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VIII

2014

Negociospara exportadores

The Lifestyle VibrantMexico City

MEXICO IN THE WORLDMexico, the Faceof Electronics

MEXICO: POWERING UPTHE WORLD Electronics, Electrical and Domestic Appliances Industries

The government of Mexico has set out to transform our country based on five ma-jor national goals: to have a peaceful, in-

clusive, well-educated, prosperous and globally-responsible Mexico.

In order to build the prosperous Mexico we long for, we must generate sustained high econom-ic growth that results in more and better jobs that will improve the quality of life of our population.

Mexico has a solid foundation on which to attain these goals: healthy public finances; a manageable debt level; a budget with no fiscal deficit; a responsible and autonomous monetary policy, as well as adequate international reserves.

Our macroeconomic stability and insti-tutional strength are enriched by a wide so-ciopolitical consensus that favors important transformations required to boost the devel-opment of our country. Through the Pact for Mexico, two constitutional reforms have been approved: one in education that will enhance the quality of teaching, and another in telecom-munications, radio broadcasting and economic

competition that will open up the sector and ensure competition throughout our economy. Furthermore, the Congress is analyzing a finan-cial overhaul to increase the level of credit and make it more affordable.

Mexico offers certainty and confidence to investments, a business climate favoring pro-ductivity and competitiveness, and an ambi-tious plan to further develop infrastructure. Moreover, the country’s strategic geographic location and optimal legal framework for in-ternational trade, through a network of trade agreements with 45 countries, give us access to a potential market of over one billion people.

Mexico’s exceptional economic and geo-graphic conditions, as well as the talent and qual-ity of its human capital, make it the ideal destina-tion for new productive capital to flourish.

This is the time to invest in Mexico. Inves-tors will find the government of Mexico and ProMéxico to be allies committed to the suc-cess of projects that create quality jobs and prosperity for the country.

Enrique Peña NietoPresident of Mexico

Table of Contents August 2014

cover feature

Electronics, electrical and domestic appliances industries

Mexico: powering up

the world

From ProMéxico

Special Reportiiifilomena

Adopts Mexican Nationality

Business TipsThe Electronics Sector

in Mexico

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9 Briefs10

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Siemens

Schneider Electric

Electrolux

Flextronics

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Construlita

Delta Conectores

Diamond Electronics

Electrónica Clarion

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Manufacturas Especializadas

Magnotek

Tatung

Mexico’s Partner

50 figures

Mexico in the WorldMexico,

the Face of Electronics

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The Lifestyle The CompleTe Guide To The mexiCan Way of life

The LifestyleBriefs

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Zabludovsky, Building Modern Mexico

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An AnceSTRALTechnique Applied to High-End Art

62 Pink MAgnoLiA And chiAPASJoin Forces on the International Catwalks

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64 LocAL deSignwith International Appeal

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Vibrant Mexico city

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Para exportadores

de ProMéxico

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Breves76

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Sobre los apoyos y servicios de ProMéxico

Bayas y frutillas: horizontes alternativos para los exportadores mexicanos

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Panorama de las relaciones económicas internacionalesde México

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el Programa nacional de infraestructuray su impacto en la región del Bajío

La importancia de la informática empresarial

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emprendedores de alto impacto:clave para el desarrollo económico

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diez acciones para mejorar el comercio exterior

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es el momento de cambiar la imagen y la narrativa con la que México se presenta ante el mundo, para transformar la percepción que se tiene del país en el extranjero.

LA X DE EX-PORTA-CIÓN 82

proMéxicofrancisco N. González Díaz

Ceo

Karla Mawcinitt BuenoCommunication and image

General Coordinator

Sebastián escalante Bañuelosdirector of publications and Content

[email protected]

Copy Editingfelipe Gómez antúnez

Jorge Morales Becerra contreras

[email protected]

Cover Photocourtesy of Government of the State of tamaulipas

Negocios ProMéxico es una publicación mensual editada por ProMéxico, Camino a Santa Teresa número 1679, colonia Jardines del Pedregal, delegación Álvaro Obregón, CP 01900, México, DF Teléfono: (52) 55 5447 7000. Portal en Internet: www.promexico.gob.mx; correo electrónico: [email protected]. Editor responsable: Gabriel Sebastián Escalante Bañuelos. Reserva de derechos al uso exclusivo No. 04-2009-012714564800-102. Licitud de título: 14459; licitud de contenido: 12032, ambos otorgados por la Comisión Calificadora de Publicaciones y Revistas Ilustradas de la Secretaría de Gobernación. ISSN: 2007-1795.

Negocios ProMéxico año 7, número VIII 2014, agosto 2014, se imprimió un tiraje de 13,000 ejemplares. Impresa por Cía. Impresora El Universal, S.A. de C.V. Las opiniones expresadas por los autores no reflejan necesariamente la postura del editor de la publicación. Queda estrictamente prohibida la reproducción total o parcial de los contenidos e imágenes de la publicación sin previa autorización de ProMéxico. Publicación gratuita. Está prohibida su venta y distribución comercial.

ProMéxico is not responsible for inaccurate information or omissions that might exist in the information provided by the participant companies nor of their economic solvency. The institution might or might not agree with an author’s statements; therefore the responsibility of each text falls on the writers, not on the institution, except when stated other-wise. Although this magazine verifies all the information printed on its pages, it will not accept responsibility derived from any omissions, inaccuracies or mistakes. August 2014.

download the pdf version and read the interactive edition of

Negocios ProMéxico at negocios.promexico.gob.mx.

editorial council

consejo editorial

Ildefonso Guajardo villarreal

francisco de rosenzweig Mendialdua

enrique Jacob rocha

francisco N. González Díaz

embajador alfonso de Maria y campos castelló

Luis Miguel Pando Leyva

francisco Javier Méndez aguiñaga

rodolfo Balmaceda

Guillermo Wolf

Jaime Zabludovsky

Gabriela de la riva

adolfo Laborde carranco

Silvia Núñez García

María cristina rosas González

ulises Granados Quiroz

Karla i. mawcinitt Bueno

This publication is not for sale.

Its sale and commercial distribution are forbidden.

Fromproméxico.

Mexico’s decades of experi-ence in manufacturing have brought as a result the de-velopment of several sectors. The country is now posi-

tioned as a giant of the electrical, electron-ics, and domestic appliances world indus-tries. Furthermore, Mexico has become one of the leading hubs for research and devel-opment related with these industries.

Leading electrical and electronics com-panies from all around the globe have had for many years production plants in Mexico, and they are today expanding their participation. These companies have located their business in various regions of the country, which has led to a concentra-tion that has on its turn given rise to major industrial clusters.

Investors’ long-standing confidence in Mexico is due to multiple factors, among which are: very competitive manufactur-ing costs, convenient geographical position, macroeconomic stability, ease of doing busi-ness, sufficient high-end infrastructure, and

experienced logistics. Mexico also boasts a consolidated supply chain that complies with international standards, meeting thus the needs of evolving industries. Besides that, Mexico has an internationally re-nowned young and talented workforce which has become a quintessential compo-nent in the design and research that these industries require in order to stay updated and respond to customers growing needs.

Currently, original equipment manufac-turers do not only produce in Mexico, but also engage in design and engineering ac-tivities in the country. Today, Mexico is a leading global exporter of electronic prod-ucts such as flat-screen televisions, comput-ers, and mobile phones –first, fourth, and eight largest exporter, correspondingly. And regarding domestic appliancess, Mexico is now the fifth largest exporter.

The strategic partnership with the Mex-ican government has been a significant fac-tor in the development of the electronics and domestic appliancess industries, orient-ing them towards the export market.

Welcome to Negocios!

Francisco N. González DíazCEO

ProMéxico

BRIEFS BRIEFS

Taiwanese metal machining and stamping company Sixxon Precision Machinery Co. will establish a new production fa-cility in the northern state of Coahuila. The 20 million USD plant is planned to produce metal bicycle parts.

www.sixxon.com

MANufACTuRINg

Japanese firm ALCOM Electronics recently invested 18 million USD to open its second plant in Reynosa, Tamaulipas. The firm will generate 700 job positions during the next two years, increasing its production by 26%. Some of the company’s assembly lines have been transferred from Asia to Mexico

Danish toymaker Lego inaugurated a new expansion at its production plant in the northeastern state of Nuevo León, increas-ing the company’s total investment in the site to 580.7 million usd.

www.lego.com

ELECTRONICS

MANufACTuRINg

South Korean automotive components manufacturer LG Innotek inaugurated its first overseas production plant in the central Mexican state of Querétaro. The site will pro-duce brake motors, steering systems and gearshifts, among other products.

The 34,000-square-meter plant will hold around 600 workers and will begin full op-erations with the manufactur-ing of Dual Clutch Transmis-sion (DCT) motors.

www.lginnotek.com

AuTOMOTIvE

MeXico: The FiRST choice oVeRSeAS

Lego’S neW BRick in MeXico

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ALcoM TRuSTS in TAMAuLiPAS

due to several competitive factors, includ-ing operation costs, qualified talent, strate-gic location among others. With this opera-tion, ALCOM Electronics consolidates its operations in the country. www.alcom.nl

PedALing To SucceSS

BRIEFS BRIEFS

FRoM PoRTugAL To MeXico

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Dishon Limited opened new production facilities in Querétaro, Mexico. The new modern, well-equipped manufacturing plant, established in El Marques Indus-trial Park, supports the company’s strate-gic drive towards growth in Mexico. The 20,000 square feet plant will be fully inte-grated into the company’s manufacturing planning and control (ERP) systems and will be operating under the AS 9100 qual-ity system. The firm is undertaking exten-

AEROSPACE

diShon TAkeS oFF

MEDICAl DEvICEs

US medical device manufactur-er Greatbatch, Inc. will open a new manufacturing plant in the northern state of Baja Califor-nia. The 35 million USD facility will produce portable medical devices such as catheters and introducers.

www.greatbatch.com

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RENEWABLE ENERGY

Portuguese corporate group Mota-Engil plans to build a major new coastal resort complex in the western state of Nayarit via investment of 2.2 billion USD. Initial plans include a golf course, two beach clubs and over 7,000 hotel rooms.

www.mota-engil.pt

South Korean automaker Kia Motors plans to build a new production facility in the northeastern state of Nuevo León. The plant, to be built in Monterrey, will have a capacity of 300,000 vehicles and initially produce two small models. With an esti-mated investment of 1.5 billion usd, the facility would help meet demand in the US, where Kia’s single plant runs at full speed.

www.kia.com

AUTOMOTIVE

The neWcoMeR To MeXico’S AuToMoTiVe induSTRy

sive training of its Mexican employees at their Toronto-based facilities so that all of their knowledge and experience is fully de-ployed, making Dishon a truly extended, seamless enterprise.

UTC Aerospace Systems is one of the most important customers for the compa-ny and has already placed significant long-term production contracts.

www.dishoncnc.com

BoRdeRLeSS eneRgy

IEnova, the Mexican subsidiary of US natural gas utility Sem-pra Energy, has obtained 270 million USD in financing for the construction of a wind power generation park on the Mexi-

co-US border. The cross-border site is planned to provide pow-er to San Diego Gas & Electric for twenty years.

www.ienova.com.mx

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Negocios ProMéxico |

14 August 2014

| Negocios ProMéxico

August 2014

iiifilomena ADOPTs MEXICAN NATIONAlITy this argentinean-born software company has moved to the marketplace that offers the most dividends and that will serve as a launch platform for its expansion in Latin america.

The founding partners of iiifilomena, Ja-vier Loiacono and Alberto Rochas, will soon be uprooting and coming to live in Mexico with their families. Their com-pany, which develops financial and col-lection software and provides consulting services in these same areas, already has an office here.

“Mexico is the most important coun-try to iiifilomena on the Latin American market,” says software and technol-ogy coordinator Loiacono. The country’s growth projections, coupled with its ability to attract foreign investment, its geographical location, the professional-ism of its programmers and regional de-mand for iiifilomena’s products all came into play when making the decision to invest in Mexico.

Loiacono and Rochas see Mexico as a dynamic country, eager to progress –in short, the perfect investment destination. Demand for the products iiifilomena custom designs for its clients –mainly credit institutions, multi-purpose finan-cial companies (Sofomes), collection and law firms, and small and medium compa-nies– is high here and is likely to increase in the near future.

“We work with data and the statis-tics say Mexico is the best country for our products, which means it is the best country for iiifilomena,” says Loiacono.

Financial instruments have become “a pressing and priority necessity” for Mex-ico, given that the National Development Plan provides for the implementation of mechanisms to prevent money laundering.

iiifilomena’s strategy consists in offering quality products and consulting services –IT

solutions their customers can identify with and get the most out of. That formula has paid

off in the case of small and medium companies.

Then there are small and medium compa-nies, which are starting to view IT systems as key to their development.

According to Rochas, iiifilomena plans to launch solutions for the medical sec-tor in 2015. Those products, which will facilitate the transmission of information on clinical parameters between diagnosis centers and authorized physicians, are still at the developmental phase.

The outlook for iiifilomena in its new home is more than promising, and while it may take the firm some time to settle in, it is already projecting sales of 320,000 USD by year-end 2014, rising to 450,000 USD in 2015 and 600,000 USD in 2016.

The company’s Buenos Aires unit will continue operating as a development center, which Mexican programmers will have to stay in close contact with, while its unit in Georgia, in the US, focuses on market intelligence solutions.

A HosT CAllEd ProMéxICoJavier Loiacono and Alberto Rochas are quick to emphasize ProMéxico’s role in this new phase of the company’s history. A few years back, when they realized Mexico’s potential, they approached the agency’s delegation in Argentina.

That marked the beginning of a close relationship that enabled iiifilomena to gain

knowledge of the Mexican market and helped it identify prospective clients. Now that it is a Mexican company, its manage-ment team knows it has an ally in ProMéxi-co as it seeks to expand to other markets.

ClosE EnCounTErs of THE IT KInd Mexicans like to do business face to face, at least during initial dealings with a sup-plier. Loiacono and Rochas acknowledge cultural differences like these and one of the reasons they have moved to Mexico is to be close to their market and to take care of their clientele.

iiifilomena’s strategy consists in offer-ing quality products and consulting servic-es –IT solutions their customers can iden-tify with and get the most out of. “We are familiar with the business and have excel-lent software developers,” says Loiacono. That formula has paid off in the case of small and medium companies. “It’s up to us to detect what a small company needs and offer it a solution, although they tend to come to the conclusion they need cer-tain software on their own,” says Rochas.

In this business it’s not enough to persuade a potential client of the advan-tages of a given product. The key to a successful client-supplier relationship lies in training and customer support. In addition to programmers and trainers, the 28 members of iiifilomena’s team in Mexico are knowledgeable in the areas of business, human resources, law, ac-counting, administration, and sales.

“We’ve set up a training center for those who visit us and once a month we hold meetings so clients can interact and brainstorm with a view to solving com-mon problems,” says Rochas.

In Mexico, iiifilomena has found human capital that is not only highly professional, but also has a positive attitude to the job. The programmers hired in Mexico are te-nacious and committed to the projects they

are working on. More importantly, they know how to treat the customer, which is core to the company’s philosophy.

“Having Mexicans in our employment allows us to adapt our applications to the local culture,” they say. iiifilomena is confi-dent it will soon increase its market share in Mexico, competing with quality products at a lower cost than its two main rivals.

by OMAR MAGAñA

photos courtesy of iiifilomena

Another point in its favor are its smart, convenient services that are tai-lored to the customer’s needs, the latter being an attribute Loiacono and Rochas are convinced other companies will have a hard time matching. n

www.iiifilomenasoftware.com

Special reportSpecial report

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With a consumer market that is hungry for new products and services, the elec-tronics industry has maintained a strong level of growth around the world, reach-ing a total production of some 3.5 billion usd in 2013. It is expected that the sec-tor will keep up this pace to reach 5.57 billion usd by 2020.

Human activities move ever faster in the digital age and Mexico has consoli-dated itself as the ideal territory for the design and manufacture of the technolo-gies that drive the world.

Mexico is competitive, above all in the subsector of consumer electronics, and has positioned itself among the leading global exporters of products such as

flat-screen televisions –of which Mexico is the number one

exporter–, computers –where it is the fourth-largest–, and mobile phones –for which the country is

the eighth-largest exporter.

MeXico: PoWeRing uP The WoRLdWith decades of accumulated experience in manufacturing and the development of sectors with greater added value, Mexico has established itself as a giant in the electronics, domestic appliances and electrical industries. the country has transformed itself into one of the leading hubs of development for high-tech industries and offers excellent, attractive opportunities for investment.

The international electronics indus-try began operating in Mexico in the 1960s, when multinationals came to the country to set up local assembly plants for technology products. Those years saw the arrival of production lines for firms such as Kodak. Other giants such as IBM began manufacturing operations in Mexico in the 1970s. Later, with the entry into force of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), invest-ments and high-tech production in the country multiplied.

Currently nine out of ten of the main international electronics manufacturing services (EMS) companies run operations in Mexico, including firms like Flextronics, Foxconn, Jabil, Sanmina and Benchmark.

Today, however, the original equipment manufacturers not only produce in Mexico, but also engage in design, engineering and administration activities in the country. This is the case with companies like IBM, HP, LG, Samsung, Toshiba and Intel.

Mexico is competitive above all in the subsector of consumer electronics, and has

positioned itself among the leading global exporters of products such as flat-screen tele-visions –of which Mexico is the number one exporter–, computers –where it is the fourth-largest–, and mobile phones –for which the country is the eight-largest exporter.

“The upward growth maintained by the sector saw a slight interruption in 2012 and 2013 that reflected international economic fluctuations, but the forecasts are for a new cycle of growth that will take production to 95.9 billion pesos of nominal GDP in 2014 –a little higher than the peak reached in 2011– following the recovery from the 2008 crisis,” explains Víctor Gutiérrez, president of the National Chamber of Elec-tronics, Telecommunications and Informa-tion Technologies (CANIETI).

The Mexican electronics industry is mainly oriented towards export. Mexico is the leading exporter of the electronics in-dustry in Latin America. Foreign sales ac-count for an average of 25.6% of all man-ufacturing exports in Mexico. In 2012, the sector exported products worth 75.86 bil-lion usd –6.6% higher than in 2011. “In 2013 exports of electronic goods felt the negative impact of the global economic slowdown, contracting 3.5% by compari-son with 2012,” explains Gutiérrez, who is optimistic about the economic recovery in the US –the destination for 84% of ex-ports by the Mexican electronics and elec-trical industries– predicted by the OECD

for 2014, and who expects this recovery to boost demand for Mexican electronics to an estimated level of 79.57 billion usd.

