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Recent and upcoming investment

Jan 3

Posted by Tom in Energy, Investment, Manufacturing | No Comments

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Information collected from media reports over the past month:

  • Telecommunications: Finland-based telecommunications technology provider Nokia Siemens Networks inaugurated a new Service Delivery Center in Mexico City.  The US$2.4 million facility will provide design, planning, optimization and assurance support for telecommunications networks in Latin America, according to the company. (Nokia Siemens Networks, December 7, 2011)
  • Metals: U.S.-based metals processor Ryerson Inc. recently opened a new processing center in the northwestern city of Tijuana.  The facility will provide services such as cutting, slitting and laser burning for the area’s large maquiladora and manufacturing industries. (Made in Mexico, Inc., November 7, 2011)
  • Aviation: Mexican airline VivaAerobus announced plans to invest US$20 – 25 million in 2012 for the acquisition of five to seven new aircraft.  The company has registered strong growth since its launch in 2006. (Mexican Business Web, December 3, 2011)
  • Mining: Canadian mining firm Excalibur Resources announced that it will proceed to develop a major gold and silver production facility at its Catanava mining property in Zacatecas, Mexico, following approval of permits by the Mexican government.  Plans for the development include the construction of office and warehouse space as well as crushing, milling, conveyance and laboratory installations. (Canadian Mining Journal, November 25, 2011)
  • Retail: U.S.-based electronics retailer Best Buy announced plans to double the number of its sales locations in Mexico next year.  Best Buy, which entered the Mexican market in 2008, plans to expand from eight to 16 stores in Mexico in 2012. (Reforma, November 29, 2011) Read the rest of this entry »

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Recent and upcoming investment

Dec 6

Posted by Tom in Investment, Manufacturing | No Comments

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Information collected from media reports over the past month:

  • Beverage: Netherlands-based Heineken International, through its Mexican brewing operation Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma (CM), invested over US$37 million to boost sales of the brewery’s Carta Blanca beer brand.  Resources were channeled into areas such as a new returnable bottle, label design and delivery truck modifications.  CM was acquired by Heineken in 2010. (Vanguardia, October 28, 2011)
  • Energy: Mareña Renovables Capital, S.A.P.I. de C.V., controlled by an investment consortium led by Australia’s Macquarie Group, will build Mexico’s largest wind farm to date in the southern state of Oaxaca.  The 396 MW electricity generating site will supply energy to beverage giant FEMSA, which will co-finance construction with assistance from a US$72 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). (Inter-American Development Bank, November 24, 2011)
  • Logistics: Mexico’s rail freight operators are projecting combined investment of approximately US$350 – 450 million annually in the coming years, according to the Mexican Railroad Association.  Resources are targeted principally for modernization and upgrade of infrastructure. (Reforma, November 9, 2011)
  • Energy: Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) is projecting that public agencies and private companies will invest a combined US$10.5 billion to expand the country’s natural gas pipeline network.  Projects include eight new pipelines, which will help support planned conversion of power plants from fuel oil to natural gas. (Reforma, November 9, 2011)
  • Automotive: U.K.-based auto parts manufacturer GKN Driveline is projecting total investment in its Mexico operations at US$46 million for 2011.  The expenditures are focused on reinforcing metal forming, machining and assembly operations to increase production at the company’s three plants in the central state of Guanajuato. (Reforma, November 21, 2011)
  • Pharmaceutical: German pharmaceutical manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim inaugurated a new production plant in the western state of Jalisco.  The US$10 million facility will produce biological veterinary products for poultry, swine and cattle applications. (NAFTA Works, November, 2011)
  • Retail: Mexico’s national retailers association ANTAD is projecting total investment of US$3.6 billion in new store openings and remodeling for 2011.  The sector has performed well this year despite the uncertain economic climate, with leading grocery and general merchandise chains Wal-Mart and Chedraui reporting total sales growth of 12% and 11.9%, respectively, through September. (Reforma, November 7, 2011) Read the rest of this entry »

