Bulletin 453 - Friday, January 15, 2010

Mexico City,- the Dutch company Heineken will start producing this beer in Monterrey, after they purchased FEMSA Beer Division in a strategic exchange valued in US$7.347 billion. In a press conference, headed by FEMSA's and Heineken's Chairmen, Jose Antonio Fernandez Carvajal and Jean-Fancois Van Boxmeer, the latter said that "the Dutch beer currently sells 25 thousand hectoliters per year and FEMSA has a terrific distribution network", which is an excellent opportunity to expand the market of their premium beer brands.

Source: El Universal

Ciudad Juarez,Chihuahua,- According to the final results of an Employment Expectations Survey applied to plants members of Maquiladoras Association, 4 thousand people will be hired in January. Labor environment had a head start this year, because while just last week estimates were that between 1 thousand 500 and 2 thousand people will be hired by the industrial sector, 2 thousand more are added by one sole plant in the electronics field, said Soledad Maynez Bribiescas, Chairwoman of Maquiladoras Association. Ms. Maynez said that hiring 4 thousand people by the end of the month will mean the recovery of 3 thousand 714 jobs lost last December in the State of Chihuahua, according to figures from the Mexican Social Security Institute. She further said that all areas of the industrial sector -automotive, electronics, electric, medical, plastics and sewing, among others- are now hiring.

Source: El Diario

New York,- Ford announced today they will stop producing in Mexico their battery packs for the next hybrid vehicles generation; they will be now produced in the State of Michigan, where they are planning investments for US$450 million. "Ford will design advanced lithium batteries systems for the new hybrid vehicles generation in Michigan and will transfer battery packs production from Mexico to Michigan", the Company informed in a press release issued last Monday. The Company's plan is creating a new generation of hybrid vehicles in Michigan early in 2012, creating around new thousand jobs.

Source: El Financiero

Autoshow Detroit started with the first press conference and the good news that hybrid Ford Fusion -made in Mexico, in Hermosillo, Sonora plant- has been chosen Car of the Year by American press. Ford Transit is Van of the Year. Hybrid Ford Fusion is produced since 2009 in the Mexican Plant located in Hermosillo, Sonora, where they also assemble Fusion with internal combustion engine, as well as Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ. Ford had not won the award since 2000; the last prizewinner then was Focus.

Source: Al Volante

Mexico,- Mexico must take advantage of opportunities in the aerospace industry, which requires competitiveness and commitment to aviation safety and institutions, said Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez, chairman of the International Civil Aviation Organization. At the start of the events commemorating 100 year of aviation in Mexico, in Mexico City International Airport, he added that aviation is facing significant challenges throughout the world, such as the global economic recession, new and emerging terrorist threats and global warming. He called air carriers to responsibly participate in the discussion about climatic change, even if the activity only accounts for 2% of emissions of greenhouse effect gases. "We live in a world of strong competition, but which offers opportunities, let's take advantage of such opportunities by being more competitive, with qualified personnel committed to aviation safety", he said.

Source: Notimex

Guadalajara, Mexico,- Even if the economic crisis caused the loss of thousands of jobs in Jalisco, the balance in 2009 in jobs generation is positive, closing the year with one thousand 968 more jobs than in 2008. According to figures from the Mexican social Security Institute, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), to December 31, 2009 there were one million 196 thousand 219 workers registered in Jalisco, including both permanent and temporary jobs, compared to one million 194 thousand 423 upon closing 2008. On the other hand, country-wide there was an annual loss of 181 thousand 271 formal jobs, closing 2009 with 13 million 881 thousand 281 jobs, against 14 million 62 thousand 552 jobs in December 2008. According to IMSS figures, permanent employment grew by 28 thousand jobs in communal and social services and 5 thousand 310 jobs in services for companies and individuals.

Source: El Norte

Paris, Alstom has entered an agreement with the state-owned electric power company Comision Federal Mexicana de Electricidad (CFE) for €30 million to build a geothermal central in the State of Puebla, the Company announced in a press release. This Agreement, related to Los Humeros II Phase B (25 megawatts) central, follows another agreement entered by the Company in May 2009, corresponding to Los Humeros II Phase A. Alstom pointed-out that once construction of the two centrals is completed in May 2012, they will jointly produce more than 400 gigawatts/hour "of cost-effective, reliable and green electric power" which will supply more than 100 thousand homes in the State of Puebla. This agreement "is proof of Alstom's attractive offer in geothermics", explained Gut Chardon, Vice-president, Alstom Thermal Products. Alstom, a company in the electric power and railway infrastructures fields, will be responsible for engineering services, procurement and construction of this central, in addition to providing other equipment essential for this type of energy.

Source: Excelsior