Despite the international economic tur-bulence, investors have maintained their confidence in Mexico. Between 2000 and 2013, accumulated foreign direct invest-ment (FDI) in the sector reached a level of 26.08 billion usd. “In 2013 foreign invest-ments worth 1.18 billion usd were fun-neled into the electronics industry, 16.9% more than the FDI received in 2012. It is estimated that in 2014 the sector will ben-efit from FDI worth around 1.17 billion usd,” Gutiérrez remarks.

Between 2002 and 2012, 26.8% of this capital was invested in computers, 24.5% in audio and video and 24% in telecom-

munications. The leading firms in the global electronics industry –such as Sam-sung, LG, Toshiba, Foxconn, Flextronics and Intel– have a presence in Mexico, and some of them run research and develop-ment centers staffed by Mexican research-ers, driving the sector into design activities.

Gutiérrez indicates that production plants from countries that are leaders in the electronics industry –such as the US, Japan and South Korea– operate in Mexico. They have concentrated themselves in particular regions of the country, giving rise to major industrial clusters in the north, west and center of Mexico. This has led to a regional specialization by type of product, resulting in five major clusters. In Baja California (north-east), the world leaders in audio and video equipment have set up manufacturing plants; in Chihuahua (north) an industrial cluster has developed focused mainly on the production of video equipment (color televi-sions) and, to a lesser extent, on telecommu-nications equipment; Jalisco (west) is home to an important cluster in the electronics sector, comprising some 13 Original Equip-ment Manufacturers (OEMs), 14 Contract Electronics Manufacturers/Electronics Man-ufacturing Services (CEMs/EMSs), 26 design centers and over 380 specialized suppliers. In this zone the cluster specializes in the pro-duction of computer equipment, becoming known as the “Mexican Silicon Valley.” In Nuevo León (north-east) a cluster has de-

by jESúS ESTRAdA CORTéS

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veloped that manufactures both intermedi-ate and final products such as telephones, computers and domestic appliancess; while in Tamaulipas the industry produces inputs and final products such as televisions, tele-communications and computing equipment.

A doMEsTIC APPlIAnCEss gIAnTOne of the most important sectors within the electronics industry is domestic appli-ancess: high-tech devices intended to meet the needs of human beings for a more com-fortable life. The production of domestic appliancess in Mexico was worth 6.69 billion usd in 2012 and forecasts indicate that it will grow at an average annual rate of 8.7% to 2020. According to some pre-dictions, the value of domestic appliancess production in Mexico will reach 8.3 bil-lion usd by the end of 2014.

A large proportion of this output is fo-cused on a growing domestic market. In 2013, the Mexican domestic appliances market was worth 2.15 billion usd and it is estimated that in 2014 it will reach 2.32 billion usd, and will maintain an average an-nual growth of 8.9% up to 2020.

In 2012 “Mexico headed up the list of domestic appliances exporting coun-tries in the Latin America region, and

have received 299 million usd in FDI this year.

In Mexico there are 269 economic units focused on the domestic appliancess indus-try, generating 53,951 jobs. “The compara-tive advantages of the Mexican domestic ap-pliancess sector have driven the development of new projects,” Gutiérrez points out.

Recent examples of the dynamism of the sector may be observed in Nuevo León, where the Brazilian firm Embraco estab-lished a new production plant in 2012, in-vesting 60 million usd of the 90 million it intends to inject into its first factory, produc-ing compressors for domestic appliancess. It will have the capacity to produce five million compressors each year –enough to meet de-mand for the entire NAFTA region– and as a result the firm is generating 700 jobs.

Meanwhile, in 2013 LG announced an investment of 60 million usd in Nuevo León to construct a third industrial plant for the production of domestic appliancess, while Whirlpool injected eight million usd into its plant in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, to expand its refrigerator production line.

Alongside these international corpo-rations, Mexico is home to world-class domestic firms, some of which have had the foresight not only to invest in manu-facturing plants but in research and in-vestigation centers too. One such compa-ny is Mabe, which has established itself as the third-largest supplier of domestic appliancess in Latin America, designing, producing and distributing products un-der the General Electric, Easy, IEM and Mabe brands. The firm has fifteen manu-facturing plants around the world, eight of which are sited in Mexico.

suPPorTIng CoMPETITIvEnEss To explain the competitiveness of the electronics and domestic appliancess industries in Mexico, Víctor Gutiérrez emphasizes that in 2012 the consultancy Alix Partners declared Mexico to be “the most competitive country in the world” in terms of manufacturing costs: 21% lower than the US, 11% lower than Chi-na and 3% lower than India. One year earlier, KPMG calculated that Mexico offered a 19.4% saving in plastic manu-facturing costs and a 19.5% saving in metal components compared to the US.

According to the National Council of Sci-ence and Technology (CONACYT), in 2012 approximately 110,000 students graduated from engineering and technology courses

in Mexico, in response to the industry’s de-mand for human capital. “2010 figures from UNESCO show that, per capita, there are 18% more graduates in engineering, manu-facturing, and construction in Mexico than there are in the US,” reveals CONACYT.

The support provided by the Mexican government has been a significant factor in the development of the electronics and domestic appliancess industries and their orientation towards the export market. To enter the US, Canadian or European Union markets, devices, parts and compo-nents must meet standards and certificates such as UL, CSA, the CE mark, DIN, and others. The Mexican government, through ProMéxico, offers direct grants for train-ing to obtain these certificates.

“The design and application of pro-grams is the strategy followed by the govern-ment to boost the development of electronics and domestic appliancess,” says Gutiérrez, who points to programs such as Drawback (return of import taxes to exporters), PRO-SEC (Sectoral Promotion Programs) and IMMEX (Manufacturing, Assembly and Ex-port Services Industries).

The production of software has also increased in Mexico, to a large extent with

the support of the Ministry of Economy’s Program for Development of the Software Industry (PROSOFT). The projects sup-ported with PROSOFT funding include the creation of design centers, setting up of laboratories, human resources training and product design and development.

“CANIETI is a body that acts to pro-mote the PROSOFT fund, the overall aim of which is to promote domestic econom-ic development through the allocation of temporary subsidies to projects that boost creation, development, consolidation, vi-ability, productivity, competitiveness and sustainability of firms in the information technology and related sectors, and to promote its use in different economic sec-tors,” explains Gutiérrez.

EnErgy on THE InCrEAsESometimes people confuse the electronics and electrical industries, when in reality there are major differences between the two. In the former, the products or com-ponents process some kind of informa-tion, while in the latter devices transform electrical energy into a different form of energy. The electrical industry comprises three major segments: electric motors and

generators, electricity distribution and control equipment, and wires, cables and batteries.

Worldwide production in this sector reached 1.68 trillion usd in 2012. With data from Global Insight, it is calculated that be-tween 2013 and 2020 this output will grow at an average annual rate of 10.5%.

The demand for electrical products is entirely connected to the generation of electricity around the world. In 2013 total world electricity output stood at 20,181 Terawatt-hours (TWh), and projections in-dicate that this will rise to 24,975 TWh in 2015 and 31,775 TWh by 2030.

Mexico is the leading producer in the electrical sector in Latin America. In 2012, production in the Mexican electrical sec-tor was valued at 28.84 billion usd, and it is anticipated to grow at an average an-nual rate of 7.9% between 2013 and 2020. During this period, the electricity distribu-tion and control equipment segment will grow at a rate of 8.8%, while for the elec-tric motors and generators, wires, cables and batteries segments the figures will be 8.6% and 7.1% respectively.

These levels of production may be ex-plained by the country’s energy consumption,

Despite the international economic turbulence, investors

have maintained their confidence in Mexico. Between 2000

and 2013, accumulated foreign direct investment (FDI) in the sector reached a level of 26.08

billion usd.

occupied the sixth position worldwide with foreign sales of 6.54 billion usd,” explains Víctor Gutiérrez.

According to the Global Trade At-las, in 2013 Mexico was already the fifth exporter of domestic appliancess in the world –the third largest exporter of washing machines, air conditioners, compression refrigerators, gas stoves and electric water heaters in the world. The principal destination for Mexican ex-ports of domestic appliancess is the US.

The good performance of production and sales is a reflection of the 2.8 billion usd in FDI received by the domestic appli-ancess sector in Mexico between 2000 and 2013. Estimates by the CANIETI suggest that by the close of 2014 this sector will


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ElECTronICs IndusTry• Recognizedasanexporterand

manufacturer of electronic goods, especially consumer electronics.

• Hometonineoftheindustry’stenlead-ing multinationals, which entails poten-tial investment opportunities.

• Lowerlogisticscoststhanothercompetitors, especially for high-volume and heavy goods.

• HometothemajorinternationalOEMs and CEMs, whose plants are highly productive and employ state-of-the-art technology.

• Highimportsofelectronicpartsandcomponents and non-electronic in-puts, which translates into the oppor-

which in 2012 was valued at 31.99 billion usd, with an average annual growth rate of 3.1% since 2002. Furthermore, Mexico’s exports in the electrical sector amounted to 21.74 billion usd in 2012, with an annual in-crease of 6.2%. Of this total, 90% reflected sales to the US. Mexico is the foremost sup-plier of electricity generating and distribution equipment and the second-largest supplier of lighting equipment to the US market.

The electrical sector has been fairly dy-namic in attracting FDI. Between 2000 and 2012 it attracted 5.91 billion usd of FDI; in 2012 alone, 294 million usd of capital flowed into Mexico. 58.2% of this amount came from the US, while significant sums also arrived from European countries such as France and Switzerland.

A large proportion of the 1,060 eco-nomic units specializing in the electrical sec-tor that operate in Mexico are the outcome of investment by blue chip international companies such as ABB, Eaton, Furakawa, ACME, Amphenol, Belden, Cooper, General Electric Company, Hammond, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Thomas and Betts, Mit-subishi, and WEG, among others.

There are many cases of success among these firms in Mexico. One such case is Schneider Electric, a company that set up in

Mexico in 1946 under the Square D brand. Today, the firm maintains ten manufacturing plants and a network of offices and service centers. Furthermore, the company employs 300 highly qualified engineers in research and development in the city of Monterrey, Nuevo León, in the north-east. Schneider Electric has provided control, protection, and distribution equipment for the wind farms developed at La Venta, Oaxaca, in southern Mexico.

Another emblematic example is that of Siemens, which first came to Mexico in 1884 to construct the Nonoalco power plant in order to provide street lighting for the capi-tal. Today, the firm employs almost 6,000 people at nine electrical and industrial prod-ucts manufacturing plants, who work on projects for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity; transportation sys-tems; solutions for the automotive industry; information and communications technology services; lighting, automation, and control; industrial solutions and services; logistics and assembly systems; solutions for intelligent buildings; and water purification and treat-ment systems, among others.

The electrical sector in Mexico has also been boosted by the dynamism of Mexican companies that have become key produc-ers of intermediate goods. One such firm is

Conductores Mexicanos Eléctricos y de Tele-comunicaciones (CONDUMEX), which has established itself as one of the leading manu-facturers of high voltage wires and cables in the country, with four production plants and annual sales of around 1.5 billion usd. An-other example is PROLEC, which arose from the merger of Xignux and General Electric, and is one of the foremost manufacturers of transformers, with sales totaling around one billion usd in 35 countries.

Despite the vigor of the electrical indus-try, many opportunities for investment in the sector remain in Mexico. An analysis by Pro-Mexico’s Business Intelligence Unit reported fertile areas for investment in the sector’s sup-ply chain, considering that 58% of the total demand for processes is imported, meaning that major opportunities for foreign compa-nies are available.

Some of the processes currently seeing high levels of demand include: punching/stamping, cable/wire, machining, boiler-making and mechanical assembly. For exam-ple, in the case of the punching/stamping seg-ment, market demand stands at 1.46 billion usd; domestic manufacturers provide 42% of that demand, meaning there is a niche in the market available worth 845 million usd.

Investors can also benefit from a base in Mexico by using this country to service other markets in the Americas, such as Bra-zil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela, all of which have major plans for infrastructure development.

To facilitate investment, Mexico presents opportunities for savings with its low manu-facturing costs, a stable exchange rate, and low warehousing and transport costs. Fur-thermore, production in the country comes with a quality guarantee, since not only is it home to firms that hold international certi-fication, enabling it to supply the US market, but also a highly qualified workforce.

Together with the existing opportunities in the electronics and domestic appliancess industries –in the latter some 63% of inputs are currently imported– Mexico is well-posi-tioned to consolidate itself as one of the giants in the world of technology and energy. n

Note: Some of the statements and data pub-

lished here were taken from several analyses

elaborated by sector advisors at ProMéxico’s

Business Intelligence unit (uIN). complete

analyses and prospective studies of the elec-

tric, electronics and domestic appliances

industries in Mexico can be downloaded at

ProMéxico’s webpage.

Why MeXico?from lower logistics costs to trade facilities, Mexico has a lot to offer investors, as leading international companies that have successful operations here can vouch for. víctor Gutiérrez Martínez, president of the National chamber of electronics, telecommunications and Information technologies (caNIetI) and ceo of Grupo Plenum and Plenumsoft, lists some of the country’s competitive advantages:

tunity to attract foreign investment.• Structuralreforms.• Competitivemanufacturingand

labor costs.• Stableexchangerate.• Skilledpeople.• Compliancewithinternationalqual-

ity and safety standards.

doMEsTIC APPlIAnCEss IndusTry • Excellentcommunicationsandtrans-

port infrastructure.• Networkoffreetradeagreements

granting preferential access to mar-kets in 45 countries, including the world’s largest economies.

• Preferentialaccesstoonebillionpo-

tential consumers representing 65% of global GDP.

• Lowerdutiesasaresultoftradeagreements.

• Excellentexportopportunitiesdueto proximity to markets in the US, Canada and Latin America.

• Lowestmetalandplasticcomponentmanufacturing costs in America.

• In2012,consumptionofdomesticappliancess in the US, Canada and Latin America exceeded production and this trend is expected to con-tinue until 2020, opening up export opportunities for Mexico.

• Lowermanufacturingcostsforplas-tic components than in the US.


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Mexico has positioned itself as an attractive destination for investment for companies specializing in active and passive components, screens and printed circuits, among others. It is a competitive destination, taking into account the advantages offered by the NAFTA, on the one hand, and the country’s competitive production costs and availability of skilled labor, on the other.

MeXico, ThE fACE Of ElECTRONICs In the context of a growing demand for electronic components in the Nafta region, Mexico has positioned itself as a major platform for the development of companies linked to the electronics industry.

by GEORGINA zAVALA AzNAR*

The world of electronics tends to bring to mind all kinds of devices on sale in department stores such as computers, cell phones and tablets. However, behind the display cases and billboards there is a whole universe of production processes and systems.

No one doubts that electronics now form a part of people’s everyday lives; even if we don’t use electronic devices ourselves, the industry is always pres-ent. Take an average breakfast: toast, jam and coffee. All these products make use of advanced electronic equipment in

their production. In a jam factory, auto-matic equipment is used to cut the fruit, there is safety equipment to prevent ac-cidents, measuring and control units to make sure all the pots contain the same amount of marmalade, among thousands of other mechanisms that are part of the vast world of industrial electronics.

If we look inside any computer or cell phone we find slender green wafers with dozens of components embedded in them that look like tiny cities with build-ings and streets laid out with geometric precision. Rarely do consumers consider the complexity of each of these compo-nents and the vast economic and intellec-tual resources companies have invested in making a microprocessor to process

huge quantities of information in an in-creasingly smart and useful way.

According to figures from Global In-sight, the NAFTA region is one of the most important manufacturing blocs in the world. It is estimated that 42% of the air-craft and spacecraft used around the globe originate in this region, together with 21% of vehicles, 20% of pharmaceutical prod-ucts and 17% of domestic appliancess pur-chased daily around the world. That is re-flected in leading industrial parks that are home to advanced manufacturing plants which require electronic components not only for the finished products but also for the operation of the production lines.

ProMéxico has produced a study to esti-mate the demand for electronic components

within the region comprising Canada, the US, and Mexico. The study took a sample of representative products from a number of industrial sectors. For example, for the auto-motive industry it looked at different models and brands of cars, while for the domestic appliances industry it looked at examples of fridges and washing machines. In that way, it was possible to make an estimate of how much, on average, each electronic compo-nent represents in terms of the total cost of production in each industry.

The results show that the NAFTA zone requires around 180.66 billion USD worth of electronic components to meet the de-mand from the automotive, auto parts, electrical, domestic appliances and con-sumer electronics industries.

In that context, Mexico has positioned itself as an attractive destination for in-vestment for companies specializing in ac-tive and passive components, screens and printed circuits, among others. It is a com-petitive destination, taking into account the advantages offered by the NAFTA, on the one hand, and the country’s competi-tive production costs and availability of skilled labor, on the other. These, together with other advantages, are why companies like Skyworks, Amphenol, Kyocera, Fre-escale, Intel, and Texas Instruments have all chosen to invest in Mexico.

That may also be observed in the case of companies specializing in industrial electronics. Mexico is home to a broad base of manufacturing plants which re-quire automated, safety, and measure-ment and control equipment, in order to operate. Examples of companies offering such solutions that have set up opera-tions in Mexico are Siemens and Rock-well.

ProMéxico works to attract the best partners with a high level of technologi-cal development to the country. It also offers domestic and foreign companies great opportunities to boost their busi-ness in the country. ProMéxico is a key player in making the country increasing-ly competitive and the face of opportu-nity in the electronics industry. n

*Specialist for the electronic industry at

ProMéxico’s Business Intelligence unit.

photos archive Mexico in the WorldMexico in the World

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The eLecTRonicS SecToR IN MEXICOthe electronics industry has established itself as one of the most dynamic sectors of the Mexican economy and an important engine of development for the country. electronics is a globalized sector and Mexico is not immune to global trends. today these trends present new challenges and opportunities that enable Mexico to retain its position as a major player on the global stage.

by MARíA CRISTINA ROSAS *

The electronics industry is a globalized and strategic sector, since it is increasingly connected to the production processes of goods manufactured in other sectors and from other regions. We only need to con-sider their role in the automotive, domestic appliances, measuring instruments, pro-duction machinery, photography, photo-copying, and even toys sectors, as well, of course, as in information and communica-tion technologies (ICT).

From the outset, it is important to clarify the difference between the electron-ics and the electrical sectors, since they are frequently confused. The electrical sec-tor refers to a device or component that transforms electrical energy into a dif-ferent form of energy; electronics, on the other hand, is a device or component that processes some kind of information. That said, it is evident that the electronics and electrical sectors are closely linked.

The rapid and continual development of the electronics sector has produced pos-itive externalities that have continuously boosted the productivity of companies. As a result, most firms around the world base a substantial part of their competitiveness on the electronics sector.