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Recent and upcoming investment

Nov 1

Posted by Tom in Economy, Investment, Manufacturing | 3 Comments

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Information collected from media reports over the past month:

  • Automotive: German auto parts manufacturer Robert Bosch projected investment in its Mexico operations at US$78 million for 2011.  The resources are earmarked to support introduction of new technologies and preparation for the manufacture of new brake pad and battery products at the company’s 13 Mexico production locations. (El Informador, September 29, 2011)
  • Aerospace: Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier announced it will invest US$50 million to outfit its Queretaro plant to produce the aft fuselage for its new generation of long range business jets.  Mexico is now producing major composite structures for the company’s Learjet 85, such as fuselage lay-up and subsystem installation, wiring harness fabrication and installation, wing assembly and horizontal and vertical stabilizer assemblies. (The Montreal Gazette, October 25, 2011)
  • Recycling: Germany-based industrial services firm Ferrostaal AG announced plans to build a tire recycling plant in Mexico.  The facility will convert used vehicle tires into rubber granules for potential use in the manufacture of sports and recreation surfaces, soundproofing insulation or water hoses, among other uses.  The amount of investment in the new plant was not specified. (Ferrostaal, September 26, 2011)
  • Mining: Minera Autlán, subsidiary of Mexican mining group Grupo Ferrominero (GFM), is projecting investment in its Mexico mining operations of up to US$300 million over the next five years.  GFM’s energy subsidiary GFM Energía also plans to build three hydroelectric plants and one wind power generating plant in the coming years. (Reforma, October 6, 2011)
  • Steel: U.S.-based Steel Technologies announced plans to build a new steel processing facility in the northeastern state of Nuevo León.  The US$78 million plant is planned to provide steel cutting and surface treatment services for the region’s thriving automotive industry. (NAFTA Works, October 2011) Read the rest of this entry »

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Recent and upcoming investment

Aug 2

Posted by Tom in Energy, Investment, Manufacturing | No Comments

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  • Automotive: U.S. auto maker General Motors announced US$900 million in additional investment in Mexico in the coming years.  The resources are planned to expand production capabilities at various of the company’s plants in the country.
  • Manufacturing: British-Dutch consumer goods giant Unilever inaugurated a new manufacturing plant in the state of Morelos, near Mexico City.  The US$84 million facility will produce personal care products for the brands Axe, Dove and Rexona.
  • Tourism: Mexican hotel operator Grupo Posadas will invest US$140 million this year in new hotel projects in Mexico.  With tourism showing signs of recovery after the long economic downturn, Posadas’ Mexican investment is part of a total US$400 million projected by the company for new projects throughout Latin America.
  • Wind power: The Mexican subsidiary of U.S.-based Cannon Power Group revealed plans to invest US$2.5 billion to develop three new wind farms in Mexico.  The newly created Mexico Power group plans generating plants with combined capacity over 300 MW for the states of Baja California, Zacatecas and Quintana Roo.
  • Metals: Chilean metals processor Molymet will invest US$135 million to build a new production plant in Sonora, Mexico.  The new plant will add to the company’s existing molybdenum processing infrastructure in the state.
  • Food processing: Leading Mexican meat processor SuKarne will invest US$270 million to build a large production facility in the north eastern state of Nuevo Leon.  The project is planned to include livestock raising facilities, a feed plant, a federally certified slaughterhouse, a packing plant, a distribution center and a rail shipping link. Read the rest of this entry »

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Recent and upcoming investment

Jan 11

Posted by Tom in Energy, Investment, Manufacturing | No Comments

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Reports on some recent and upcoming investment collected from the local business media:

