Bulletin 468 - Friday, May 7, 2010

Mexico,- Next July a Japanese businessmen mission in renewable Aeolian energy sector will come to Mexico, after last February Mexico and Japan governments agreed on taking advantage of Japan's expertise on energy. This was informed by Takao Nakahata, Head of Economic Exchange Promotion in Jetro, who further pointed-out that as part of the agreement a forum will be organized, together with the Private Sector Center for Economic Studies (Centro de Estudios Economicos del Sector Privado - CEESP), where Japanese experts will speak about energy efficiency. A round table will also be held with Mexican businessmen willing to invest in the sector. The Japanese will provide support with technology. Currently, the Japanese company Sanyo manufactures solar panels in Baja California, to be exported to the United States; as does Kyocera, established in Tijuana. Also, Mitsubishi Heavy manufactures blades to produce power using wind in their factory in Ciudad Juarez.

Source: El Economista

Mexico City,- Nissan Mexicana will invest US$600 million in 2010 in their Aguascalientes Plant to assemble a new vehicle, March, based on Micra platform. Jose Muñoz, President and CEO, said that the first prototypes will be ready in June and July, to officially start production by the end of the year. Nissan plans to assemble 50 thousand units per year of this new model, which will be sold for a low price to achieve larger sales volumes. "In a few words, we are not investing US$600 million for low sales volumes", Muñoz said.

Source: El Norte

queretaro, Mexico,- Bombardier Aerospace, the Canadian giant, will start producing units for their new Learjet 85 executive airplane next July in a new plant in the State of Queretaro, according to a press release issued by the Company. "Learjet 85 airplane program stays in line and 2010 will be very exciting, because we will make more than six thousand sketches of details, we will build more than one thousand 500 tools, we will put our plant in Mexico in operation and we will start production", Ralph Acs, Vice-president, Learjet 85, Bombardier Business Aircraft, said. Mr. Acs further said that construction of their plant in Mexico "is advancing fast" and they will start manufacturing components in these new facilities next summer. He reminded that Queretaro Plant was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and pointed-out that, as part of the process, around one thousand 500 tools will be designed and built.

Source: El Semanario

Mexico City,- Mexico is expecting a rebound in investment larger than originally expected and forecasts are this year between US$17 billion and US$20 billion will be received, the Minister of the Economy, Gerardo Ruiz, declared. Mexico was hit last year by the financial crisis in the United States, its main trade partner and also the main foreign capital provider. Larger flows are expected now, mainly in the manufacturing sector, due to global economy rebound. "We have observed a rebound in competitiveness in Mexico", Ruiz said in his speech at Reuters Forum on Investment in Latin America. "We are estimating between US$17 billion and US$20 billion, depending on the behavior of financial flows", Minister Ruiz pointed-out and further said that Mexico has gained larger presence in the US market in the last two years.

Source: El Diario

Queretaro Industrial Park (QIP) and Samsung Electronics Mexico (Samsung) are proud to announce the agreement for the sale of a 36,363 m2 plot of land, for operations expansion by Samsung in the State of Queretaro. With this plot land, expansion reaches 58,951 m2. The investment estimated for this project is US$30 million, which will generate at least 400 direct jobs. Samsung Plant located in QIP mainly focuses in the production of premium quality washing machines and refrigerators. With this new investment, Samsugn facilities in QIP will cover more than 20 hectares, with a constructed surface of over 60 thousand m2 in 4 buildings. In the last 2 years Samsung has grown 4 times its original size since its arrival to QIP in 2002, investing over US$180 million to create more than 3,000 jobs.

Source: AMPIP

Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua,- Korean companies will make investments for around US$2,2 billion in Mexico this year, Whan Bok Cho, Korean Ambassador in Mexico, informed today. In a visit to LG Electronics, Ambassador Bok Cho stressed the fact that in the last few years Mexico has become Korea's main strategic partner in Latin America. "Mexico is a very important country for Korea, it is the most important country in our trade relations in Latin America, it is a strategic partner", he pointed-out. He said that the Korean company STX Energy, together with Grupo Indi and Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) are building two gas deposit terminals in Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan, with an investment that amounts to US$800 million. Currently, he emphasized, Korea is Mexico's sixth trade partner. One thousand 433 Korean corporations are registered with the Ministry of the Economy, and there are around 45 thousand Mexicans working for a Korean company in Mexico. He pointed-out that exports only by the Korean companies Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics add to US$7 billion, which account for 3% of total exports leaving Mexico.

Source: Juarezpress

Guadalajara, Mexico,- Jalisco Logistics Center will give great impulse to employment in Jalisco Southern Region. According to promoters, during the construction stage this project will generate 600 jobs, but once it is operating, companies in the Complex may offer up to 8 thousand jobs. In an interview, the group of businessmen who head this new development informed that construction works will start next August, and the Center will be completed in June 2011. Miguel Flores Ibarra, Jalisco Logistics Center Chairman of the Board, pointed-out that this project has competitive advantages over industrial parks operating in Guadalajara. Carlos Alvarez Bermejillo, Member of the Board of Directors, explained that total investment for US$462 million will be applied in stages.

Source: El Norte