The dynamism and evolution of the electronics sector has stimulated major trade flows around the world. During the 1990s, the trade in electronic goods showed the highest level of growth com-pared to other manufacturing sectors, reaching an annual average rate of up to 12.1%. In recent decades, Asian countries

have substantially increased their share of production and export of electronic goods. Currently, the leading producers in the sector are the People’s Republic of China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singa-pore, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand. The leading role of the Asian producers has been matched by a fall in the share of the most highly devel-oped countries in the sector.

Given the electronics industry operates in a highly globalized and increasingly spe-cialized market, the firms are forced to com-pete strongly in order to meet clients’ needs, which are ever more specific and demand-ing. As a result, the countries that have at-tracted greatest investment in the sector are those able to offer the conditions these firms require, through the adoption of more ef-ficient and aggressive promotion policies to increase their competitiveness with regard to countries like China and Taiwan.

The strategy of the leading compa-nies in the manufacture of electronic products includes seeking lower costs, in terms of the design of manufactur-ing processes and in logistics, as well as in the higher levels of technological re-search and development, and, of course, the development of human capital. Through that strategy, firms have sought to take advantage of the competitive ad-vantages presented by each country.

In Mexico, the electronics industry has been a central pillar of the manufactur-ing sector. In the 1990s, it saw its greatest boost with the entry into force of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Between 1994 and 2000 alone, the sector grew at an annual rate of 16.4%, which had a positive impact on indicators such as em-ployment, which rose from 192,000 workers in the sector in 1994 to 382,000 in 2000.

That was the result of the conver-gence between the reorganization the electronics industry underwent at a world level and the implementation of the NAFTA, which led most large firms to set up operations in Mexico or expand those already there. That also made it

possible to consolidate a range of pro-ductive agglomerations in a single terri-tory and an inter-industry and inter-firm organization of production, which in turn favored the development of other activities such as the software industry.

In Mexico, the electronics industry is principally concentrated in the states on the border with the US, a region which is home to around 75% of the sector’s op-erations. In particular, the states of Baja California and Chihuahua are key, even if Jalisco boasts the largest number of firms in the sector. It is a sector that comprises a large variety of companies, which include manufacturers and distributors of metal and plastic components, logistics and sup-ply chain management firms, and product design and development firms.

The challenges facing the Mexican electronics industry are above all to maintain an overall level of competitiveness and boost the advantages held by the country, which include economies of scale, human capital, production efficiency, factor costs, rapid response capacity, investment in research and development and access to external technology sources.

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The electronics industry in Mexico is fully integrated into global trends and as a result has been affected by worldwide crises experienced in the sector. Between 2001 and 2002, for example, the world crisis in electronics and recession in the US led to a slowdown in the sector in Mexico. That was due to the electron-ics sector being less integrated with the

was made in introducing new technolo-gies and incorporating digital technolo-gies into consumer electronics.

As a result, the crisis of 2001-2002 led to a productive technological restructuring of the electronics sector, which drove the incor-poration of new technologies. That process meant a restructuring of the industry as a whole based on the expansion of the scope of the microprocessor and digitalization, as well as the development of networks that increasingly connect more mobile and multi-functional devices. In that way, the electron-ics sector in Mexico was able to extend itself into other productive sectors which were also undergoing restructuring as a result of the incorporation of new technologies, such as the automotive, aerospace and precision instruments sectors.

The microprocessor and digitalization made it possible for information process-ing devices to develop other electronic fea-tures, especially in the telecommunications and consumer electronics fields. In fact, the recovery of the electronics sector after 2002 is attributed to that development.

The financial crisis of 2008 and its ramifications on the global economy once again had a powerful impact on the electronics industry. It is estimated that worldwide production in the electronics industry fell 8.1% in 2009, the first fall in the sector since the telecommunica-tions crisis of 2001.

In Mexico, production in the electron-ics industry fell 8.6% in 2008, and over the following three years it saw growth rates of 4.8%, 9.7% and 1.8%, respective-ly. In 2011, the sector was responsible for 3.9% of GDP in the manufacturing sec-tor, 25.5% of manufacturing exports, and more than 251,000 jobs.

The fact that the production and de-sign of electronic equipment is currently spread across numerous countries in mod-ules, thanks to the global production net-works, presents both significant challenges and opportunities for Mexico.

The challenges facing the Mexican electronics industry are above all to main-

tain an overall level of competitiveness and boost the advantages held by the country, which include economies of scale, human capital, production efficiency, factor costs, rapid response capacity, investment in re-search and development and access to ex-ternal technology sources.

Likewise, there are strengths deriving from over fifty years of production experi-ence, such as the presence of leading com-panies that have moved their technological processes and organizational capacities here to take advantage of the geographical location and the commercial treaties with the principal markets worldwide.

The opportunities lie principally in strengthening productive integration with the US, transitioning to higher value added activities and taking advantage of produc-

tion chains with other industries that display high levels of growth and potential, such as the automotive, aeronautics, domestic appli-ances and medical equipment sectors.

There are currently over 730 econom-ic entities related to the electronics indus-try operating in Mexico. Nine out of ten of the major service providers in the sec-tor who operate worldwide have a pres-ence in Mexico, including consortiums like Flextronics, Jabil Circuit, Celestica and Sanmina SCI. Furthermore, Mexico is the second largest supplier of electronic products to the US market, including au-dio and video, telecommunications, and computing equipment and related compo-nents. The country also exports to other major markets including Finland, Cana-da, Colombia and the Netherlands. That

In Mexico, the electronics industry has been a central pillar of the manufacturing sector. In the 1990s, it saw its greatest boost with the entry into force of the North American Free Trade Agreement

(NAFTA). Between 1994 and 2000 alone, the sector grew at an annual rate of 16.4%, which had a positive impact on indicators

such as employment, which rose from 192,000 workers in the sector in 1994 to 382,000 in 2000.

explains, to a large extent, the increase in foreign direct investment and in exports relating directly to the sector.

It is evident that the crises of 2001-2002 and 2008 brought about a significant internal restructuring of the sector, which enabled it to continue to grow by linking up with other productive sectors.

Also worth noting is the impact the recent reforms in the energy and telecom-munications sectors in Mexico will have, helping to consolidate the electronics sector as one of the engines of national development, while generating major op-portunities for foreign investment. n

*Professor and researcher in the Political and

Social Sciences faculty, National autonomous

university of Mexico (uNaM).

local market at the time, which meant there was a low level of added value. The industry recovered by 2004 and the crisis had a positive effect on the sector, lead-ing companies to increase the added val-ue of their products. On the one hand, a trend emerged towards the manufacture and assembly of low-volume, high added value products; on the other, investment

photos archive Business tipsBusiness tips

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photos courtesy siemens

SieMenS And MeXico: A lAsTINg AllIANCE

Whether it is a question of au-tomating a production system to improve the resource and waste management of a petro-chemicals plant or increasing the efficiency of the extraction cycle of a mining company: Siemens is there.

Today the name of the Ger-man company has become a global benchmark for cutting-edge technology, efficiency and sustainable technology; for industrialists it is a synonym of infrastructure, clean processes, cost saving and achievement.

For Mexico, Siemens is a technological partner. For Sie-mens, Mexico has been a major client since 1894, when the firm was commissioned with the lighting for Paseo de la Reforma avenue and the construction of the Nonoalco power plant, both in Mexico City. It has also been a partner in the manufacture of some of the components and finished products the company sells around the world.

Alejandro Preinfalk, vice-president of the Industry sec-

tor of Siemens Mesoamérica, is more specific: “From the point of view of the headquarters, Mexico is one of the coun-tries with the greatest pros-pects of growth worldwide. Internally, we see it as part of the second wave of emerging countries, as confirmed by various consulting firms.”

That outlook helps to explain the intensive level of investments made by Siemens since Louise Goeser took over the leading role at the branch that oversees operations in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Those add up to nearly 100 million USD in the past three years and have been

the presence of Siemens is essential to an understanding of the industrial history of Mexico, whether because the country’s productive sectors have sought the solutions offered by the German company or because of the business development opportunities the latter has found in Mexico.

spent on building new manu-facturing centers, research and development centers and new corporate headquarters.

MExICo As A ClIEnTIn its 2013 activities report, Sie-mens Mesoamérica published some of the industrial projects in Mexico in which their auto-mation technologies and soft-ware were used to ensure faster, more flexible and efficient production cycles. Among its customers are major players in gas extraction, petrochemicals and the coffee industry.

The publication describes how some mining companies, car manufacturers and pa-

per mills set up their plants with Siemens electric motors, geared motors and variable speed drives, which help in-crease productivity through efficient use of energy.

Similarly, the report men-tions the results of the contract for the operation and mainte-nance of the materials crush-ing and transport system pur-chased by Goldcorp’s Minera Peñasquito, a five-year project launched in 2012, which lever-ages the company’s experience in planning, engineering, op-eration and modernization of industrial processes.

Preinfalk defines Siemens as a company that accompa- nies the country’s industrial

development with an extensive portfolio of automation and control equipment and field instrumentation; electric mo-tors, mechanical and motion control solutions for machine tools, turnkey products for the steel industry and high and medium voltage electrical solu-tions for power and distribu-tion. The company also offers servicing and maintenance for all its equipment.

“We maintain a leading role as a technology partner for Mexican industries thanks to our market presence –120 years is not something many companies can boast– as well as the level of innovation of our products and technologi-cal solutions and the service we provide for our clients,” the executive affirms.

He himself speaks of the future potential Siemens sees in sectors such as the automotive industry –“with the announce-ments of new Audi, BMW, and Daimler plants in Mexico”– and the mining industry which “remains significant, with a lot of exploration for gold, and the steel market, which is seeing major investment to increase the quality of the steel.”

“In general we are ob-serving that the industry will receive benefits from the

implementation of the energy reform,” Preinfalk points out.

MExICo As suPPlIEr And ProduCEr The figures for Siemens Mexi-co speak for themselves: 6,000 employees, fifteen sales and services offices, nine electrical and industrial products manu-facturing plants, three research and development centers, two distribution centers and a cor-porate building –which is also a sustainable building.

The company has taken advantage of the geographi-cal position of Mexico and the attributes of its economy. It is, in Preinfalk’s words: “A stable, robust, and very open economy that attracts invest-ment and which gives cer-tainty to investors that there will be no volatility.”

Of particular importance for Siemens’ industrial sector are three of the firm’s plants

in Mexico, dedicated to the production of NEMA standard engines, which are exported worldwide, though principally to the rest of North America, in-dustrial control equipment –also NEMA standard, for the US market– and components for electric arc furnaces for the steel industry in Mexico and the US.

Of those, the most impor-tant is the NEMA engine fac-tory in Guadalajara, Jalisco, where Siemens also operates a research and development center and a distribution cen-ter. That factory has received ISO 9000 certification, using cutting edge technology and copper and aluminum winding systems and employing around 1,000 personnel.

The factory for electric motor starters and control components for electrical-industrial processes opened in 2012 in the Zapopan Technol-ogy Park (Metropolitan Zone

For Mexico, Siemens is a technological partner. For Siemens, Mexico has been a major client since 1894, when the firm was commissioned with the lighting for Paseo de la Reforma avenue and the construction of the Nonoalco power plant, both in Mexico City. It has also been a partner in the manufacture of some of the components and finished products the company sells around the world.

of Guadalajara), and required an investment of five million USD, according to information from the company itself.

At the inauguration of the manufacturing center, Siemens executives referred to the Alliance with Transna-tional Companies that Siemens Mesoamérica signed with ProMéxico in 2010, which aims to promote reinvestment by international companies already established in Mexico and for them to incorporate Mexican suppliers into their product chain.

During the signing of that agreement, Siemens announced that its purchases of domestic inputs would be worth over 73.5 million pesos by the year 2013 and that it would incentivize the development of industrial sector projects in Jalisco, Nuevo León, Coahuila, Tamaulipas and Mexico City.

“That is one of our most important strategies: to in-crease the participation of Mexican suppliers within our production cycles,” says Preinfalk, who notes that domestically sourced inputs used by the company include raw metal materials (copper and aluminum), specialized films for electrical products, machined, stamped, and cast components for engines, plas-tic parts for switches, and wire and services.

“To really take advantage of the added value of produc-ing here, it is necessary to use local suppliers and seek syner-gies to build the sector as a whole,” adds Preinfalk, who emphasizes that Siemens has a long-term commitment to the growth of Mexico and its clients in the country. A sign of that is the firm’s support for green technologies and the programs to support educa-tion the company has imple-mented in the country. n

www.siemens.com

by OMAR MAGAñA

Mexico’s PartnerMexico’s Partner

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photos courtesy of schneider electric

by ANTONIO VázqUEzSchneideR eLecTRic MéXico, INfINITE ENERgy sOluTIONs

Of the 190 countries where Schneider Electric has pres-ence, Mexico is one of its bastions. This leading inter-national corporation special-izes in the energy sector and has ten manufacturing plants in the country that employ over 9,000 people, and the Monterrey Development and Innovation Center where more than 200 minds pool their creativity.

“Mexico is among the company’s top six locations worldwide, due to its ten manufacturing plants and over 9,000 employees. We are the second-largest French company operating in Mexico in terms of employees and one of the most important in the country’s ener-

gy sector,” says Leopoldo Castil-lo, vice-president of Schneider’s Industry Business Unit.

Schneider Electric began op-erating in Mexico almost seven decades ago through companies like Federal Pacific, Telemeca-nique, and Square D. It wasn’t until 1991 that it was decided that these companies should work under the same structure and Schneider Electric México came into being.

“This decision was made because the Mexican market is very important to us, not just because of its size or type of industry, but also due to the country’s geographical location, the trade agreements it has in place and its skilled labor,” says Castillo.

the experience Schneider electric has accumulated over the last seven decades in Mexico has translated into annual earnings of one billion USD –a product of its extensive catalogue of hi-tech solutions for the energy sector.

Such has been the success of Schneider Electric México that its business model has been replicated by its competi-tors. What did it do that was so revolutionary? It simply decid-ed to agglutinate its products and services into solutions, one for each of its many business units. These range from solu-tions for smart cities, compa-nies in the electrical and fossil-fuel sectors, and homes or hotels to sustainability projects. In short, energy management solutions for practically every sphere of modern-day life.

“Our solutions converge toward integrated solutions designed to make energy safer, more reliable, more effective, and greener. Our mission is to offer solutions for all sectors of

economic activity. We are pres-ent in the residential, industrial, urban infrastructure, hospital, and security sectors [...] Each business unit offers solutions tailored to each segment. Our solutions aren’t just electricity based, but apply to all energy sources in a system, including steam and water. We can inte-grate energy solutions for every-one,” says Castillo.

These solutions also in-clude a software package de-veloped in-house that enables the customer to control the entire system from a tablet or smartphone.

Some fifteen years ago, Schneider Electric decided to venture outside the European Union. Today it has presence in 190 countries and 250 factories around the world. Mexico is a strategic stronghold on this vast corporate map.

One reason Schneider Electric México has invested so much in Mexico is related to its geographical location.

“We are right next to the largest market in the world, the US, but the country also has a great many trade agreements and labor of the highest stan-dard. Of Schneider’s five global research centers, one is located in Mexico and employs over 200 highly qualified engineers,” says Castillo, who notes that the very fact Schneider has a design

center in Mexico is because it knows the country’s capacities go well beyond manufacturing.

Schneider Electric has a solid growth strategy focused on new economies where the country has presence, and in the last year the company has grown to double digits. In the last year alone, Schneider Electric poured 65 million USD into the Monterrey De-velopment and Innovation Center and is investing in its ten manufacturing plants to create solutions locally for marketing worldwide.

“We don’t see Mexico as a manufacturing country, but as a country with skilled labor, with trained technicians and talented people. Our design center in Mexico has been functioning for ten years and last year we opened new facilities—a net zero energy building, a self-suffi-cient building with its own solar park to generate electricity.”

Certified a Socially Re-sponsible Company, Schneider Electric México is a firm favor-ite of state-owned entities like Pemex, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), the Mexi-can Social Security Institute (IMSS), and internationally rec-ognized private-sector compa-nies like Bimbo, Cemex, Grupo México, and Telmex, among others. Where is Schneider Electric México headed? “We

“We are right next to the largest market in the world, the US, but the country also has a great many trade agreements and labor of the highest standard. Of Schneider’s five global research centers, one is located in Mexico and employs 300 highly qualified engineers,” says Castillo, who notes that the very fact Schneider has a design center in Mexico is because it knows the country’s capacities go well beyond manufacturing.

are going to continue offering products that meet growing global demand for hi-tech energy management solutions, while continuing to strengthen our presence in the industry,” concludes Castillo. n

www.schneider-electric.com


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MeXico And eLecTRoLuX: shARED lEADERshIP

a decade ago, this international domestic appliances manufacturer decided to operate its North american division from ciudad Juárez, on Mexico’s northern frontier. the results are plain for all to see.

Quality, a trained workforce and geographic location: these are some of the factors that influenced Electrolux, a legendary international man-ufacturer of appliances and home technology, in its deci-sion to establish its North American division in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.

Over a decade ago, one of the leading appliances com-panies worldwide decided on Mexico to build what is now its main industrial plant, just over 650,000 square meters in size.

With over 100 years of history and 48 manufactur-ing plants located throughout

“Mexico was the perfect solution to our need for expansion. It was not easy to find attractive sites with available skilled labor and a large base of suppliers. Actually, it was a very simple decision. I can say that Electrolux would have virtually no business in North America if we did not have this plant, which is the largest at a global level,” adds Palacios.

the world, Electrolux knew it had to have a plant that would combine innovation, space and skilled labor and would be able to produce what the North American market demanded. It decided on Mexico, and 2004 was the crucial year for the firm in the country.

“We started that year, and it was a combination of fac-tors that made us turn to Mex-ico, where there is a skilled workforce, and large suppliers. So we took the opportunity to make our products here,” recalls Óscar Palacios, pur-chasing director of Electrolux’s North American division.

Palacios says that basing its operations in Mexico is very important for the interna-tional firm. He offers a figure that speaks of the importance that the Ciudad Juárez plant has for the company: it has 9,000 employees, who pro-duce a catalog of over 300 products. Around 98% of the annual production of the Electrolux plant in Ciudad Juárez is exported to the US and Canada. To get an idea of what that means, every single day the plant produces around 4,500 refrigerators.

“Mexico was the perfect solution to our need for expan-sion. It was not easy to find attractive sites with available skilled labor and a large base of suppliers. Actually, it was a very simple decision. I can say that Electrolux would have virtually no business in North America if we did not have this plant, which is the largest at a global level,” adds Palacios.

