Bulletin 446 - Friday, November 13, 2009

Mexico City,- Durango State Government is preparing a cluster that will host companies producers of solar generation plants and technology. Radiation at the zone is high, with a potential of 6.3 kilowatts-hour per square meter and 62ºF average temperature, which is ideal for an optimum efficiency of solar panels. Therefore, the complex has potential to generate hundreds of megawatts and employ 20 thousand people. The State Government has purchased one thousand 600 hectares and will start developing a technological park for 20 companies next year, Teodoro Krap, Energy Policies Consultant, said in an interview.

Source: Agencia Reforma

Chihuahua, Chihuahua,- Ford will officially inaugurate their second engines plant in Chihuahua next Tuesday. Ford's second plant in Chihuahua will produce diesel engines for light and medium trucks, per information provided by the company. According to Ford Motor Company, the inauguration and kickoff of this new engines plant is part of the US$3 billion investment the company announced last May. The inauguration will take place next November 17 at 9:00 a.m. in Cristobal colon Avenue, Fontanarosa, Chihuahua Industrial Complex. Ford is the assembler that has most successfully faced the crisis. Only in the United States - the country most badly stricken by recession - the Group's sales reached 136 thousand 920 vehicles last October, 21% more than in September and a 3.1% year-to-year increase, per Ford's Sales Report.

Source: El Diario

Mexico City,- Isuzu, the Japanese Company, is planning to open four more dealers in Mexico, to reach 31 by the end of the year. This week they will open in Pachuca, Hidalgo and Merida, Yucatan and soon they will open in Cuernavaca, Morelos and Villahermosa, Tabasco. Jorge Murakami, Marketing Manager, informed that with these dealers, the Company will have 31 agencies operating by the end of the year, and will therefore cover most of Mexico's territory for sales and customer service. Pachuca Dealer will be under the responsibility of Nieto Business Group, known for transporting gas in this region. Mr. Murakami said that the world financial crisis and its repercussions in Mexico only delayed the opening of dealers in Tabasco and Morelos a few months, but no agencies were closed.

Source: T21

Chihuahua, Ciudad Juarez,- Lear - a corporation in the automotive field with 5 plans employing around 10 thousand people in Ciudad Juarez - is leaving bankruptcy, which means more production and employment reactivation, Union leaders and Maquiladoras Association informed. Lear Corporation, the second largest auto parts manufacturer in the world and second industrial employer in Ciudad Juarez, announced last July 1st it was filing for bankruptcy in order to start a restructure with its main creditor's endorsement. The auto parts manufacturer announced they are leaving bankruptcy after four months under legal protection, saying their finances are now healthy thanks to a substantial debt decrease and a reactivation propitiated by new business. Lear's Sewing Division plants (La Cuesta, San Lorenzo, Río Bravo, Fuentes and Victoria) employ 5 thousand 500 workers members of CTM Union, while workers of Harnesses Division in Monarca Complex are members of CROC Union.

Source: El Diario

Monterrey, Mexico,- Amidst the economic crisis, Nestle kept its expansion projects in Mexico and is planning to do so in 2010 as well, investing US$175 million. This amount will allow bringing a part of the plant that manufacturers powdered coffee cream in the USA and build the biggest coffee plant in the world. Juan Carlos Marroquin Cuesta, Executive President, Nestle Mexico, pointed out that the company will bring a Coffee-Mate production line from the USA, from where they used to supply the Mexican market. He said that to this purpose the company will invest US$15 million in a factory at Chiapas, which will start operations in the first quarter of next year.

Source: Reforma

Mexico City,- Bombardier Aerospace started construction works to build their third plant in Queretaro Aerospace Park, where they will produce airframes and wings for Learjet 85 made of carbon composite materials, as well as electric harnesses for this new executive airplane. These works are part of the US$250 million investment Bombardier pledged to make during Felipe Calderon's Administration, to expand their presence in Mexico, per information given by the company. Components built in Mexico will be shipped to Wichita, Kansas, in the United States for final assembly, interior completions, flight test and customer delivery. This project, the company informed, is of great relevance for both Bombardier and Mexico because the company will be in the position to build a new executive airplane that expands reach and provides for lower fuel consumption and lower environmental impact.

Source: Reforma

Mexicali, Baja California,- As a result of the satisfaction survey Plant-Dealers Network 2009 during AMDA Automotor Forum , the Mexican Dealers Association, Asociación Mexicana de Distribuidores de Automotores (AMDA), granted several awards to Brand Associations and light and heavy vehicles assembly plants in Mexico. In heavy vehicles the absolute winner was Kenworth Mexicana, which was first in every category, translating into an excellent business relationship between Kenworth and its dealers network, always considering them, in addition to partners, their most valuable customers. The survey's purpose is measuring how satisfied dealers networks are with their corresponding assembly plants, the categories considered are Processes, Sales and Distribution, After Sale Service, Training, Marketing and Product. "Our network is an extension of our company, they contribute to our achievements and working hand in hand with them in the development of business and product strategies has been key to keep market leadership", Renato Villalpando, Assistant Commercial Director, Kenworth Mexicana.

Source: Siglo 21