution Center to serve close to 20 thousand customers in six municipalities in the east of this city adjoining Mexico City, as well as some delegations in the Federal District, to which purpose they allocated a US$20 million investment. In the inauguration, Jose Antonio Fernandez, FEMSA's President and CEO, said that this Distribution Center occupies a surface over 40 thousand square meters (430,554 square feet) and they will provide service to 190 routes in east Valle de Mexico. This Center, which will operate in Chalco, adds to the six other centers FEMSA has at the State. Storage capacity will be 335 thousand boxes in six thousand 400 square meters (68,888 square feet), the Company confirmed.

Source: T21

Matamoros, Mexico,- Matamoros Maquiladoras Association (AMM) announced they will close Rimir, a subsidiary of Delphi Corporation, which will cause the loss of one thousand 700 jobs. Monica Gonzalez, AMM Chairwoman, informed that four other Delphi plants in this border city will continue operating. "Only one company's production is being stopped; the Corporation will keep on working in Matamoros", she pointed-out. She further said that the crisis in the automotive industry all over the world was the reason why Rimir, with 20+ years operating, decided to stop working. She also informed that 20 maquiladora companies are in a technical stoppage and will remain so for at least two months more. She warned that General Motors' possible bankruptcy would worsen, even more, the situation for maquiladora plants in the automotive field.

Source: El Norte

Tokyo,- Sony announced today they are planning to end the production of LCD flat screens in the factory they own in Mexicali (Mexico) before September is over, within their restructure plan to stop losses. As a spokesman of this Japanese Company said to Efe, closing this Mexican factory would affect 600 employees, some of which could be relocated in their plant in Tijuana, even if the Company has not provided any details so far. LCD flat screens will be produced in Tijuana Plant, which also has other production lines and where Baja California operations will concentrate. With the new plan, Sony will save ¥300 billion (€3.140 billion) before the current fiscal year ends in March 2010.

Source: El Financiero

Torreon, Coahuila,- President Felipe Calderon inaugurated the new plant of Lala Group Industrial Complex, where US$100 million were invested to process dairy products. The dairy corporation officially started operations in this stage, after purchasing the US cooperative Dairy Farmers of America, the company that processes National Dairy milk. Eduardo Tricio Haro, Grupo Lala's Chairman of the Board, accepted they resorted to financing from banks for their expansion to the United States. Before President Felipe Calderon, Coahuila Governor, Humberto Moreira, and other guests, Tricio Haro said that the new plant will generate 600 specialized jobs.

Source: Vanguardia

Mexico City,- The subsidiary in Mexico of MAN, the German trucks and buses assembler opened a new Service Center in Acapulco, Guerrero, in the Mexican Pacific Coast, to meet the needs of carriers that use diesel engine vehicles. Under the management of Fernando Ruano, Autobuses Metropolitanos GR started operations in a nine thousand 600 square meters surface (around 103,333 square feet) occupied by a service workshop, offices and a sales floor, where both cargo units and buses from this German Company are already in exhibition. In the new MAN Service Center, throughout some years around MEP$30 million (some US$2.4 million) have been invested to adapt it as workshop and for the sale of heavy units, which have been in the market for some time now.

Source: El Diario de Acapulco

Washington DC, United States,- General Motors will transfer part of their production from the United States to Mexico, China and South Korea in their drastic restructure, the Washington Post informed, quoting a report presented by GM to US congressmen. General Motors de Mexico said they did not know anything about the document quoted by the Post. Mauricio Kuri, Communications and Public Relations Director for GM in Mexico, added that up to now there is no official document or communication from GM. Guido Vildozo, Senior Analyst for Latin America in Global Insight, assured that GM's Mexican plants have some competitive advantages in terms of quality and product, which provides for certain preferential position when compared to others.

Source: El Norte