The fact is that in Mexico, Electrolux enjoys an excellent infrastructure and logistics platforms, meaning that in a question of minutes its prod-

ucts can reach its principal market: the US.

Refrigerators, washers and dryers; domestic appliancess with the latest technology on the market make up the wide range of products manufactured by Electrolux at their industrial facility in Ciudad Juárez.

“The only way to remain at the front in this business is through quality. That is our top priority and goal. You can have the best designs and the best technology but if you do not have the trained people you need, the skilled labor and the talent, none of that matters. Ciudad Juárez has provided us with these,” says Palacios.

So, when purchasing an Electrolux product made in Mexico, you are purchasing certainty. The average lifes-pan of each of their technolo-gies is about ten years and, together with that, all their products meet high standards for energy consumption.

“Most of our output is sold in the US and Canada, which means we have to meet the regulations imposed by those markets,” Palacios points out.

Electrolux has overcome the global financial crises and emerged from them unscathed. In 2008, perhaps one of the most difficult years faced by the global economy in recent decades, Electrolux decided to make some adjustments to its sales strategy, which proved to be a real success. As a result of those changes, the firm broke its own historical production records in June 2014.

The company has short-term plans to expand its operations –there is space for the plant to occupy up to one million square meters if required– which will gener-ate around 900 new jobs and raise the level of production in Mexico.

“The space is available in Ciudad Juárez, we have invest-ment plans for two plants, one for metal stamping and anoth-er for plastic injection, which together will increase our vertical integration. These two plants will reach 100% capac-ity in the coming months,” concludes Óscar Palacios. n

www.electrolux.com

photos courtesy of electrolux

by ANTONIO VázqUEz


35


34 August 2014


August 2014

photos courtesy of flextronics

With presence in thirty countries around the world, Flextronics knows that Mexico is a region of interest for its future growth, due to its proximity to the US market, among other factors. Each year the firm exports 85% of its output to its northern neighbor. The rest is distributed in countries in Europe, Central and South America, and Asia.

In the summer of 1997 Flextronics opened the first manufacturing building in Guadalajara, employing around 300 people in its 6,000-square-meter plant. Today, Flextronics has opera-tions within four states in the country with a total landmark of 575,000-square-meters.

“There have been a few changes. When we first started operations in the country, we only had presence in Gua-dalajara but now we have increased significantly our footprint, being the largest company within our industry in the region. We have grown in three main fronts: organic growth with existing custom-ers, growth due to acquisition and, of course, new custom-ers,” states Guillermo del Río, Senior Director of Business Development, Public and Gov-ernment Relations for Flex-tronics in Mexico.

Flextronics has been very confident about Mexico and

part of it translates in the growth the firm has had. Flex-tronics currently has six plants in Mexico; one in Tijuana, on the border with the US; another in Aguascalientes, in the center of the nation; two plants in Guadalajara and two plants in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. But it’s not only about the presence, but also the manufacturing diversifi-cation in the operations. In Mexico, the firm produces products for the medical, automotive, aerospace, re-newable energy, electronics, telecommunications and many other manufacturing sectors. Thus, the work done by Mexi-can employees in Flextronics is present in the daily lives of billions around the planet.

“It is amazing to observe the value added we give to these products,” asserts del Río, who explains that one of the reasons why the firm invested in Mexico is the availability of highly skilled labor, a great

talent pool, the culture and a strategic location for worldwide distribution.

Del Río highlights the fact that the Mexican work-force has a differentiation in comparison with labor in other parts of the world: its passion. “We receive custom-ers from all over the world, and when they see our opera-tions they notice the pride and sense of belonging in Mexican workers, who are highly committed to their jobs,” he remarks.

With presence in thirty countries around the world, Flextronics knows that Mexi-co is a region of interest for its future growth, due to its prox-imity to the US market, among other factors. Each year the firm exports 85% of its output to its northern neighbor. The rest is distributed in countries in Europe, Central and South America, and Asia.

“Mexico has the second largest production site for the

company; only China has a larger one than Guadalajara. In Mexico we constantly seek talent to set a difference in the company. We currently em-ploy about 26,000 people in all of our sites in Mexico,” del Río points out.

Flextronics worldwide produces a large variety of product technologies, being a significant portion manufac-tured in Mexico, like prod-ucts that require a higher complexity, customization or highly skilled labor; especial-ly true for telecommunication devices, industrial, medical, automotive and aerospace products, among others. The company has a portfolio of over 100 customers, includ-ing most of the industry lead-ers in each sector.

According to Guillermo del Río, Mexico is now a reference point not only for Flextronics but also for a large number of firms in the electronic in-dustry, having a perspective of

the country as a major hub of development in the industry.

Flextronics has also estab-lished a successful partnership with ProMéxico, an institu-tion that has provided valu-able information, fostering successful conversations for several projects. Having good relations with the main edu-cational institutions has also been of great support to Flex-tronics in Mexico. The firm has discovered a huge poten-tial in the Mexican education system: human talent. Having a strong focus on corporate social and environmental responsibility, Flextronics as-sures that the greatest asset it has is its personnel.

“We want to continue as the industry leader in Mexico, as we oversee growth within the next years, consolidating Flextronics as the supply chain solutions partner by excel-lence” concludes del Río. n

www.flextronics.com

FLeXTRonicS: MEXICO PREsENT IN ThE lIfE Of BIllIONsabout seventeen years ago, flextronics established its second largest operation worldwide in Mexico. the firm exports 85% of its annual production in Mexico to the North american market.

by ANTONIO VázqUEz


37


36 August 2014


August 2014

photos courtesy of construlita

conSTRuLiTA, A COMPANy wITh A BRIghT fuTuREIn the last forty years, construlita has consolidated itself as a leading manufacturer of lighting products in Mexico. the company currently exports up to 7% of its production and plans to explore new international markets in the short term.

by ANTONIO VázqUEz

The year was 1973 and a young student from the Iberoamericana University in Mexico City designed a read-ing lamp for a competition. He won the competition and had the idea of producing his inven-tion and other lighting prod-ucts. So he borrowed his par-ents’ garage and got to work. It wasn’t long before he had to find a new space to accommo-date his fledgling company.

The city of Querétaro turned out to be the perfect location. Just over four de-cades later, Construlita has a 12,000-square-meter factory there and employs some 300 workers.

Over the years, Constru-lita has had fleeting affairs with relevant partners. In 2000, Phillips purchased an interest in the company and for almost six years the multinational invested in the Mexican manufacturer be-fore deciding to sell back its shares. The same university student who founded Con-strulita regained complete control of it, except this time with an extensive catalogue ranging from energy saving, fluorescent, compact, outdoor and industrial lighting prod-ucts to fixtures for facades and a line of garden lighting products, among others.

“Construlita has grown into one of the most recog-nized brands on the domestic market. We have a strong dis-tribution network and an in-teresting line of aesthetic and functional products that cater to a niche in the commercial lighting sector for offices, large retail stores, schools and residences,” says Construlita Director Jesús Gloria.

According to Gloria, Con-strulita has managed to main-tain its position on the domes-tic market in 2014 thanks to its partnership with Tecnolite, another leading lighting com-pany. The alliance has enabled the parties to cover both the residential market and large-scale architectural projects.

Other contributing fac-tors include the firm’s ability to produce its own designs, the quality of its products, innovation and openness to new technologies.

Construlita currently ex-ports approximately 7% of its annual production, mainly to Central and South American countries, and one of its goals is to increase its share of in-ternational markets. “We have begun implementing an ex-pansion strategy that provides for the exploration of other markets and, when the time is right, will offer products that meet other countries’ stan-dards,” says Gloria.

Mexico’s geographic lo-cation and the various free

Mexico’s geographic location and the various free trade agreements it has entered into with other nations are some of the advantages the company believes will facilitate its incursion into uncharted terrain.

trade agreements it has en-tered into with other nations are some of the advantages the company believes will facilitate its incursion into uncharted terrain.

“Our products are com-petitive and meet the require-ments of European and US markets. One of the benefits we had when we started out was our close relationship with a French company that assisted in the manufacture of Construlita products. This helped us a lot and at the same time allowed us to offer quality products with mod-ern designs at competitive costs,” says Gloria.

Savings in energy, con-sumption and power are just

a few of the added values of the 800 products that make up Construlita’s catalogue. This is one company that has invested heavily in R&D with a view to offering its custom-ers a wide range of products that adapt to their needs.

Meanwhile, Gloria is confident this is the right moment for Construlita to get its foot in the door of new markets. One of the many factors in its favor is the availability of skilled labor. “Mexico has people as talented as any other country in the world, which means we can compete with anyone, anywhere,” he says. n

www.construlitalighting.com+


39


38 August 2014


August 2014

deLTA conecToReS,ENERgIzED AND RARINg TO gO

central and South america are shaping up as potential candidates for this Mexican firm’s international expansion.

on an even footing with the sector’s big fish.

“Being ISO 9000-certified has radically changed our phi-losophy and the way we work. We went from being a shop to a consolidated company that employs well-defined proce-dures,” says Ochoa.

Delta obtained ISO 9002 certification in 1999 and ISO 9000:2008 certifica-tion in 2010. The company also complies with Mexican (NMX) and international (NEMA) standards governing the industry and the CFE Test, Equipment and Materials Lab (LAPEM) has classed it as a trustworthy supplier.

As part of its commitment to the local community, Delta takes compliance with environ-mental standards seriously. “We smelt copper and aluminum and although companies like ours are generally deemed highly polluting, because we are Clean Industry certified, the client has a guarantee we are regulated by

Delta Conectores has come up with an aggressive plan to enter Guatemala, Chile and Peru, while consolidating the presence of its products in Mexico via distributors of electrical supplies, OEMs, contractors hired by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) and as a direct supplier of the latter.

photos courtesy of delta conectores

Commission (CFE) and as a direct supplier of the latter.

Ochoa acknowledges that competition in this sector is fierce, but Delta Conectores has over 35 years of experi-ence in its favor (it began op-erating in 1978), as well as ef-ficient production systems that are competitive in terms of both time and costs, qualified human resources with average seniority of twelve years, certi-fications and a client portfolio featuring major OEMs.

In the case of certain OEMs, Delta Conectores has ties dat-ing back 25 years, mainly with “companies that manufacture power transformers, knife switches and control panels,” including multinationals like Siemens, Prolec GE, Grupo Arteche and Alstom. It also has long-term business relations with distributors of electrical products in Monterrey, Guada-lajara and Estado de México, which it has been supplying for thirty years and which have in-directly enabled the company to gain market share nationwide.

The same customer loyalty extends to CFE, which Delta has been doing business with for two decades. Just recently, it added Iberdrola, Abengoa and Isolux –Spanish compa-nies that hold CFE contracts– to its client list.

As soon as Delta improved on its industrial processes with a view to obtaining certifica-tions, it was able to compete

the competent authority, in this case, the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (Profepa).

sTrEngTH In sysTEMATIzATIon Taking a leaf out of the book of successful companies and implementing their good prac-tices is one way to get ahead in the business world. Delta Conectores has done just that, adopting the Kaizen and 5S business process improvement systems with a view to increas-ing productivity and respond-ing more quickly and effective-ly to its customers’ needs.

The company also takes care of its employees –all 127 of them– and does its best to hold on to them, despite periods of fluctuating demand. “Last year was a hard year, but no employ-ees were laid off,” says Ochoa.

In terms of earnings, “we set ourselves the goal of sur-passing results from 2013 and from previous years when we posted sustained growth.

By the end of the first half of 2014, we had met our sales target,” says Ochoa.

Growth looks set to con-tinue with a new 1,100-square-meter factory that is expected to meet demand for increased connector production capacity, three new product lines based on extruded metal and the ac-quisition of a machining center.

“We have a very aggressive cost-reduction program that will no doubt translate into more competitive prices for our customers and greater oppor-tunities to compete on interna-tional markets,” says Ochoa on the subject of expansion.

by OMAR MAGAñA

Delta Conectores is a high-voltage Mexican company based in Aguascalientes. Con-sidered a leader in the manu-facture of electrical substation connectors on the domestic market, its products and ser-vices have earned it the loyalty of several heavyweights in the electricity generation and man-agement sector.

Terminals, fittings, shunts, bolt connectors, transformer outlets, connectors for earth-ing systems and special con-nectors are just some of the products that make up its catalogue for substations and industrial power transmission and distribution lines.

According to Delta Conec-tores Sales Manager Francisco Ochoa, the company is ex-panding at a steady rate and is on the hunt for new interna-tional markets.

“With the support of Pro-México, we have participated in several congresses abroad. We basically export to Central and South America –Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Honduras– and, to a lesser extent, to the US, mainly to ABB, which is one of our customers,” says Ochoa.

Delta Conectores has come up with an aggressive plan to enter Guatemala, Chile and Peru, while consolidating the presence of its products in Mex-ico via distributors of electrical supplies, OEMs, contractors hired by the Federal Electricity

As for inputs, the com-pany relies on home-based suppliers of copper and alu-minum alloys located mainly in Nuevo León, Estado de México, San Luis Potosí, Aguascalientes and Mexico City. Tinned copper braid is the only input it currently imports from the US.

The long path traveled by Delta Conectores has given it the experience that its cus-tomers have come to rely on, while its young spirit embraces change and heralds an even longer path ahead. n

www.deltaconectores.com


41


40 August 2014


August 2014

diAMond eLecTRonicS, COMPETITIvE vIEwINg

the products manufactured by Diamond electronics compete with those of the world’s leading electronics firms. this Mexican-based company has a strong presence on the domestic market and exports 20% of its output to central america.

photos courtesy of diamond electronics

Diamond Electronics holds an important share of the domes-tic market for televisions and exports up to 20% of its annu-al output to Central American countries, mainly Honduras, Guatemala and Costa Rica.

In the twenty years it has been operating in Mexico’s electronics industry, the com-pany has established itself as a leading manufacturer and mar-keter of electronics for the Latin American market. The reason it chose Mexico was because of the geographical advantages the country offers, says Plant Man-ager Enrique Ortiz.

It was in the year 2000 that Diamond Electronics opened its plant in Tijuana, strategi-cally located in the border state of Baja California. In addition to corporate headquarters in San Diego, California, the com-pany also has a sales office in Mexico City and is currently in the process of consolidating a network of designers and sup-pliers in Hong Kong.

“In recent years, the com-pany has capitalized on its knowledge of the domestic market, where it has met with great success. Unlike our com-petitors, who set their sights on markets in the US and Eu-rope, Diamond Electronics has chosen to focus on Mexico. Our strength lies in our famil-iarity with the Mexican mar-ket and we are now consider-ing expanding to other regions in Latin America,” says Ortiz.

The key to Diamond Electronics’ success is simple: quality products at a low cost. Polaroid, Atvio and Mitsui are just a sample of the brands the company makes televisions and other electronics for.

In this industry, the abil-ity to adapt to change is vital, but Diamond Electronics has proven it has the versatility to weather the ups and downs of the market. Two years ago, recalls Ortiz, consumers wanted LCD televisions, but “today’s consumer is looking mainly for high resolution and quality sound. So far this year, we have seen high demand for smart televisions, which means we have to work with plat-forms and applications that didn’t use to form part of the television industry.”

Diamond Electronics pro-duces televisions, tablets, mo-bile phones, videogames and other electronic products at its facilities in Mexico, where it employs some 350 people all year round, although this figure can double between Sep-tember and December to meet increased seasonal demand.

Mexico’s Consumer Pro-tection Agency (Profeco) has rated the televisions manufac-tured by Diamond Electronics among the best quality prod-ucts of their kind available on the Mexican market.

“We have quality control processes in place from the product design phase. Our

by ANTONIO VázqUEz

Diamond Electronics produces televisions, tablets, mobile phones, videogames and other electronic products at its facilities in Mexico, where it employs some 350 people all year round, although this figure can double between September and December to meet increased seasonal demand.

container that has just made it through customs can be delivered to your door the same day, which is amazing,” says Ortiz.

But it’s not just Mexico’s strategic geographical loca-tion that has contributed to Diamond Electronic’s con-solidation. The availability of skilled labor, the development of the country’s electronics industry and its trade agree-ments with other nations have also played their part.

Over the next five years, the company sees itself

team in Asia inspects the fin-ished products and the raw materials before these are shipped to Mexico, where our suppliers undergo a qual-ity assurance process. All the televisions we make are thor-oughly inspected. We have a minimum failure rate, which puts us on an equal footing and in direct competition with the leading brands on the market,” says Ortiz.

This level of commitment to the consumer is reflected in industry certifications like the ISO 9001 (still in process)

standard, the Safe Company certification granted by the Mexican government and the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program.

“As for logistics, given the importance of trade with Asia and the US, Mexico –especial-ly the northwest region of the country– has high strategic value. In Tijuana, we are just two and a half hours from the main gateway to Asia in America and with good lo-gistics coordination and the right customs certifications a

consolidating its presence on the markets it currently supplies, like Mexico and Central America, and post-ing sustained growth. “In the medium term, we also see ourselves in other parts of Latin America and there’s always the option of making an incursion into the US,” concludes Ortiz of Diamond Electronics, a firm in con-stant evolution, just like the products it manufactures. n

www.diamond-electronics.com


43


42 August 2014


August 2014

photos courtesy of clarion

eLecTRónicA cLARion, A sOlID COMPANy BuIlT ON PERsEvERANCE

three decades ago, a group of Mexican entrepreneurs approached clarion and suggested they join forces. the Japanese electronics manufacturer agreed, giving rise to electrónica clarion, whose annual exports are valued at 200 million USD.

by ANTONIO VázqUEz

Electrónica Clarion, a division of Clarion of Japan that serves the Latin American market, reports annual exports val-ued at over 200 million USD. All thanks to the persever-ance of a group of Mexican entrepreneurs. Prior to 1980,

these same entrepreneurs were importing Clarion radios, but when trade barriers were erected, they were forced to manufacture their product in Mexico. “It’s simple. All we have to do is knock on the company’s door in Japan and

suggest they start operating here,” said one.

The idea seemed almost too simple, but they decided to approach Clarion’s man-agement. The Japanese said yes to their proposal, but in exchange they needed some-

one to help them sell car radios to Nissan. And so they came to an agreement that gave rise to Electrónica Clari-on in December 1983.

By 1985, the Japanese real-ized there were countless busi-ness opportunities in Mexico and decided to set up a division for the manufacture of elec-tronic radio equipment that was to catapult Electrónica Clarion to the top of its niche.

With the coming into ef-fect of NAFTA, it became easier for Electrónica Clarion to export to the US. Soon, the company had inundated the US market with six-disc CD players and stereos with CD and cassette players that grad-ually became firm favorites

of automotive manufacturers like Nissan and Honda. At the time, it had 5,800 people in its employment.

