Bulletin 427 - Friday, July 3, 2009

Guadalajara, Mexico,- Electronics Industry is forecasting the generation of around 2 thousand jobs this year, which will add to the 73 thousand it currently has; however, most will be under outsourcing scheme. Ricardo Gomez, Chairman of the Mexican Chamber of Electronics Industry, Telecommunications and Information Technologies, Cámara Nacional de la Industria Electrónica, de Telecomunicaciones y Tecnologías de la Información (Canieti), said they are also anticipating exports over US$21 billion. He said that personnel recruitment through outsourcing companies is a common global practice and not exclusive to electronics industry.

Source: El Mural

Guadalajara, Mexico,- The US$500 million investment planned by the French Company Eurocopter to be made in Jalisco has been ruled out and new contestants are Nuevo Leon and Guanajuato, where Eurocopter new helicopters assembly plant could be established. According to sources close to the project, Eurocopter ruled out Jalisco after considering the competitive advantages offered by the other states. The sources revealed that in the case of Nuevo Leon, for example, they have a much more developed aeronautics cluster, in addition to its proximity to the United States, a market where they are pursuing a stronger presence. In Jalisco, five companies make up aeronautics sector. Jalisco was also excluded from the investment by the US Corporation Triumph Group, manufacturer of spare parts and components for airplanes. This Company decided last March their manufacturing plant should be established in the State of Zacatecas, where they are planning to invest around US$20 million in two years. These facilities, the first in the recently inaugurated Zacatecas Aerospace Park, could offer job to around 400 workers by 2011.

Source: El Norte

Guadalajara, Mexico,- Carestream Health de México, formerly Kodak's Health Division, has invested around US$19 million in the last two years in the expansion of their manufacturing plant in Zapopan. Gilberto Rodriguez, Manufacturing Director, explained that ever since Carestream Health purchased Kodak's Health Division in May 2007, their labor force has been increased by 45%, going from 337 to 485 jobs. "Every industry has received some impact from the crisis, but luckily we have been able to keep our competitiveness level throughout the world. We have been fortunate enough to grow and generate new jobs", he said. Alonso Ulloa Velez, Economic Promotion Minister, said that the Company's growth is proof of confidence in Jalisco. "This is a factory that has invested a lot in these two years, around US$19 million and has generated 150 direct jobs and probably more than 500 indirect jobs and it is great news that investors keep their confidence in Jalisco high and we are still the right site not only for manufacturing but for services as well", Ulloa Velez said.

Source: El Mural

Puebla, Puebla,- Last Friday Volkswagen de Mexico held for the eighth time its traditional. ceremony to reward suppliers' excellence: Volkswagen Group Award 2009. This year 14 companies received Volkswagen Group Award 2009, 11 of which received the award for the first time. This award is the way the German assemblers recognizes global excellence in suppliers' performance, as well as their collaboration, commitment and dedication in the previous year. Suppliers are nominated, based on such criteria, by Purchases, Technical Development, Logistics, Quality, Spare Parts, Plant Engineering and Production Departments in Volkswagen de Mexico; to be later chosen by a committee which decides which companies will receive Volkswagen Group Award. The event was headed by Otto Lindner, Chairman of the Board, who said to executives from winning suppliers: "We are experiencing a consolidation process in our chain of supply. Volkswagen de Mexico is restructuring its suppliers network and those who have stood out for their excellent results will be our strategic partners in this consolidation".

Source: Al Volante

Chihuahua, Chihuahua,- Ford Motor Company will inaugurate the expansion of its plant in Chihuahua next June and will start the production of a new diesel engine for trucks, Herman Morfin, Public Relations Manager for Ford Mexico announced. Per information disclosed by Mexican Dealerships Association, AMDA, this is the first of the structural changes soon to be made as per their Way Forward Plan, supported with a US$3 billion investment in Mexico. Herman Morfin said that Chihuahua Engines Plant currently produces I-4 engines and the next step will be anufacturing as of next November diesel engines for trucks assembled in the USA. Ford Motor Company announced last year a US$838 million investment in the expansion of their engines plant in Chihuahua, to produce a new engine which uses diesel as fuel. Herman Morfin only said that it will be next November when an official event is held, when they will say for which truck these engines will be manufactured and disclose future plans for such production.

Source: El Diario

Mexico City,- Coca-Cola de Mexico thinks Mexican economy "is in "bud", which for the company means a recovery in soft-drinks consumption. According to Rafael Fernandez Quiroz, Vice-president, Public Affairs and Communication, Mexican economy may follow the steps of the US economy, which would benefit their sales. "Mexican economy is going to recover before other economies, such as European countries. We think the worst may have passed and we are now in a recovery stage", Mr. Fernandez said during the presentation of the campaign "Living Positively". In the first quarter, Coca-Cola achieved 6% growth in sales; in Mexico, the value of soft-drinks market is MEP$337 billion of which Coca-Cola has a share of almost one third.

Source: El Universal