Bulletin 518 - Friday, May 13, 2011

Mexico.- New winds are fueling development potential for at least 16 projects for Aeolian energy generation in Mexico. However, juridical limitations and scarce interest by governors and legislators to adapt rulings and local laws to promote investments could hinder progress. There are 2 zones where most of the projects currently under development are found: Oaxaca, with 9 projects and Baja California with 5; Jalisco makes a modest contribution with 2 low-scale Aeolian farms. All of these energy projects together, if materialized before 2015 as planned, would increase over 10 times current generation capacity with investments for no less than US$10 billion.

Source: El Universal

Mexicali, Mexico.- After closing their production plant in Mexicali in 2009 due to the economic crisis, the Korean electronics giant LG will come back to this city to manufacture 32" screens, Paulo Alfonso Carrillo, Deputy Secretary, Economic Promotion for Baja California, informed. Mr. Carrillo said that it will be next fall, maybe September, when the company occupies again the building where they used to operate east of the city. "LG's return confirms that we are the State with the largest number of Oriental companies. There is no doubt they considered the proximity to their companies in the US side of the border", Carrillo added. According to Mr. Carrillo, LG took 2 pluses into consideration to decide coming back, namely safety offered by Baja California and highly productive labor force. "High productivity, flexibility and adaptability of the labor force working at these factories were definitely factors they took into consideration", he said.

Source: El Norte

Chihuahua, Ciudad Juarez.- The State of Chihuahua now has 35 companies operating in the Aeronautics Sector, where 7,000 employees work, which means that 1 out of every 4 workers in this Sector are at the State of Chihuahua, Adan Gomez Franco, Head of Industrial Promotion with the Ministry of the Economy, declared yesterday. He informed that the last company that recently started operations in Chihuahua is the US-based Metal Finishing Co., which a few days ago inaugurated their first plant in Mexico devoted to thermal treatment and finishing of simple and complex pieces made from aluminum, steel and composite materials. He reminded that this company invested US$8 million and generated in the first stage 50 new jobs. The State of Chihuahua is putting money on attracting high technology industrial projects, such as projects from the Aeronautics Sector, and to this purpose significant investment is made in industrial parks infrastructure, as well as in training for engineering and operator areas.

Source: El Diario

Mexico City.- Bombardier Aerospace is celebrating their first five years in Mexico with 3 production projects in Queretaro Plant and full integration of their operations to the company's network throughout the world. Jean Seguin, Vice-president, Engineering and Chain of Supply, rated the company's operations "a role model in troubleshooting and labor flexibility". Bombardier's first operations in Mexico were electric harnesses and subassemblies manufacture; the initial investment announced for that project was US$200 million to be exercised within 7 years. However, this plant was soon entrusted new production lines.

Source: Excelsior

Mexico City (Manufactura Magazine) - Schneider Electric, global specialists in energy administration, announced the expansion of their service centers network, Pelco by Schneider Electric, through SOTECSA, a technology services and consultants firm. Schneider Electric informed in a press release that they now have 42 new service centers located in Aguascalientes, Baja California Norte, Baja California Sur, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Mexico City, Durango, State of Mexico, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacan, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sonora, Sinaloa, Tabasco, Yucatan and Zacatecas. "Thanks to this expansion in Mexico, we will reduce the time required for service and repair, and users will be able to contact us and solve technical problems", Eduardo Alexander, Buildings Vice-president for Mexico and Central America with Schneider Electric, declared.

Source: CNN Expansion

Mexico.- Bridgestone's Division in Mexico, subsidiary of the Japanese giant manufacturer of tires, will end 2011 with a 30% expansion in production capacity at their plants in Cuernavaca, Morelos and Monterrey, Nuevo León. Plans are to manufacture 28,000 tires per day at both plants, and to this purpose they will invest US$100 million. In the plant located in Monterrey daily capacity will be increased from 6,000 to 8,000 units. The whole production from this plant will be exported to the United States. "Expansion of our Cuernavaca plant should be completed by next December, with an investment plan to increase production by 4,500 more tires per day, to reach 20,000 units daily", Daniel Benvenuti, President and CEO for Bridgestone Mexico, pointed-out.

Source: AMPIP

San Luis Potosi, Mexico.- Construction of San Luis Metal Forming started in San Luis Potosi, where US$100 million will be invested and 750 jobs will be generated. This company is member of Magna International Group, which supplies equipment to automobiles assemblers. Miguel Mendez, Business Development and Government Affairs Manager in Mexico for Magna International, said that Magna has presence in the north and south of the Mexican Republic, and they required an operations center in central Mexico. He added that they found very favorable conditions in San Luis Potosi, because it offers many competitive advantages, good labor and business environment and an important local supply basis. Source: El expres

Source: Miscellaneous