In early 2000, with China positioning itself as the world’s manufacturing giant, things weren’t looking so good for Electrónica Clarion. Yet the company managed to stay on track.

“We had solid infrastruc-ture, so we asked corporate headquarters to assign us production for all of Latin America. Regional trade agree-ments were instrumental in helping us reach more com-petitive clients and we went from being a bonded factory –80% of our products were manufactured for the US– to producing our own designs and establishing alliances with other companies to sell di-rectly in the region. After that, we became the fiercest com-petitor on the market,” recalls Electrónica Clarion President Joaquín Loose.

Today, Electrónica Clarion is stronger than ever and fore-casts future expansion due to the order Hitachi placed with the Clarion corporative.

Operating from Mexico has been advantageous for Electrónica Clarion, says Loose, who lists the coun-try’s geographical location, its qualified engineers, and the free trade agreements the country has entered into with other nations as key to the company’s development.

“[Clarion] has two major factory operations worldwide: China and Mexico. Mexico plays an important manufac-turing role,” says Loose.

From AM/FM radios to navigation systems that are exported primarily to Brazil, Electrónica Clarion has a catalogue of over 25 basic products, each with a myriad of models. These are manu-factured at the company’s 22,000-square-meter facil-

Operating from Mexico has been advantageous for Electrónica Clarion, says Loose, who lists the country’s geographical location, its qualified engineers, and the free trade agreements the country has entered into with other nations as key to the company’s development.

ity in the city of Querétaro, which employs 1,800 people. Every year, Electrónica Clarion exports goods valued at 150 million USD to the US and Canada, at 50 million USD to Central and South America and at 15 million USD to Eu-rope and other countries.

Quality is unquestionably a distinguishing feature of Electrónica Clarion’s prod-ucts. Of every million systems sold, only seven are returned by automotive production lines. Standards like those are backed by TS 16949 and ISO 14001 certifications, but the firm has also been designated a Socially Responsible Company (ESR) and boasts the Clean In-dustry certification granted by Mexico’s federal government.

Research, innovation, and development are other areas

the company invests heavily in. The Clarion Corporation reinvests 4.5% of its earnings in R&D and in the case of Electrónica Clarion, that figure stands at approximately 2.5%.

Loose is optimistic about Electrónica Clarion’s future, which will go hand in hand with Hitachi’s. “Our expan-sion is based on two strategies. First, to establish ourselves as an electronics manufacturing center for Hitachi and, second, to explore, within the area of new technologies, safety devices for automobiles, like 360-degree cameras that con-nect the vehicle to a cloud. Indubitably, this will be the sector that experiences great-est growth over the next five years,” concludes Loose. n

www.clarion.com



44 August 2014 45

| negocios ProMéxico

August 2014 4544 August 2014 August 2014

MAnuFAcTuRAS eSPeciALiZAdAS:A REfREshINg BusINEss

Located in Nuevo León, the company has established itself in less than fifteen years, with a catalog consisting of 2,600 products and with exports accounting for 80% of its annual production.

by ANTONIO VázqUEz

Innovation and production of its own products are the two services offered by Manufac-turas Especializadas (MESA), a leading Mexican company in the field of refrigeration and air conditioning, which exports up to 80% of its annual production to the US and South America.

Behind this company lies a story of success and evolu-tion. Founded in 1970, MESA began operations as a manu-facturer of semi-hermetic compressors for air condi-tioning systems. It remained so until the 1990s, when the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between

tions are excellent, so that we do not represent a problem for a client,” says Muñoz.

Another key factor has been customer service. MESA’s primary mission is to provide a personal approach to each buyer, and meet their needs in terms of quality, price, delivery times and service.

“We have grown steadily over the past seven years, enabling us to triple our busi-ness. Annually we have grown at levels of between 12% and 14%,” says Muñoz.

These figures have been boosted by the awarding of a number of certifications, such as ISO 9001:2008 and the Clean Industry (environmentally friendly) and Socially Respon-sible Company awards granted by Mexican authorities.

“One activity that has enabled us to move forward and tackle new challenges is the development of our human resources. Supporting their training is a cornerstone of our growth,” adds Rafael Muñoz.

Indeed, MESA maintains a fund for its workers to special-

ize by means of courses and even graduate programs.

The firm’s geographical lo-cation, which allows its prod-ucts to be in the US in a matter of hours, is an element behind the growth of the company, as Rafael Muñoz acknowledges. He also anticipates that in the short term, MESA will set up operations in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and launch a model for expansion to the center of the country, which will bring more development of own products.

“The sector will continue to grow in coming years, due among other things to the environmental change, which increases the need for air conditioning. The market will grow and we will reap the benefits of the programs that have been established in the US to improve these products to ensure they do not become obsolete technologies. MESA will benefit from these changes due to technology innovations” concludes Rafael Muñoz. n

www.mesa.ms

Located in Santa Catarina, Nuevo León, northern Mexico, the company has a manufacturing plant where manufacturing processes occupy an area of about 7,000 square meters and where around 300 employees work.

Canada, the US and Mexico allowed it to branch out and become an expert in the man-ufacture of compressors.

For a decade, the Mexican company worked with that manufacturing model. However, its executives searched for new horizons. So, early in 2000, after carrying out numerous tests, the company began producing copper tubing assemblies for air conditioners. The success was such that MESA decided to spe-cialize in this new branch and leave compressors behind.

“We found many advan-tages in this business, we designed and implemented a grand strategy that has enabled us to develop in a market that was eager for this type of product, and we have done so for almost fif-teen years now,” says Rafael

Muñoz Martínez, MESA’s General Director.

Located in Santa Catarina, Nuevo León, northern Mexi-co, the company has a manu-facturing plant where manu-facturing processes occupy an area of about 7,000 square meters and where around 300 employees work.

Rafael Muñoz remarks that the firm has undergone a diffi-cult process to achieve a leader-ship position in the market, and has required a constant search for potential customers. As of today, the company is the choice of 22 well-known companies in the industry, including Carrier, Lennox, Rheem and Trane.

“Much of the success of the company is that it is highly transparent in what it does. The company has a good fi-nancial health, employee rela-


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46 August 2014


August 2014

photos courtesy of magnotek

MAgnoTek, sTART-TO-fINIsh AssEMBly one of the first choices for uS electronics companies looking for a one-stop shop, Magnotek has been operating in tecate, Baja california, for over 25 years.

by OMAR MAGAñA

Magnotek is a leader in the assembly of electrical and electronic components in the Mexico-US border area. The wide variety of processes and flexible production volumes the company offers its custom-ers have positioned it at the forefront of this highly con-tested market.

While other companies focus exclusively on the manufacture of harnesses or printed circuit boards (PCBs), Magnotek also has the infra-structure and skilled labor to assemble microprocessor and microcontroller cards, magnet-ic products, and components with coils or toroids.

Magnotek is a one-stop shop for the manufacture of components right through to finished products. For example, the company manu-factures welding machines from start to finish, from the assembly of their electronic components to the machining and manufacture of their met-al parts and the application of powder paint, including test-ing and packaging.

“We are ranked among the top 100 assembly companies in the Tecate-Tijuana-Mexicali area,” says René Ochoa, rep-resentative of Magnotek’s

Mexican unit, which has served as the manufacturing partner of customers located mainly in the south of the US for 26 years now.

Founded in Riverside, California, Magnotek began life as a plastic molding com-pany. The Tecate plant was set up to manufacture ballasts for Panasonic, but in 1996 it

the plant’s installed capacity is dedicated to the manufacture of cables and harnesses and the assembly of plastic and mechanical components.

EffICIEnCy And QuAlITy Among its attributes, Magnotek lists quality design, low produc-tion costs and efficient process-es. Its facilities in Tecate are ISO

9000-2008-certified and comply with the IPC-A-610 standard, which governs production units specializing in the manufacture of electronic components, and the IPC/WHMA-A-620 stan-dard, which specifically covers the manufacture and installa-tion of cables and harnesses.

The Tecate plant has devel-oped an efficient production

system based on continuous flow assembly lines to minimize operator and component move-ments. The documentation and inspection of high-density card edges and the micro-welding of small components are per-formed in situ, while cables and harnesses are assembled by hand in compliance with the customer’s specifications.

The Tecate plant was set up to manufacture ballasts for Panasonic, but in 1996 it diversified its portfolio of services from televisions to traffic lights when a customer in that segment requested the plant’s structure as a shelter for five years. Since then, Magnotek has sought out projects in multiple market niches.

diversified its portfolio of ser-vices from televisions to traffic lights when a customer in that segment requested the plant’s structure as a shelter for five years. Since then, Magnotek has sought out projects in mul-tiple market niches.

The products assembled at its 50,000-square-foot fa-cilities are delivered to some

forty manufacturers of finished products in sectors as diverse as the entertainment industry and the aerospace market.

According to company sources, the Tecate plant is engaged mainly in the assem-bly of PCBs and controllers for music players, solar energy devices, medical products, and power supplies. Only 30% of

Another plus is flexibility when it comes to production volumes, which can range from small batches that facilitate the development of prototypes to mass production.

Proximity to the US com-pletes the virtuous circle of a company that aspires to con-tinue increasing its share of the largest electrical-electronics market in the world. “Our strat-egy is to expand within the US, catering to markets in the east and north,” says Ochoa.

THE HuMAn fACTor The diversity and scope of the services Magnotek renders de-mands a large workforce –some 140 people to be exact– en-gaged in the assembly of PCBs, metal components and cables and the manufacture of mag-netic components.

As regards employee turn-over, Magnotek is a stable company. Average seniority is ten years and those who have been working on the production lines longest are responsible for training new hires. The company also has an ongoing in-house training program covering its general processes. “We try to stay competitive in terms of labor costs,” says Ochoa.

InvEsTor InCEnTIvEsThe market has remained stable over the last five years and some US investors have opted to keep operating on their home turf, even though that implies higher manufacturing costs.

Magnotek aims to con-vince these same investors to transfer their operations to the border by offering them effi-cient, integrated, and competi-tive manufacturing processes as an incentive. “ProMéxico has sent us some prospective investors,” concludes Ochoa. The next step is to enter into an alliance with them. n

www.magnotek.com


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48 August 2014


August 2014

TATung VieWS MeXicowITh lED TEChNOlOgy

For all you know, you may have watched the World Cup on a television made on Mex-ico’s northern border, most likely in the Tijuana-Mexicali area of Baja California or Ciudad Juárez in the state of Chihuahua. It is there, in Ciudad Juárez, that the Taiwanese electronics manu-facturing services (EMS) and original design manufacturer (ODM) giant, Tatung, has settled down.

One of the stronger players in a sector that has established Mexico as a major exporter, Tatung was drawn by the country’s geographical loca-tion –next door to the world’s largest consumer of electronic products– and lower duties as a result of its trade agreements with other nations, among other advantages.

“It’s more convenient for a company to buy raw ma-terials where they’re cheap-est –China is the natural market– and import them via us. Tatung’s assembly services can save them up to 15% compared to what it would have cost to import the fin-ished product from China,” says Tatung Business Develop-ment Director for Mexico and Latin America, Pedro Padilla.

Tatung’s factory in Ciu-dad Juárez has the installed capacity to assemble up to six million televisions a year, although actual output oscil-lates between 2.5 million and three million sets, which are sold into the US market un-der Tier-1 brands but includ-ing now very well recognized brands that are looking for growth in the US market.

Here, some 1,200 people are employed on one shift. Ac-cording to Padilla, the season of highest demand begins be-tween September and October of each year, in the run up to Black Friday in late Novem-ber in the US, and continues through to the Super Bowl in late January or early February. Then, between February and May, production dips, only to rise again during the summer vacations in May and June. After a breather in August, the cycle begins all over again.

The assembled product is marketed under recognized brands and via retailers like Walmart, Costco and Target, among others, mainly in the US –where 90% of Tatung Mexico’s exports end up– but also at stores in Mexico and, to a lesser degree, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Hon-duras and Colombia.

Tatung’s factory in Ciu-dad Juárez, which began op-erating fifteen years ago with a PC assembly program for Hewlett–Packard and Com-paq, has been assembling flat-screen televisions for the last eight years, ever since corporate headquarters decid-ed to transfer PC production to its Asian plants to reduce costs and allocate television production to Mexico.

The first televisions Tatung Mexico assembled were LCD screens, which, “environmentally speaking, consume half the electricity a cathode ray television does,” says Padilla. Two years ago, that technology was replaced with LED technology to pro-duce, “a more environmental-ly friendly television given its low electricity consumption and enhanced quality.”

Technological advances have also necessitated a leap from a 60 Hz to a 240 Hz pro-cessor, whose improved charac-teristics are sparking off a new hike in demand, says Padilla.

fuTurE TrAnsITIonsChange is on the horizon for Tatung Mexico and Padilla foresees opportunities for diversification. “We’re work-ing on different projects on the Mexican market, one of which is in conjunction with the Federal Electricity Com-mission (CFE) and the Min-istry of Communications and Transportation (SCT)” for the manufacture of electronic goods, but also the assembly of junction boxes.

The television market, says Padilla, will experience fluctuations and the company needs to be ready for them. That said, the installed ca-

Tatung’s factory in Ciudad Juárez, which began operating fifteen years ago with a PC assembly program for Hewlett–Packard and Compaq, has been assembling flat-screen televisions for the last eight years, ever since corporate headquarters decided to transfer PC production to its Asian plants to reduce costs and allocate television production to Mexico.

pacity of Tatung’s Mexican factory, its highly qualified employees and experience as a global corporation will all smooth its incursion into other segments of electronics manufacturing.

In Mexico, Tatung has undergone several trans-formations, proving that IT has the ability to suc-cessfully adapt to changing market conditions. Sixteen years ago, it was assembling monitors for HP in Tijuana, Baja California, but when the project fell through, it moved to Ciudad Juárez where it assembled PCs for the same company, offering a full range of services, from the purchase of inputs to the assembly and distribution of the final product.

Padilla recalls that after 9/11, sales –and with them, production– declined due to the collapse of the US mar-ket. Tatung Mexico witnessed the merger between HP and Compaq and between 2003 and 2004, “it was the most PC productive assembly plant in the world.”

At the time, the factory was churning out six million PCs, earning it the number one spot in its electronic sec-tor in Mexico in terms of volumes of raw material im-ports, exports and earnings. “We held on to that position until 2005,” says Padilla.

Then came the swi-tchover to the assembly of televisions; Tatung Mexico quickly became an electronics manufacturing pole on a par with the Tijuana-Mexicali corridor, the sector’s Mecca, which has the installed ca-pacity to produce between 20 and 25 million televisions a year.

Tatung’s suppliers are predominantly Asian, due to the structure of the industry in which China is the main manufacturer of panels, the

the capacity of Mexico’s electronics manufacturing industry is no secret. tatung, a global company with the clout and experience to take full advantage of that capacity, has positioned itself as a leading television manufacturer and plans to diversify its Mexican operations in the near future.

photo courtesy of tatung

by OMAR MAGAñA

most costly, specialized com-ponent of a television.

In its favor, says Padilla, Mexico has highly skilled labor, an attribute even Asian companies acknowledge and that multinationals look for when seeking out quality as-sembly services. n

www.tatung.com


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50 August 2014


August 2014

figures

51

negocios ProMéxico |

50 August 2014


August 2014

infographic oldemarfigures figures

Mexico: Powering Up the World

Source: ProMéxico with data from the Global Trade Atlas, Global Insight, INEGI and the Ministry of Economy. a: 2012-2020, b: 2013-2020, c: 2002-2012, d: 2000-2012

THREE INDUSTRIES IN NUMBERS

largest exporter ofcomputers worldwide.

4th

largest exporter of

mobilephones.

8th

largest producer of electronics

in 2013.

8th

exporter of �at screenTVs in the world, even

above highly competitive countries in Asia.

1st

largest supplier of lightning products and other electrical equipment and accessories to the US market in 2013.

2nd

Largest exporter of washing machines with less than 10 kg capacity, air condi-

-

tioners, compression refrigerators, gas stoves and electric water heaters in 2013.

3rd

largest producerin Latin America’s

electricalindustry.

2nd

supplier of electricity

generation and distribution equipment to the US

in 2013.

1st

largest exporter of domestic appliances in Latin America

1st

exporter of two door refrigerators.

1st

Exporter ofelectronics inLatin America.

1st

The electronic industry is responsible for 24% of Mexico’s non-oil

exports.

Nine out of the top ten elec-tronic manufacturing services

(EMS) multinational companies are located in the country.

Electronics Electrical Domestic appliances

51.7

28.8

6.6

Value of productionbillion in 2012

Exportsbillion in 2012

75.53

21.74

6.54

Foreign Direct Investmentbillion in 2012

9.7c

5.9d

1.8c

Totalemployees

248,899

127,252

53,951

Majorinvestors

8.7%a

4.1%a

Average annualgrowth rate

7.9%b

The Netherlands

US

Japan

France

US

Switzerland

South Korea

US

Canada

Economicunits*

945

1,060

269

ELECTRONICS, ELECTRICAL AND DOMESTIC APPLIANCES INDUSTRIES

MEXICO IS... MEXICO’S ELECTRONIC INDUSTRY

A STRONG PLAYER OF THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY: IN THE HOME OF BILLIONS:

figuresfigures

53


52 August 2014


August 2014

infographic oldemar

625

1,250

1,870

2,500

FromMexicoto theworldMexicanexports inmillion USD

Source: Banco de México

Automatic data processing(machines and units thereof; magnetic or optical readers, machines for transcribing data onto data media in coded form and machines for processing such data, not

elsewhere specified or included)

Television(receivers, video monitors, video

projection television receivers)

Insulated wire, cable(other insulated electric conductors; 0ptical fibre

cables, made up of individually sheathed fibres)

Refrigerators(freezers and other

refrigerating or freezing equipment; heat pumps)

Electrical apparatus(for switching or protecting electrical circuits, for electrical connection not

over 1000 volts switches, relays, fuses, surge suppressors, plugs, junction boxes, lamp-holders)

Electric apparatus(for line telephony or telegraphy telephone

sets, teleprinters, modems, facsimile

machines)

CentrifugesIncluding centrifugal dryers;

filtering or purifying machinery and apparatus for liquids or gases

MicrophonesStands; loudspeakers, headphones,

earphones; audio-frequency and sound amplifiers

Electrical equipmentLighting or signalling equipment;

windshield wipers, defrosters, demisters for cycles, motor vehicles; horns

Electronic integrated circuits

and microassemblies

Reception apparatusFor radiotelephony, radiotelegraphy or radiobroadcasting

Air conditioning machinesComprising a motor driven fanand elements for changing the

temperature and humidity

Electric motors and generators

(no generating sets)

Water heatersNonelectric instantaneous/storage water

heaters; machinery, plant or laboratory equipment for treatment of material by temperature change

(i.e heating, distilling, sterilizing, condensing, cooling); microwave ovens

Prepared unrecorded

media (no film) for sound

Electrical sound or visual signaling apparatusBells, sirens, indicator

panels, burglar alarms, fire alarms; smoke detectors

Electrical capacitors

FIxed, variable or adjustable

StovesRanges, grates, cookers, including those

with subsidiary boilers for centralheating, barbecues, braziers, gas rings, plate warmers and similar nonelectric domestic appliances,

and parts thereof, of iron or steel

Electric storage

batteries

Parts for television, radio and radar

apparatus

Semiconductor devicesLight emitting diodes; mounted

piezoelectric crystals; parts thereof diodes, transistors,

photosensitive semiconductor devices, photovoltaic cells

*from January to April

166,

120.