  • Retail: Mexican franchise operating group Alsea announced plans to invest approximately US$400 million over the next five years to open new stores.  The licensee  in Mexico of brands such as Domino’s, Starbucks, Burger King and Chili’s, Alsea will also add locations in Chile, Argentina and Colombia.
  • Energy: Mexican industrial baking giant Grupo Bimbo announced the initiation of construction of a major wind farm in southern Mexico that is intended to supply nearly 100% of the company’s domestic electricity needs.  The majority of the US$200 million investment in the site will be supplied by Spanish renewable energy developer Renovalia, which will build and operate the facility.
  • Manufacturing: U.S.-based tile and floor covering materials producer Dal-Tile Corp. will invest US$111 million in a new manufacturing plant in the central city of Salamanca, Guanajuato.  The new facility, planned for construction in 2011, will become the second plant in Mexico operated by local subsidiary Daltile de México.
  • Recycling: Member companies of the Mexican plastic bag industry association (Inboplast) will invest over US$12 million in the development of 24 bag recycling plants beginning next year.  The plants are intended to take greater advantage of underutilized plastic in Mexico City’s enormous landfills.
  • Energy: Dubai-based alternative energy developers Rubenius announced plans to invest up to US$4 billion to construct a large scale energy storage facility in Mexicali, Mexico near the U.S. border.  The site is planned to store 1,000 Mw of solar, wind and geothermal energy for distribution to grids in both Mexico and the United States. Read the rest of this entry »

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Recent and upcoming investment

Dec 2

Posted by Tom in Energy, Investment, Manufacturing | No Comments

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Reports on some recent and upcoming investment collected from the local business media:

  • Retail: Grocery and general merchandise retailer Grupo Chedraui revealed plans to double its stores in Mexico to 280 in the coming years.   The chain, now third largest in its sector in the country, has grown rapidly in recent years and currently operates 143 retail locations.
  • Logistics: Mexican logistics and transport firm Grupo Transportación Marítima Mexicana (TMM) will begin construction in 2011 on a new multimodal terminal at the Port of Tuxpan, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.  The US$350 million facility is planned to handle liquid, solid and container cargo.
  • Energy: Eoliatec de Mexico, subsidiary of Spain’s Eolia Renovables, signed contracts with communal farmers in Jalisco helping to clear the way for the development of the state’s first wind farm.  The firm projects investment of US$185 million in the electricity generation facility with a capacity of 60Mw.
  • Manufacturing: Brazil-based Embraco, a manufacturer of refrigeration compressors, announced plans to begin manufacturing at a new plant in Apodaca, Nuevo Leon in 2011.  The US$90 million investment will allow the company to serve Mexico’s refrigerator manufacturers via domestic production, in addition to exporting to the United States and Canada.
  • Biofuel: A new bio-diesel plant is currently under construction in the southeastern state of Chiapas, set to begin production in early 2011.  The US$3.5 million dollar facility, financed jointly by various federal government agencies, will use locally grown African palm and jatropha to produce diesel fuel to supply public transportation systems in the cities of Tuxtla Gutierrez and Tapachula in the state. Read the rest of this entry »

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Recent and upcoming investment

Nov 4

Posted by Tom in Economy, Investment, Manufacturing | No Comments

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Reports on some recent and upcoming investment collected from the local business media:

  • Steel: European and Japanese steelmakers Ternium and Nippon Steel Corp., respectively, announced an alliance to build and operate a new steel manufacturing plant outside Monterrey, Nuevo Leon.  Projected to come on line in 2013, the plant will produce galvanized steel sheeting for the automotive industry.
  • Aerospace: Canadian aerospace giant Bombardier inaugurated a US$250 million expansion to its manufacturing complex in the central state of Queretaro this month.  The new facility will produce fuselages and electrical components for the company’s Learjet 85 model aircraft.
  • Retail: Office products retailer Office Depot de México revealed ambitious plans to continue its expansion into the Central and South American markets.  The company, which currently operates sales locations in Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras in addition to its 188 stores in Mexico, is projecting US$50 million in investment to open 50 new stores in Colombia during the next five years.
  • Manufacturing: U.S. sports equipment manufacturer Easton Bell Sports will invest US$50 million to open a production plant in Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon.  The company, which produces sports headgear for the NFL, MLB and NHL, initially will manufacture football helmets at the new plant for export to the United States.
  • Telecommunications: Telefonos de Mexico (Telmex), Mexico’s largest fixed telephone and internet service provider, estimated investment in network and internet infrastructure upgrades at over US$880 million in 2009 and 2010.  The company plans to continue investing in internet infrastructure despite a slight decrease in the strong pace of growth in recent years. Read the rest of this entry »

