Bulletin 463 - Friday, March 26, 2010

Mexico City,- The Canadian company Magna International Inc, auto parts supplier, is planning to open within two months a new solar technology plant in Sonora, Willi Karl Ewers, Business Development Vice-president for Latin America, informed. Participating in a forum organized by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, he said that in spite of the crisis, Magna has kept investment projects and in 2009 they opened 6 plants in Mexico, three purchased and three built. He said that Mexico is one of the countries in the world with the best production conditions, due to inexpensive labor, with costs similar to China and India; it is also recognized for qualified labor and is favored by its international trade agreements network. Karl Ewers said that Magna International currently has 30 plants in Mexico, two Engineering Centers and 400 employees.

Source: T21

Mexico,-Altos Hornos de Mexico will invest in 2010 more than US$200 million in several projects; one of them Carboelectrica, a power generation plant which is in the last stage for authorization; as well as opening mines for the exploitation of methane gas and coal, for an economic rebound of this company. This was informed by Francisco Orduña Mangiola, Public Relations Director, during the delivery of three garbage trucks to Nuevo Rosita City Council. "We are very close to start exploiting new mines, a project we have had since before the explosion at Pasta de Conchos Mine, and is focused on the exploitation of methane gas, there is progress but there is also resistance from the Federal Government", he said Orduña Mangiola said that these mines' operation will provide assurance by extracting gas in advance, but will also open big economic perspectives for this Coal Region, because there is lots of gas which is being wasted.

Source: Vanguardia

Tijuana, Mexico,- Companies installed in southern California interested in cutting down operation costs and establishing new business links made a tour through several maquiladoras in Tijuana, checking competitive advantages offered by this border city, as well as local labor abilities to manufacture all kinds of products. The Chairman of Tijuana Economic and Industrial Development, Gerardo Brizuela Altamirano, said that as part of "Maquila Tour" held every year, businessmen from California were invited to get familiar with the industrial environment at the region. US businessmen responded to the invitation and visited several industrial parks in Tijuana, witnessing by themselves the zone's excellent geographical location, in addition to the wide range of products manufactured here. "These are businessmen from the manufacturing and electronics sectors, which showed great interest in establishing trade relations with their Mexican peers, and we will follow-up on this so that in the future some investment is materialized", Mr. Brizuela declared.

Source: IndustriaMaquiladora.com

Guadalajara, Mexico,- Flextronics will invest US$12 million in Jalisco in four business lines, which will generate 3 thousand 600 jobs in the first six months of the year. "I have been authorized by an international company which has long-time confidence is Jalisco, Flextronics, to announce a new investment to be made here", said Alonso Ulloa Velez, Secretary of Economic Promotion. "In the next few weeks this company in the electronics field will start an investment over US$12 million in four lines to design and produce cell phones, digital equipment for TV's, digital storage equipment and network infrastructure". Flextronics has two plants in Jalisco, one in Zapopan and the other one in Tlajomulco de Zuñiga. Their current labor force is 17 thousand 247 workers and with the new investment project it will be over 20 thousand.

Source: El Mural

Guadalajara, Mexico,- Continental, a company in the automotive field, has several projects including the new electric-powered car Volt, and is therefore planning an investment between US$10 and US$12 million this year in their plants in Jalisco. Continental, which has facilities in Tlajomulco de Zuñiga and in Tlaquepaque, will manufacture in Jalisco dashboard electronic pieces for Volt, a vehicle a US assembler will launch to the market next November. "We are going to manufacture the central console and the instruments board. To us this is a challenge, because we are speaking about state-of-the-art technology", Alejandro Sauter, CEO, declared in an interview. For this project and other models to be launched by several assemblers with which they have entered contracts, Continental is planning to invest this year, mainly in software and equipment. "Automotive industry is rebounding. This was observed in the last quarter of 2009 and this year looks a lot better. This year we are forecasting a 20% to 30% rebound", he assured.

Source: El Norte

Veracruz, Mexico,- Odebrecht, the Brazil-based largest construction company in Latin America, is interested in investing around US$250 million in Veracruz, Mexico. Veracruz is an attractive state for Odebrecht due to the opportunities offered to investors and the good disposition of State authorities, which are working on fostering projects of high impact for the State's development. Luiz Weyll, the investor, personally discussed the project's details with Governor Fidel Herrera Beltran in a meeting they held in Takilhsukut thematic park, during Tajin Summit 2010. Odebrecht is the leading company in engineering and construction business and the largest company in Latin America in its sector.

Source: El Financiero

Guadalajara, Mexico,- Jalisco wants to bring a project by Eaton Corporation, which would mean an investment for US$5 million, to manufacture electronic boards used in the aerospace sector, known as "avionics", in addition to mechanic pieces machining. Luis Valtierra, Vice-president of Aerospace Area in the Western Chapter of Mexican Chamber of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology Industry (Camara Nacional de la Industria Electronica, de Telecomunicaciones y Tecnologias de Informacion - Canieti), said that after a meeting held last February 25 with some companies, there are some firms, such as Eaton interested in establishing in Jalisco.

Source: El Mural