74

158,

779.

73

161,

045.

98

164,

766.

44

187,

998.

56

214,

232.

96

249,

925.

14

271,

875.

31

291,

342.

60

229,

703.

55

298,

473.

15

295,

571.

51

370,

769.

89

380,

026.

59

124,821.44*

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

1,250

2,500

3,750

5,000

4,880.34*

’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14

6,447.81* 4,571.66* 3,462.83* 1,243.83* 1,049.17*

’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14

881.21* 878.95* 873.59* 722.28*

’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14

’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14 ’00 ’04’02 ’08 ’12’10’06 ’14

549.81* 559.44* 509.65* 494.63*

325.59* 304.54* 345.26* 284.03* 185.47* 174.99* 184.37* 133.19*

Electric transformers, static converters and

inductors

‘00 ‘01 ‘02 ‘03 ‘04 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13 ‘14‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09

TOTAL MEXICAN EXPORTS

figuresfigures

55


54 August 2014


August 2014

infographic oldemar figuresfigures

55


54 August 2014


August 2014

infographic oldemar

Major Multinational Companiesin Mexico’s electronics industry

SemiconductorsAudioand video

Sonora

Amphenol

AMP*

Alcatel

Benchmark

Chihuahua

CompalElectronics

Tatung

Flextronics

Foxconn

Jabil

Plexus

Wistron

Coahuila

Flextronics

Sanmina

Nuevo León

LG

Panasonic

Sanyo

Amphenol

Siemens

Celestica

Sanmina

Tamaulipas

LG

Motorola

Jabil

Querétaro

Ericsson

Yucatán

FalcoElectronics

Baja California

LG

Panasonic

Samsung

Sanyo

Sony

JVC

Amphenol

Kyocera

Foxconn

Medtronic

Kodak

InternationalRectifier

Skyworks

*Tyco Electrónicos

Durango

Philips

Jalisco

Benchmark

Jabil

Sanyo

Foxconn

Flextronics

Sanmina

Universal Scientific

HP

Motorola

Estadode México

Samsung

Ericsson

Aguascalientes

Xerox

Flextronics

Kodak

TexasInstruments

Opticalinstruments

Medicalequipment

EMSCommunicationsComputingand office

equipment

Components

figuresfigures

350

212

192

9665

4721

Number ofcompanies

Process Providersfor the electrical industry in México

Source: ProMéxico

Baja California Chihuahua Coahuila Nuevo León Tamaulipas San Luis Potosí Querétaro Puebla

GuanajuatoJalisco Estado de

México

Distrito

Federal

Machining Smelting Mechanicalassemblies

Die casting Blankingand stamping

Plastic injectionmolding

Thermal surfacetreatment

Durango

infographic oldemarNegocios ProMéxico |

56 July 2014

Figures

The Lifestyle

The CompleTe Guide To The mexiCan Way of life

infographic oldemar Figures infographic oldemarFiguresNegocios ProMéxico |

56 August 2014

infographic oldemar

Major Domestic Appliances Companies located in Mexico

Baja California

Broan

Sanyo

Chihuahua

Electrolux

Coahuila

Sunbeam Oster

Mabe

Whirlpool

Tlaxcala

Taurus

Jalisco

Emerson

Querétaro

Mabe

Daewoo

Estado de México

Koblenz

Mabe

Panasonic

Nuevo León

Carrier

Gunther

Panasonic

LG

Whirpool

Tamaulipas

Rheem

Bissell

Fisher & PaykelAppliances

San Luis Potosí

Mabe

Fagor

Guanajuato

Mabe

Whirlpool

Ovens Blenders Washing machines Dishwashers Microwave ovens Refrigerators

StovesKitchen hoodsBoilers and heatingAir conditioners Vacuum cleaners Other small appliances

Figures

The Lifestyle Briefs

Zabludovsky, Building Modern Mexico

An Ancestral Technique Applied to High-End Art

Pink Magnolia and ChiapasJoin Forces on theInternational Catwalks

Local Designwith International Appeal

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VIbRANTMEXICO CITy

The mexican capital is one of the liveliest cities in the world. it is a synthesis of the whole country and each of its areas is its own unique mexico at the same time. it is a counterpoint and a paradox –a city where an entire universe is to be found around every corner.

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58 August 2014 August 2014


The Jumex Museum in Mexico City brings spec-tators Cy Twombly: Paradise, a compilation of original works by Twombly (Edwin Parker). Orga-nized by the Jumex Contemporary Art Foundation under the curatorship of Julie Sylvester and Philip Larratt-Smith, this is the first showing of the works of this major postwar artist in Latin America. The exhibit features 60 paintings, works on paper and sculptures dating from between 1951 and 2011, including four of the artist’s last paintings and works owned by the Cy Twombly Foundation that have never been viewed by the public before.

Love, beauty and death are the main themes of the works on display while these are recurring subjects in the world of art, Twombly deals with them from his own unique perspective. Along with Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns, Twombly was representative of a generation of artists that rebelled against Abstract Expressionism in favor of more gestural techniques influenced by European traditions.

Cy Twombly: Paradise will be on show until October 12, 2014.

fundacionjumex.org

In collaboration with the Tamayo Museum, the Monterrey Museum of Contemporary Art will be hosting Prenez soin de vous (Take Care of Your-self), an installation by the conceptual artist Sophie Calle (France, 1953).

Presented at the Venice Biennale in 2007, the premise for the installation was a break-up e-mail Calle received from her boyfriend at the time, which ended with the phrase “Take care of your-self”.

The artist invited 107 women from different fields –journalists, editors, actresses, singers, danc-ers, philosophers, psychoanalysts and others– to analyze the meaning of this blithe farewell. The result is a necropsy of a break-up, a compendium of photo portraits, essays and video clips on love, pain, sex, work, intimacy and identity.

Prenez soin de vous will be on exhibition par-allel to an installation that forms part of Calle’s True Stories series, featuring a room with a collec-tion of her personal effects –two bridal dresses, a wig and a portrait of Sigmund Freud, among other items. Both will run until August 31, 2014.

www.marco.org.mx

ART

Cy Twombly Visits Mexico City

ART

Take Care of Yourself in Monterrey

The Inbursa Aquarium is one of the largest liv-ing museums in the world. Sponsored by the business magnate Carlos Slim, 250 million pesos were invested in this center for the exhibition and conservation of marine species.

The aquarium is located in the Polanco dis-trict of Mexico City, opposite the Soumaya Mu-seum, whose collection of ancient Mexican and European art is just as deserving of a visit.

Home to over 5,000 exemplars of some 230 species, including sharks, turtles and crocodiles, due to its size –3,500 square meters, four un-derground levels and five gigantic tanks– the Inbursa aquarium has been compared with its Atlanta and London counterparts.

Here, nature and state of the art technology come together in the form of the RA Infinitum app, which visitors can download to access vid-eos and explanations on each species.

acuarioinbursa.com.mx

Marine Life in Mexico City

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Sanjaya Rajaram (India, 1943) has won the 2014 World Food Prize for his contribution to the development of high-yield wheat.

Considered by many as the Nobel Prize for Agriculture, this award acknowledges those who have made major contributions to human development by improving the quality and availabil-ity of foodstuffs.

Sanjaya Rajaram, who is a naturalized Mexican citizen, will re-ceive the prize on October 15, 2014, in Des Moines, Iowa. According to Kenneth Quinn, President of the World Food Prize, Rajaram’s rev-olutionary technologies “will go a long way to providing the world with more food and alleviating hunger.”

Quinn described Rajaram as “the world’s most knowledgeable scientist on wheat,” adding that “Doctor Rajaram will help feed mil-lions of people all over the world thanks to a lifetime of research.”

Since 1969, Rajaram has developed 480 varieties of disease-resistant wheat that can adapt to different weather conditions. His research has helped increase wheat production in 51 countries.

Most of Rajaram’s research was conducted in Mexico, at the International Center for the Improvement of Corn and Wheat (Cimmyt).

www.worldfoodprize.org

SCIENCE

Mexican Wins World Food Prize

TOURISM

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Negocios ProMéxico | The Lifestyle

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The Lifestyle | Negocios ProMéxico

August 2014 August 2014

ZAblUdOvSky, Building Modern Mexico

Housing complexes, private residen-cies, museums, cultural centers, govern-ment buildings, banks… Abraham Zab-ludovsky (Bialystok, 1924 – Mexico City, 2003) designed more than 200 buildings in his day, assuring him a place in the an-nals of Mexican architecture.

The skyline of 20th century Mexico would have been very different had it not

The aesthetics of 20th century Mexican architecture summed up in over 200 projects.

by antonio vázquez

been for the intervention of Zabludovsky, who created not one but several of the country’s most iconic buildings, including El Colegio de México, the Tamayo Art Mu-seum and La Ciudadela National Library.

Although he appreciated Le Cour-busier’s description of architecture as that “sage and profound play of masses and light”, Zabludovsky developed his own

very personal style, which he imprinted on every combination of materials he used.

“I like the definition that says archi-tecture is an activity whose purpose is to confine a space so it can be inhabited by man. This activity touches on all man’s interventions in life: man works, man has fun, man communicates, man learns. That gives rise to a series of architectural programs that lead the architect to imbue each of his interventions with special fea-tures,” he was once quoted as saying.

Zabludovsky meticulously applied that definition to all his creations, whose com-mon denominator was a mastery of space.

A graduate of the National School of Architecture at the National Autono-mous University of Mexico, he adopted the layout, aesthetics and traditions of early 20th century Mexican architecture, whose distinguishing features were pati-

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os, porches with columns and slopes. But he added his own personal touch, reex-amining the role of the wall, constantly looking out for durable textures and ex-perimenting with different materials as he strove to establish a relationship between the building in question and its space.

Zabludovsky’s career can be divided into two periods. The first was as a disci-ple of the town planner Mario Pani, from whom he learned that not only is archi-tecture a discipline that demands a nar-rative and a composition, but also, and more importantly, a sense of responsibil-ity toward a city’s development.

This first chapter of his story is char-acterized by modern buildings, homes and apartments. Yet Zabludovsky was humble enough to learn the tools of the trade at first hand from the bricklayers who built these mega constructions with their bare hands.

The skyline of 20th

century Mexico would

have been very different

had it not been for

the intervention of

Zabludovsky, who created

not one but several of

the country’s most iconic

buildings, including El

Colegio de México, the

Tamayo Art Museum and

La Ciudadela National

Library.

“I’d been working under architects and their foremen since I was a kid,” he once said in an interview.

In the second chapter, in which he earned renown as an architect, he teamed up with that other acclaimed Mexican architect, Teo-doro González de León. These two brilliant minds came together to create Mexico City landmarks that remain standing today: the renovation of the National Auditorium, the Torres de Mixcoac residential complex, the central offices of the National Housing Fund Institute (Infonavit), El Colegio de México and the Tamayo Museum in Mexico City, and the Mexican embassy in Brazil.

Zabludovsky passed away at 79 after receiving countless accolades like the Na-tional Prize for Science and Arts for his con-tribution to Mexican architecture, and the Grand Latin American Prize at the Buenos Aires Biennial, among many others. N

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Burnishing is a traditional pottery-making technique that Ángel Santos applies to experimental shapes and designs to create award winning contemporary pieces.

by rogelio villarreal

AN ANCESTRAl TEChNIqUE Applied to HigH-end Art

The states of Tlaxcala, Oaxaca, and Pueb-la are all famous for their burnished pot-tery, which combines contemporary ce-ramic making with a tradition dating from Pre-Columbian times to create object art whose luster outshines each finished piece.

Burnishing is an ancient technique as-sociated with the primitive world, one that turns porous clay into a water resistant material, making it possible for our an-cestors to store liquids and maintain their freshness when they made the transition from hunter-gatherers to farmers.

Practically every indigenous culture in what is today Mexico experimented with this technique to make not only utilitar-ian objects, but also works of great beauty that expressed their world vision.

To remove the pores from the clay, the piece is rubbed with a hard object like a stone before being fired. This re-sults in a glossy, water resistant finish that is both pleasing to the eye and that has a practical application.

Another characteristic of burnished clay is that it is more resistant than or-dinary clay. Many burnished clay recipi-ents have been found at archaeological sites in Mexico. Scientists have analyzed them to identify the compounds and techniques that have enabled them to withstand the test of time.

Aside from the aforementioned states, Michoacán, Chihuahua, and Baja California are also home to potters who use this technique as a form of artistic

Practically every indigenous

culture in what is today

Mexico experimented with

this technique to make not

only utilitarian objects, but

also works of great beauty

that expressed their world

vision.

expression, creating burnished clay ob-jects in a myriad of designs and colors that are admired by visitors from all over the world.

One such potter is Ángel Santos. Versed in the art of burnishing, Santos is a prolific artist from Tonalá, Jalisco, who masterfully draws on well researched traditional techniques, while experiment-ing with different materials and forms to create collections that imbue this age-old craft with new meaning and help pre-serve it for posterity.

When he isn’t at the potter’s wheel, Santos is busy giving conferences and workshops, helping other artisans gain exposure for their work and advising small scale potters on how to set up co-

operatives to further their goals as artists and secure an income.

Santos has been working with his hands since the age of seven. At 17, he already had his own workshop, which continues to churn out plates, carafes, bowls, and other commonplace objects that bear the unique seal of his hands and genius.

A champion of Mexican culture, the artist’s in-depth knowledge of native pottery and design stems from personal experience and his design studies at the University of Guadalajara. His pieces, large and small, have won prizes at more than 25 competitions in Mexico, par-ticipated in exhibitions abroad, and even been shown at galleries in New York. N

photos archive

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photos courtesy of pink magnolia

PINk MAGNOlIA ANd ChIAPAS

Join ForceS on tHe internAtionAl

cAtWAlKS Paola Wong, the creator of the Pink Magnolia

brand, will show her designs based on the colorful embroidery of south-east Mexico, on

runways in New York and Europe.

Maintaining the avant garde

style that has taken her to

the runways of New York,

Wong has now turned to

the Mayan textile tradition

for inspiration in the wake

of the bubblegum colors

and nouvelle vague designs

that have marked her out in

earlier collections.

Mexico is a global brand and Pink Mag-nolia knows that. That is why its spring-summer collection 2015 is inspired by avant garde designs and the artisan embroidery and brocade work of two villages in Chiapas, in the south of the country.

The Pink Magnolia-Chiapas Spring Sumer 2015 collection will be presented at the NY Gallery during the next New York Fashion Week, in Paris, and, finally will be shown at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Mexico next September.

The collection is an anthology of items illuminated with embroidery based on the designs of Paola Wong, the young creator of Pink Magnolia.

by mariana morales

Maintaining the avant garde style that has taken her to the runways of New York, Wong has now turned to the Mayan textile tradition for inspiration in the wake of the bubblegum colors and nouvelle vague designs that have marked her out in earlier collections.

The designer may be young but she has plenty of experience in the fashion world. Having studied at CENTRO in Mexico, at the Fashion Institute of Tech-nology in New York and at the Univer-sity of Palermo in Argentina, she has five years of work under her belt, including the creation of a collection inspired in Minnie Mouse for Disney.

The other part of the equation is Chi-apas, one of the states in Mexico with the greatest diversity in textiles. The richly adorned clothing produced there for everyday use has its roots in the pre-Hispanic past and is influenced by the syncretism of modern life. It is a region where the majority of the population is indigenous and the forms of the textiles and the embroidery combine Parisian influences with the preservation of pre-Hispanic designs.

In twelve municipalities with a strong tradition of textiles in Chiapas, between 3,000 and 4,000 artisans preserve the an-cient technique of backstrap loom weav-ing, with brocade work and weaving techniques that date from pre-Hispanic

times. The state is also home to between 5,000 and 6,000 artisan embroiderers. Each season these women embellish the cloth with different personal interpreta-tions of their world.

The Pink Magnolia-Chiapas Spring Sumer 2015 collection is specifically in-spired by the textile work of the commu-nities of Chenalhó and San Juan Cancuc.

Chenalhó is one of the most outstand-ing municipalities in the region thanks to its artisans’ mastery of weaving and the quality of their work. What is more, for a century it has been a center of inno-vation. San Juan Cancuc has developed a fashion all of its own. In partnership with the women from both communities, Paola Wong has designed these new cre-ations.

To accomplish this adventure, the de-signer received support from ProMéxico, the Casa Chiapas Institute, the Los Altos Textile Museum, and a number of artisan associations led by Aid to Artisans.

Once again, Mexico is a brand, now with a combination of avant garde design and ancient embroidery techniques. This time Pink Magnolia will take flight. N

a FaSHionabLe bUSineSS moDeL

The Pink Magnolia-Chiapas Spring Sumer 2015 collection is the result of the firm’s work under the Exportable Offer Integration Model (INTEX) scheme. INTEX is an integrating scheme that enables the consolidation of the country’s exportable offer by product, offers support to small producers, organize the supply chain, and negotiate directly with large buyers. This model was created to increase small producers’ competitiveness through partnership systems. INTEX focuses on increasing productivity, enabling producers to seize the opportunities of the international market.

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august 2014 august 2014

photos courtesy of tsimáni

lOCAl dESIGNWitH internAtionAl AppeAl

Tsimáni is the duality achieved by imbuing everyday objects with the essence of play-things, merrymaking, and a kaleidoscope of colors –art as a statement of Mexican culture, identity, and tradition that turns a simple lamp, a flower vase, a chair, a planter or even a suitcase and a pair of slippers into unique collector’s pieces.

Yolanda Reséndiz Barrón and Jesús Rentería Franco, the creators of Tsimáni Studio, have experimented with a universe of textures, colors and structures –some of which can only be described as otherworld-ly– to produce a catalogue of design objects that pay homage to Mexico’s visual wealth.