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Recent and upcoming investment

Sep 1

Posted by Tom in Investment, Manufacturing | No Comments

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Reports on some recent and upcoming investment collected from the local business media:

  • Retail: DIY retailer Home Depot announced investment of US$115 million in Mexico in the current year, principally for the opening of five new stores.  The leader in its segment in Mexico, Home Depot projects 85 retail locations in operation by the end of 2010.
  • Environmental:  The North American Development Bank (NADBank) has ramped up its financing of environmental and other infrastructural projects in Mexico’s northern border zone over the past three years, local media report.  Projects in Mexico financed by the bank during this period include 32 water treatment plants, 50 drainage and potable water systems and 12 solid waste landfills.
  • Telecommunications: Telecom service provider Nextel projects investing up to US$1.5 billion in the construction of new network infrastructure.  Nextel recently won a nationwide spectrum auction in Mexico in partnership with television broadcast giant Televisa.
  • Aerospace: U.S.-based aircraft manufacturer Hawker Beechcraft is currently constructing a new production plant in the northern city of Chihuahua.  The US$108 million facility, set to produce aircraft assemblies and subassemblies, will become the company’s second manufacturing plant in Chihuahua, further bolstering Mexico’s robust aerospace sector.
  • Automotive: General Motors de Mexico announced projected investment of US$500 million in the northern state of Coahuila to produce a new generation of eight-cylinder motors as well as a new vehicle platform.  Projects supported by the new investment are planned to begin this year with actual production set for 2011. Read the rest of this entry »

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Recent and upcoming investment

Dec 24

Posted by Tom in Economy, Investment | No Comments

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Reports on some recent and upcoming investment collected from the local business media:

  • Logistics:  Hong Kong-based Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) announced major investments planned for Mexico in 2010 despite the down economy.  Projects anticipated by the global port leader, which invested over USD32 million in the Mexican port of Lazaro Cardenas in 2009, include further expansion of infrastructure at Lazaro Cardenas, an inland port and container terminal in the central state of Hidalgo, new warehouse space at the port of Manzanillo and a commercial development at the Ensenada cruise ship terminal.
  • Biofuels: Mexico’s own Integramex plans to invest approximately USD100 million to construct two plants to produce biodiesel and generate electricity from material extracted from landfills.  The plants, intended to provide fuel and electricity to the highly industrialized Toluca area outside of Mexico City, seeks to capitalize on opportunities to obtain carbon credits.
  • Telecommunications: Telmex, Mexico’s largest fixed telephony service provider, announced several hundred million dollars in projected investments for 2010.  The plans include the creation of 20 new customer service centers throughout the country.
  • Biofuels: Mexico-based BioFields, backed by Grupo Gondi, the country’s second largest producer of recycled cardboard, announced that in 2010 they will launch a long-term project to produce ethanol from algae.  The massive production facility, to be constructed in the north western state of Sonora, will require investment of approximately USD850 million and make use of technology developed in the United States.
  • Software: Jalisco’s software industry continues to register robust growth.  The Chapala Media Park, targeted to open by the end of December 2009, will concentrate companies specialized in multimedia and animation.  A second facility, the Ciudad Guzmán Software Park, is planned to open in 2010 and focus on information technology and agribusiness.
  • Tourism: Despite posting losses in 2009, two hotel groups announced they will move ahead with investments for 2010.  AMResorts will open new hotels in the beach resorts of Huatulco and Nuevo Vallarta with combined investment of over USD400 million, and Hilton Hotels intends to initiate presence in the cities of Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco via franchising or administration contracts.

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