Yolanda Reséndiz Barrón and Jesús Rentería Franco have put together a catalogue of design objects that pay homage to Mexico’s visual wealth.

Cedar wood, clay, and corn stalks are other materials the duo

uses to incarnate their artistic visions, which have found their

way into design fairs, galleries, and museums in the Netherlands,

Germany, England, and the MoMA store in New York.

Tsimáni means “two” in Purépecha and the studio, founded in 2005, is true to its name in that it focuses on two basic elements: design and local materials. The former contributes ideas, determines forms and colors, and gathers the stories and cul-tural expressions that will be combined to bring the latter to life: materials like paper, cardboard, and ixtle fibers are taken out of their everyday context and transformed into decorative pieces of object art.

Cedar wood, clay, and corn stalks are other materials the duo uses to incarnate their artistic visions, which have found their way into design fairs, galleries, and museums in the Netherlands, Germany, England, and the MoMA store in New York. They are visions that literally take shape in the hands of artisans who pour a part of themselves into the final piece.

The designers have divided their work into two collections, which, they say, evoke Mexican history and culture and, by the same token, have the power to conjure up certain feelings or experiences.

The first and best known of these is Ser-pentina, a collection based around the spi-ral form and the colors of streamers, that

by rogelio villarreal

classic accompaniment to all Mexican fes-tivities. Thus, a decorative tradition becomes the soul of a catalogue of artistic consumer pieces, where experimentation and polished manual techniques come together to create unique objects intended for exhibition only.

Those two facets of Serpentina stem from interior design projects for which the duo created exclusive pieces adapted not only to the client’s specific needs, but that could also serve as focal points without upsetting the overall balance of the space they were designed for.

The second collection goes by the name of Pita and makes use of ixtle and henequén –natural, highly resistant fibers that are envi-ronmentally friendly and that are closely in-tertwined with the history of Mexico and the manual traditions of its indigenous peoples.

Reséndiz and Rentería, who gradu-ated from the Sciences and Arts Division

of the Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) 14 years ago, hold degrees in Industrial Design. Through their work they seek to produce more than utilitarian objects, they try to recreate experiences and tangible emotions that transcend the senses, new ways of expressing Mexico’s festive character through the use of tra-ditional materials that correspond with their own individual identity.

Presented to us in unusual forms and in-corporating unexpected materials, everyday items like lamps, slippers, and planters take on new meaning, acquiring a personality of their own that is a combination of the de-signers’ artistic vision, the artisans’ sense of shape, and finally, the client who places a special order or the consumer who falls in love with the piece. N

www.tsimanistudio.com

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vIbRANTMexico city

Exciting worlds are to be found on every street of Mexico City. The Mexican capi-tal is one of the most vibrant metropo-lises in the world. The energy felt on its streets mixes up with the diversity of its inhabitants, and adventure is a part of everyday life.

It is a universe of diversity and vari-ety. Patriotism flutters in the giant flags dotted around the city’s landmarks, and the past lives on in certain corners, build-ings and customs. The stage for national avant garde movements and ruptures, Mexico City is also a kind of museum to major chapters in the country’s his-

The Mexican capital is one of the liveliest cities in the world. It is a synthesis of the whole country and each of its areas is its own unique Mexico at the same time. It is a counterpoint and a paradox –a city where an entire universe is to be found around every corner.

by karla bañuelos sáenz

tory. The frontier between a neighbor-hood that recalls scenes from a Buñuel movie disappear as we cross the avenue to encounter picture postcard scenes of a more modern city.

These contrasts flourish on every street and at every station. Always strik-ing, they give rise to a whole range of sensations from nostalgic to colorful. The metro lines run like veins beneath the concrete of one of the belly buttons of the world. Not for nothing has Mexico City been nominated as one of the finalists by the New Seven Wonders organization to hold the title of Wonder City.

carDinaL pointS Getting to know a city on foot is an ad-venture that is the best way of discov-ering its secrets. The neighborhoods of Mexico City are an experience in them-selves that allows us to see up close and enjoy the range of architectural styles they were built in: Colonial, Baroque, Art Nouveau, Art Deco –as well as individu-al buildings by acclaimed architects such as Luis Barragán, Teodoro González de León, Mario Pani and Ricardo Legorre-ta. Neighborhoods like Condesa, Roma, Polanco, Coyoacán, San Ángel and Santa María la Ribera make for ideal walk-ing, both for the wealth of their archi-tecture and history and for their restau-rants, bars, galleries, boutiques, cantinas, bookshops and fashionable spots.

An ideal starting place for getting to know the riches of Mexico City is its Historic Downtown Area: the Alam-eda Central, the Palace of Fine Arts, the Torre Latinoamericana, the National Museum, the Franz Mayer Museum and Café Tacuba are just a few of the sites that everyone who visits this vibrant city should not miss. Cuisine, traditions, and history: all of that is to be seen in the historic heart of Mexico City.

Once a racecourse, Condesa is one of the most sophisticated areas in the city, where a lot of the city’s cultural events take place. Home to writers and artists, sites to visit in the Condesa include the Capilla Alfonsina –home to the renowned Mexican writer Alfonso Reyes for 20 years– and the Bella Época Cultural Center, a complex com-prising the Rosario Castellanos bookshop, the Lido cinema and the Luis Cardoza y Aragón gallery, all to be found in the for-mer Bella Época cinema, with a vast range of books set out under a luminous ceiling designed by the Dutch artist Jan Hendrix. Other iconic buildings in the area include the Basurto and Jardines buildings.

The broad streets are also home to two of the most famous parks in the city, known as Mexico and Spain parks, both full of life as residents walk their dogs, work out or just enjoy the peace of the tree-filled space. They are surrounded by cafés, bookshops, boutiques and restaurants offering a wide diversity of cuisine. To that may be added venues for concerts such as the Plaza Conde-sa, with a smart design and select program: Nick Cave, Kraftwerk, Patti Smith and a diverse range of musical genres.

conDeSa Zone

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Polanco is a synonym of luxury. One of its principal avenues, Presidente Masaryk, is a showcase of boutiques and showrooms by exclusive designers and brands: Dior, Burberry, Tiffany’s, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, and Gucci, among others. Located in the west of the city, close to Chapultepec Park, this neighborhood is also home to fashionable bars, internation-ally-ranked restaurants, five-star hotels, museums and galleries.

Some of the mansions and buildings in the area are built in a Californian style, which contrasts with more avant garde architecture. A perfect example of the lat-ter is the Soumaya Museum, whose shin-ing, asymmetrical structure seeks to evoke a sculpture by Rodin. It was designed by Mexican architect Fernando Romero and houses a collection of European and Amer-ican art from a range of historical periods.

Polanco is also a delight for the pal-ate. Here are to be found some of the most famous restaurants in the city, such as the Pujol, headed up by Mexican chef Enrique Olvera, which regularly appears on inter-national lists of the best restaurants in the world. The Biko, Quintonil, Morimoto and Dulce Patria are other outstanding op-tions for a special gastronomic experience.

Other key sites in Polanco are Lincoln Park and Campos Elíseos streets along which are to be found some of the most luxurious hotels in Mexico City.

Coyoacán means “place of coyotes” in the Náhuatl language. A colorful neighbor-hood with sites and customs that evoke the Mexico of the past, it is one of the most visited areas by tourists interested in Mexi-can folklore. Its center was decreed a “Typ-ical and Traditional Zone” as far back as 1934, and in 1990 the Unesco declared it a Zone of Historical Monuments.

The historical spaces worth seeing in-clude the San Juan Bautista church, the Centenario gardens –where the famous coyote fountain is located– the Hidalgo gardens, the Conchita plaza and chapel, the House of Cortés, and the Red House. Special mention must be given to the Blue House, a museum created in the former home of painter Frida Kahlo. On

Bordering Condesa is another of Mexico City’s neighborhoods with a lot of person-ality, La Roma. It was laid out in 1902 by Edward Walter Orrin around what was then known as La Romita, a village on the outskirts of the city. Over its history Roma has been home to many artists. It has elegant street lighting and architecture, notably Art Nouveau and French-style buildings, and broad streets with medians, together with a whole collection of statues and fountains. The works of architecture of note here include the Santa María de la Natividad church, dating from 1530, the 17th-century San Francisco Javier church, the parish of the Sagrada Familia, the Francia building –Art Nouveau– the Bal-mori building, and Casa Lamm.

roma coyoacán

Avenue Álvaro Obregón is a local highlight, with a central promenade that fills with temporary markets, especially on Sundays, with an interesting range of books, antiques and other curiosities. The avenue is lined by bistrots, cafés and bookshops such as El Péndulo, located in a beautifully converted house and offering records, art films and cultural activities.

La Roma is also well known for its nightlife. The Artemisia Bar is an ideal option if you are tempted to try its ab-sinthe, an old favorite of Romantic writ-ers and artists. Other key points to visit in the neighborhood are the OMR and Traeger y Pinto galleries, La Roma Re-cords and the boutiques found all along Colima street.

poLanco

show here are furnishings and personal objects belonging both to Frida and her husband, the painter Diego Rivera, to-gether with some of their works and a collection of pre-Hispanic pieces.

Other museums of interest in the area are the National Museum of Folk Cultures, the León Trotsky House Mu-seum and the Viveros de Coyoacán, a plant nursery that functions as a public park and also holds flower growing ex-hibitions. The experience is rounded off with a stroll along Francisco Sosa street, where the Panzacola chapel, a bridge built in 1736, the Casa del Sol, the Casa Alvarado, the Santa Catarina de Siena chapel, and the Jesús Reyes Heroles Cul-tural Center can be seen.

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72 August 2014

Located close to Mexico City’s Historic Downtown Area, the neighborhood of Santa María la Ribera is a real experience. The traditional district is considered to be the first modern development of the city.

One of its jewels is to be found in its central plaza, the Alameda de Santa María: a Moorish-style bandstand constructed from metal with a capricious design in 1884, originally to represent Mexico at the Paris Universal Exposition. It returned to the Mexican capital in 1910 and was refurbished 100 years later.

In the vicinity of this plaza, delightful spots are to be found such as a restaurant of traditional Russian food where you can try a delicious borsch –the vegetable soup typi-cal of that part of the world, together with Russian dumplings: ideal comfort food.

Its traditional neighborhood essence is to be found on every corner, with typi-cal types of premises like old-fashioned hardware stores, pulquerías selling fer-mented cactus juice, markets and man-sions. Other icons of Santa María la Ribera include El Chopo University Museum, originally built in Germany in 1902 as an exhibition pavilion, and the UNAM’s Geology Museum, home to the most important collection of rocks and fossils in the country, as well as a mam-moth and fragments of meteorites.

SANTA MARíA LA RIbERA

photos gary denness Negocios ProMéxico

PaRa EXPORTaDOREs

sObRE LOs aPOyOs y sERvICIOs de ProMéxico

La X de exPorTAciÓN

DIEz aCCIONEs PArA MejorAr el coMercio exTerior

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PaNORaMa DE Las RELaCIONEs ECONóMICas INTERNaCIONaLEs

de México

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bayas y fRuTILLas: horizoNTes AlTerNATivos

PArA los exPorTAdores MexicANos

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Es el momento de cambiar la imagen y la narrativa con la que México se presenta ante el mundo, para

transformar la percepción que se tiene del país en el extranjero.

EL PROgRaMa NaCIONaL DE INfRaEsTRuCTuRa

y su iMPAcTo eN lA regiÓN del BAjío

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La IMPORTaNCIa DE La INfORMáTICa EMPREsaRIaL

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bREvEsPArA exPorTAdores

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EMPRENDEDOREs DE aLTO IMPaCTO:

clAve PArA el desArrollo ecoNÓMico

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74 Agosto 2014

Para Exportadores

deproméxico.

En esta edición se incluyen diversos artículos dirigidos al público exportador mexica-no. Con el propósito de expli-car la relevancia de los apoyos

y servicios que ofrece ProMéxico a esta co-munidad, se publica una nota en la que se explican algunos de sus alcances y formas de participación. En cada edición se desglosa-rán los apoyos y servicios que tiene la enti-dad con el propósito de divulgar su utilidad de manera más puntual y que se conozcan más detalles de cada uno de ellos.

Asimismo, en este número se publica una excelente nota sobre las oportunida-des existentes para la exportación de ba-yas y frutillas, de las cuales México es un destacado productor. El mercado asiático se ha consolidado no solo como un desti-no atractivo para estos productos agroali-mentarios, sino también para otros simila-res de gran demanda en la región.

Los vínculos de cooperación y comercio con nuevos mercados, así como la diversifica-ción comercial son objetivos cruciales en las relaciones económicas de México, por lo que se incluye una interesante reflexión sobre el contexto actual en el que el país está desen-volviéndose. En este mismo orden de ideas se publica un ensayo que condensa diez acciones fundamentales para impulsar el comercio ex-

terior, e incorpora consejos dirigidos al em-prendedor que desea posicionarse cabalmente en los mercados internacionales.

También se incluyen mensajes relacio-nados con el desarrollo de infraestructura y su impacto en el desarrollo económico del país, con especial énfasis en las impli-caciones de estos proyectos en la región del Bajío. Asimismo, aparecen ensayos sobre la informática empresarial y su relevancia dentro de las organizaciones, además de una contribución que reúne varias suge-rencias dirigidas a los emprendedores, en particular aquellos que tienen la capacidad de impulsar la economía del país a través de la creación de empleos y riqueza, gene-rando un efecto multiplicador que incita el emprendimiento de otras empresas.

Por último, se publica un ensayo sobre la imagen de México y los recursos comu-nicativos con los que se ha mostrado al país en el exterior. A partir de los resul-tados de encuestas y las reflexiones de es-pecialistas se concluye que generar nuevos mecanismos que cambien drásticamente la percepción que se tiene de México en el extranjero es un imperativo imposterga-ble. Para ello el país cuenta con un enorme capital simbólico que debe aprovecharse.

Esperamos que los contenidos incluidos en esta edición sean de su interés.

¡Bienvenidos a Negocios ProMéxico!

brEvEs brEvEs

EN busca dEl talENto mExicaNo

La asociación mexicana Pixelatl, en afán de impulsar la creación y el desarrollo de productos audiovisuales mexicanos, lanza por segundo año la convocatoria Ideatoon 2014, concurso para series de animación en TV y web.

Podrán participar estudios de anima-ción, realizadores, directores, guionistas, animadores y productores del país. Este certamen forma parte del Festival Inter-nacional de Animación, Videojuegos y Comic con sede en Cuernavaca, More-los, el cual se realizará del 24 al 28 de septiembre, 2014.

En el marco de este festival se imparti-rán conferencias, talleres, proyecciones en sala y al aire libre y exhibiciones de arte, entre otras actividades.

www.ideatoon.com

INDUSTRIAS CREATIVAS

coNtiNENtal EstrENa PlaNta

La empresa automotriz Continental inició operaciones en la expansión de su planta en Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, en la que se invirtieron 9.3 millones de dólares.

Situada en el Parque Industrial Juárez, la que es una de las plantas industriales más grandes de la firma en todo el mundo, brin-dará empleo directo a 260 personas –adicio-nales a los 900 ya establecidos.

www.continental-corporation.com

AUTOMOTRIZ

Pepsico inauguró su Centro de innovación para la categoría de productos horneados en México, una instalación de vanguardia ubicada en el municipio de Apodaca, Nue-vo León, que será clave en los procesos de innovación de la firma.

La nueva instalación servirá como un centro de excelencia para los mercados de PepsiCo en todo el mundo, alberga tecnolo-gía y equipo avanzado de horneado, que se-rán utilizados para crear nuevos productos.

ALIMENTOS

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iNNovacióN dEsdE méxico

Este centro forma parte de la estrate-gia de inversión a largo plazo de Pepsi-Co en México. A principios de 2014, la compañía anunció un plan de inversión multianual con el cual se espera generar 4,000 nuevos empleos. Esta inversión se enfocará en cuatro pilares: innovación y consolidación de marca, infraestructura, agricultura y comunidad.

www.pepsico.com

El Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turis-mo (Fonatur) y Meliá Hotels Internatio-nal invertirán 1,560 millones de pesos en la construcción de un hotel en Huatulco, Oaxaca.

El nuevo establecimiento será operado con la marca Paradisus, líder en el segmen-to del todo incluido de lujo, y contará con 500 cuartos, lo que contribuirá a incre-mentar la oferta hotelera con que cuenta este Centro Integralmente Planeado.

El nuevo proyecto hotelero atraerá una inversión total de 2,600 millones de pesos (200 millones de dólares) y creará unos 2,500 nuevos empleos para la región.

Meliá Hotels International opera once hoteles más de 3,200 habitaciones en los principales destinos de sol y playa de México.

www.melia.com

TURISMO

mEliá iNviErtE EN méxico

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78 Agosto 2014


Agosto 2014

Para Exportadores Para Exportadores

ProMéxico fue creado como un fideicomi-so mediante decreto presidencial en junio de 2007, con el objetivo de fungir como entidad de promoción económica interna-cional del gobierno mexicano, que tiene como misión atraer inversión extranjera al país, impulsar la exportación de pro-ductos mexicanos y promover la interna-cionalización de las empresas nacionales.

Con sus 45 representaciones en el ex-terior y treinta oficinas nacionales, Pro-México ofrece apoyos y servicios a em-presas mexicanas que deseen exportar e internacionalizarse, así como a compra-dores extranjeros que buscan productos y servicios mexicanos. Asimismo, ofrece apoyos y servicios dirigidos a inversio-nistas extranjeros interesados en insta-larse en el país.

sobrE los aPoyos y sErvicios de ProMéxico

El talento y la innovación de las empresas mexicanas han trascendido fronteras. Esto ha permitido que las manufacturas de México sean mostradas en escaparates en distintos puntos del orbe. ProMéxico no ha sido ajeno a esta tendencia y ha colaborado en la exportación e internacionalización de empresas mexicanas. Mediante los apoyos y servicios que ofrece la entidad se facilita la incursión en los mercados internacionales.

por MARThA hERNáNDEZ ROjAS* y fAbIáN SALAZAR DOMíNgUEZ**

En ProMéxico, el empresariado mexi-cano tiene un asesor clave que lo acom-paña de principio a fin durante el proceso de exportación o internacionalización. El empresario extranjero también es un be-neficiario clave a través de la búsqueda de proveeduría mexicana o de la instalación de inversión en México, dado que ProMé-xico le ofrece una gama de apoyos econó-micos a reembolso y servicios con costo para respaldar su proyecto.

Los 19 apoyos y siete servicios que ofrece ProMéxico abarcan una gama de conceptos vitales durante el proce-so de exportación, con el propósito de impulsar cada una de las etapas necesa-rias para la introducción de un producto mexicano a un mercado extranjero –des-de la definición del mercado idóneo para el producto o servicio a exportar, hasta el desarrollo de actividades promocionales de carácter internacional o la instalación de un centro de distribución.

Cada uno de los apoyos y servicios que ofrece ProMéxico refuerza un aspec-to relevante del proceso de exportación. Por ejemplo, los estudios contribuyen a la planeación y preparación del producto o servicio para su exportación, así como la definición de su mercado meta y su lo-gística. Las consultorías permiten reali-zar las adecuaciones necesarias de acuer-do con el mercado meta. Los apoyos y servicios de promoción favorecen la di-fusión entre los nuevos consumidores, mientras que las certificaciones permiten

los 19 apoyos y siete servicios que ofrece Proméxico abarcan una gama de conceptos vitales durante el proceso de exportación, con el propósito de impulsar cada una de las etapas necesarias para la introducción de un producto mexicano a un mercado extranjero.

al producto responder a los requerimien-tos internacionales.

Para ProMéxico, tanto las grandes empresas como las pymes pueden cruzar fronteras comerciales por lo que todas son susceptibles de recibir apoyos y ser-vicios. Las pymes constituyen la columna vertebral de la economía nacional y son un eslabón muy importante para impul-sar el crecimiento del país. Según cifras del Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI) casi siete de cada diez empresas exportadoras en México son pymes. La meta de ProMéxico es lograr que el país fortalezca su participación en la economía global al incrementar la presencia de productos y servicios mexi-canos en mercados internacionales, así como consolidar a México como un des-tino atractivo, seguro y competitivo para atraer flujos de inversión extranjera. N

*Subdirectora de difusión de servicios, Uni-

dad de Apoyos y Relaciones Institucionales,

ProMéxico.

** Director de servicios, Unidad de Apoyos y

Relaciones Institucionales, ProMéxico.

fotos archivo

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Agosto 2014


De acuerdo con cifras de la Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC), las im-portaciones mundiales de bayas y frutillas frescas sumaron 5,396 millones de dólares durante 2013. De acuerdo con datos del US Highbush Blueberry Council, el arán-dano o mora azul ha registrado el creci-miento más significativo en todo el mundo. Desde 2008 su producción se ha multipli-cado casi 50%. Se estima que esta tenden-cia continúe por lo menos hasta 2018.

méxico debe incrementar su participación en los principales mercados importadores de bayas y frutillas como Estados unidos, canadá, alemania, reino unido y francia –que en conjunto representan 65% del mercado mundial–, así como en otros países y regiones en los que el consumo de estos frutos se está popularizando, como china y Japón.

bayas y frutillas: horizontes alternativos

Para los exPortadores Mexicanos

Las bayas y frutillas (denominadas también “frutos del bosque” o berries en inglés) tienen una amplia oferta y demanda en todo el mundo. El reto de los productores actuales no solo radica en incentivar su consumo sino

también en diversificar sus aplicaciones dentro de la industria alimenticia.

por RAfAEL LópEZ INCLáN*

El crecimiento en el consumo de bayas y frutillas a nivel mundial es multifactorial. Podemos citar el mejoramiento de las con-diciones de vida o el aumento de la clase media en las economías emergentes, así como las nuevas tendencias de alimenta-ción y promoción efectiva que están muy relacionadas con sus ventajas nutricionales.

Con el propósito de impulsar la deman-da interna de estos productos, países como China han ampliado su superficie de cultivo,

mientras que otros han promovido campa-ñas de comercialización muy agresivas. A pesar de que la superficie de mejor calidad en México está comprometida con los culti-vos alimentarios de importancia estratégica, el cultivo de estos productos representa una ventana de oportunidad para el país, sobre todo si se considera la amplia experiencia que se tiene en la producción de bayas y fru-tillas, así como la facilidad para cubrir la cre-ciente demanda existente en países asiáticos.

De acuerdo con datos de la OMC, en 2013 la oferta de bayas y frutillas frescas de México representó 8.1% de la oferta mundial, con un monto de 390 millones de dólares –las fresas, frambuesas y arán-danos (o moras azules) son las que más se han exportado.

México está en una coyuntura idónea para apuntalar su participación dentro del mercado mundial de bayas y frutillas. Según información del Global Trade Atlas, el país fue el tercer exportador mundial de frambuesa y el cuarto de fresas durante 2013. Sin embargo, según datos de la OMC, en el mercado de todas las bayas y frutillas México ocupa la decimotercera posición a nivel mundial.

Las bayas y frutillas se están convir-tiendo en productos de consumo masivo. La ciencia y la mercadotecnia han enfati-zado sus aspectos positivos para la salud y han contribuido a generar la percep-ción de que su consumo satisface la nece-sidad de consumir alimentos saludables en raciones y formatos adecuados para los avatares de la vida moderna, sobre todo en las grandes urbes.

Las bayas y frutillas son percibidas por el consumidor como un producto fresco, lleno de ingredientes nutritivos con alto valor agregado. Algunos las han denomi-nado “súper frutas” debido a sus propie-dades –sus beneficios se han sustentado en su alto contenido de fibra, antioxidantes y

vitaminas– y sabor. Actualmente se utili-zan en la elaboración de cereales, barras, condimentos, purés, ensaladas, salsas, en-tradas, repostería y platillos locales, entre otros alimentos, y se han convertido en un ingrediente importante para la industria de bebidas, ya que se considera que el jugo producido con bayas y frutillas es de mejor calidad que el de otras frutas.

En este contexto, México debe incre-mentar su participación en los principales mercados importadores de bayas y frutillas como Estados Unidos, Canadá, Alemania, Reino Unido y Francia –que en conjunto representan 65% del mercado mundial–, así como en otros países y regiones en los que el consumo de estos frutos se está po-pularizando, como China y Japón.

El consumo de “súper frutas” en el mercado asiático crecerá masivamente en las próximas décadas. México es uno de los principales proveedores de bayas y frutillas en Japón. Aunque solo representa 11.2% del mercado japonés –con un valor de 74 millones de dólares–, México es el principal proveedor de Estados Unidos y Chile, por mencionar algunos destinos.

Japón, por ejemplo, ha promovido el estudio y difusión de las cualidades ali-menticias de las bayas y frutillas, pero también han incidido en el análisis de sus aplicaciones como medicina alterna-tiva e incluso en el área cosmética. Cabe destacar que ese país asiático tiene uno de los gastos per cápita en suplementos dietéticos y productos para el cuidado de la salud a base de bayas y frutillas más altos en el mundo, se estima que 40% del mercado japonés de suplementos alimen-ticios está basado en el arándano.

México tiene toda la capacidad para cumplir con las expectativas del merca-do asiático. Se han establecido nuevos vuelos de carga directos entre México y Hong Kong o Seúl, y se ha intentado maximizar el intercambio con China y otros países de la región. Los exportado-res mexicanos de bayas deben promover sus productos en estos mercados, apro-vechando las ventajas que México tiene para exportar a países asiáticos –por ejemplo con Japón se tienen condiciones arancelarias preferenciales– y generar estrategias de venta similares a las que se han concretado con otros productos naturales o de origen orgánico que se co-mercializan en distintos mercados. N

*Socio-Director, Asia Business Consulting.

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la x de exPortaciÓn

Es el momento de cambiar la imagen y la narrativa con la que México se presenta ante el mundo, para

transformar la percepción que se tiene del país en el extranjero.

por gAbRIELA DE LA RIVA*

“Por favor, díganle a sus clientes que ya estuvo bueno de abuelitas.” Así nos inter-pelaba Marcos –un adolescente mexica-no– en el cierre de una sesión de grupo para un estudio sobre el mercado alimen-ticio hispano en Los Ángeles. A lo largo de la sesión, Marcos y una buena parte de los entrevistados manifestaron una fuerte ambivalencia respecto a las marcas mexicanas. Por un lado, cierta preferencia por el distintivo sabor y textura de una multitud de productos por encima de sus equivalentes americanos. Por otro, cierta renuencia, bordeando en la vergüenza en algunos casos, a consumir productos ex-plícitamente mexicanos en público.

—¿Explícitamente mexicanos? —“Sí”, decía Marcos, “llenos de colo-

res patrióticos y abuelitas, como si nos es-tuviéramos muriendo de tristeza por estar de este lado de la frontera”.

En las visitas etnográficas del mismo estudio, nuestros antropólogos notaron un comportamiento análogo. Cuando sus hijos llegaban de la escuela con amigos, los padres cambiaban rápidamente de ca-nal, como para no avergonzarlos ante sus pares americanos con la nostalgia lacri-mosa de sus telenovelas.

Lo que Marcos había querido co-municarnos no era un repudio hacia la comida mexicana, por el contrario, para los hispanos de origen mexicano –inclu-so los de tercera generación– la profun-

didad gastronómica que heredan es mo-tivo de orgullo. Se trataba más bien de un hartazgo ante la manera en que esa profundidad se expresa en un marketing gratuitamente emocional, pacotilla pre-decible, sensiblera y nostálgica.

El exabrupto de Marcos fue uno de los detonadores de México Emergente, el estudio donde nos dimos a la tarea de seguirle la pista a las nuevas actitudes y conductas, y a los nuevos códigos genera-dos por ese hartazgo.

México eMergenteDescubrimos rápidamente que el hartaz-go era generalizado. Y no sólo en el mer-cado hispano o dentro de nuestras fronte-ras, sino incluso en el extranjero.

En efecto, antes de verificar nuestra hi-pótesis del hartazgo en México, convocamos un panel de semiólogos desde Japón hasta Estados Unidos –pasando por China, Singa-pur, India, Francia, Inglaterra, España y Bra-sil– para preguntarles por la imagen proyec-tada por México a través de los productos y mensajes enviados a sus países. La respuesta fue unánime: “¡México es tan 1980!”

Después de compartir el informe escrito enviado por cada semiólogo, tuvimos una serie de reuniones virtuales. Desde su pe-queña ventanita en Google Hangouts, nos reiteraban uno tras otro que México es un país con un capital simbólico extraordina-riamente rico que, de manera incomprensi-ble, se obstina en empobrecer ese capital en su comunicación con el mundo.

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Para Exportadores Para Exportadores Para Exportadores

En lugar de comunicar las profundas transformaciones de una cultura que ha pasado de agraria a urbana con pasmosa

rapidez, en lugar de comunicar esos códigos emergentes propios de una sociedad en vías de transformación, méxico –nos explicaban los semiólogos– han querido perpetuar los

códigos ya residuales que tan exitosamente lo proyectaron al mundo en los Juegos olímpicos del 68.

Por su parte, los mexicanos que participaron en las sesiones finales de México Emergente, nos dieron un listado muy sugerente de las marcas mexicanas que les enorgullecen por razones emergentes, por abandonar las inercias de la nostalgia y apostarle a un méxico abierto al mundo.

En lugar de comunicar las profundas transformaciones de una cultura que ha pasado de agraria a urbana con pasmosa rapidez, en lugar de comunicar esos códi-gos emergentes propios de una sociedad en vías de transformación, México –nos explicaban los semiólogos– han querido

cos, el mexicano “hispano” que, como tantos de sus compatriotas south of the border –por lo menos 20% según nues-tro estudio– quiere pasar a otro capítulo: el de los códigos emergentes donde la tradición no desaparece pero se resignifi-ca en el ensayo permanente.

Por supuesto, aclaraban los semiólogos, la imagen de un país y de las marcas que exporta al mundo no cambian de la noche a la mañana. La imagen de México está en gran medida en manos de otros, parti-cularmente de Hollywood y ese retrato a menudo poco halagüeño que hace de sus vecinos del sur. Sin embargo, agregaban, en aquellas ocasiones en que sí está en nuestras manos es imperativo que no nos limitemos a refrendar lo que todo mundo cree saber;

es imperativo tomar bandos: ¿Perpetuar la proyección de códigos residuales fácilmente reconocibles pero propios de un país indo-lente y estático? ¿O experimentar con los códigos emergentes propios de un país en vías de transformación?

x is for export, x is for exchAnge, x is for Mystery, x is for treAsure,x MArks the spot…“Aparte de Luxemburgo, son el único país con una X, ¡pero no la explotan!” Así se expresaba en franca exaltación ante las oportunidades latentes el representante inglés de nuestro panel de semiólogos in-ternacionales. Sus colegas no tardaron en elaborar una lista interminable de senti-dos, todos fácilmente apropiables por la

X de México, donde el epicentro está pre-cisamente en esa vocación de centralidad, apertura e intercambio.

Louis Poiré, diseñador industrial y fun-dador de Moda in Casa, agregaba: “¿Crees que la talavera poblana es sólo mexicana? Durante los trescientos años de la colonia México fue eje comercial del mundo, la porcelana china llegaba por Acapulco y, para cuando salía por Veracruz ya se había transformado en talavera poblana.”

Por su parte, los mexicanos que parti-ciparon en las sesiones finales de México Emergente, nos dieron un listado muy su-gerente de las marcas mexicanas que les enorgullecen por razones emergentes, por abandonar las inercias de la nostalgia y apostarle a un México abierto al mundo.

perpetuar los códigos ya residuales que tan exitosamente lo proyectaron al mun-do en los Juegos Olímpicos del 68.

Playas idílicas y mexicanos tranqui-los y amistosos, sí, pero también estan-camiento e incontinencia emocional; el México nostálgico que deploraba Mar-

Nos hablaron de Sushi Itto, la em-presa que no solo se abrió a la compleja gastronomía japonesa, sino que le agregó mango, aguacate, chile y sazón mexicana para devolverla transformada al mundo. “Ahora hay Sushi Itto mexicano en Ja-pón”, exclamaban entusiasmados.

También hicieron referencia a Cemex, que no inventó la industria del cemen-to, sino que “transformó con ingenio la logística del cemento a nivel mundial”. Asimismo, Cinépolis tuvo repetidas men-ciones como la empresa que no inventó el multiplex, pero lo introdujo a México para luego transformarlo con sus salas VIP y sus opciones infantiles. “Ahora está conquistando India”.

En fin, nos refirieron una y otra vez el ingenio fresco y rifado de Alfonso Cua-rón, la desfachatez inteligente de Diego Luna, el atrevimiento sin complejos de Cerveza Indio, el mexicanismo urbano y cosmopolita de Cielito Querido Café, y atributos de tantas otras marcas que, en lugar de refugiarse en la vieja imagen nos-tálgica de un México encerrado en sí mis-mo, celebran su capacidad para abrirse al mundo, trabajarlo con riguroso ingenio local y transformarlo en algo nuevo.

Más allá de los códigos desgastados del México residual, más allá de esa na-rrativa de contención y apapacho que ofrecía playas y tranquilidad –es cierto, pero también indolencia y estancamien-to–, el México emergente representa esa categoría todopoderosa para los merca-dos del siglo XXI: la conexión. N

*Presidente, De la Riva Group.

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la estrategia de diversificación comercial debe impactar el ecosistema de producción del país e impulsar el encadenamiento productivo del sector exportador en distintas industrias. Estas medidas incidirán en el desarrollo regional mediante la creación de más y mejores empleos, y repercutirán en el desarrollo del mercado interno y de la economía nacional.

El Plan Nacional de Desarrollo 2013-2018 establece directrices muy concretas sobre la política exterior de México. La proyec-ción del país en el ámbito internacional se considera en cuatro objetivos estratégicos. El primero destaca la relevancia de la am-pliación y fortalecimiento de México en el orbe; esto implica un mayor impulso de México como actor clave y de responsa-bilidad global. El segundo objetivo está destinado a promover el valor de México más allá de sus fronteras, mientras que el tercero busca reafirmar el compromiso del país con la apertura y el libre comercio, además de atraer más flujos de inversión productiva. Por último, el cuarto objeti-vo señala la relevancia de la protección y

PaNorama dE las rElacioNEs EcoNómicas iNtErNacioNalEs

de México

México debe profundizar y fortalecer su estrategia de diversificación comercial, así como su estrategia de atracción de inversión productiva, con el fin de mejorar su participación en los mercados internacionales y

generar condiciones que permitan garantizar el desarrollo del país.

por ADOLfO LAbORDE*

defensa de los derechos e intereses, tanto de los mexicanos en el exterior como de los extranjeros en México. Estas cuatro di-rectrices enmarcan el desenvolvimiento de México más allá de sus fronteras.

México está explorando oportunida-des comerciales y de cooperación interna-cional en distintas regiones, con base en esos criterios. La relación histórica de Mé-xico con sus socios en América del Norte seguirá siendo decisiva; sin embargo, una de las estrategias comerciales más impor-tantes del país en materia de comercio ex-terior se basa en la diversificación de sus relaciones económicas internacionales.

En este contexto, se han realizado múltiples esfuerzos como visitas de Es-

tado, promoción comercial y turística entre varias agencias y dependencias de gobierno, asistencia a ferias internacio-nales, misiones comerciales y encuentros bilaterales, entre otros. En esta dinámica destaca el papel de las secretarías de Eco-nomía (SE) a través de ProMéxico, y de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE).

Según información elaborada por la SE con datos del Banco de México, el total de las exportaciones mexicanas durante 2013 fue de 380,189 millones de dólares –2.6% más que en 2012. Esta cifra repre-senta un máximo histórico; sin embargo, al analizar el destino de las exportaciones mexicanas, se observa que la mayor parte –309,980 millones, es decir, más de 81%–

se realizaron a Canadá y Estados Unidos. Así, la participación de otras regiones en el comercio exterior mexicano aún debe balancearse. En 2013 México exportó 20,025.30 millones de dólares a los países miembro de la Asociación Latinoamérica de Integración (ALADI) –Argentina, Boli-via, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Pa-namá, Paraguay, Perú, Uruguay, Venezuela y Cuba–; 4,824.20 millones de dólares a países centroamericanos, en específico Be-lice, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras y Nicaragua;19,767.40 millo-nes de dólares a países de la Unión Euro-pea; 1,143.70 millones de dólares a países de la Asociación Europea de Libre Comer-cio; 3,547.50 millones de dólares a Corea del Sur, Taiwán, Hong Kong y Singapur, 2,242.20 millones de dólares a Japón y 6,467.10 millones de dólares a China.

México tiene una balanza comercial a favor con los países que pertenecen a la ALADI; mientras que en Centroamérica la balanza se inclina hacia sus socios. Lo cierto es que en ambos casos debe revita-lizarse el vínculo comercial.

Las cifras revelan que México requiere un verdadero trabajo de diversificación co-mercial. Es necesario que el país explote sus vínculos con países árabes, por ejemplo, ya que ofrecen múltiples oportunidades para los productos y servicios mexicanos.

En este sentido, es necesario seguir promoviendo el acercamiento con otros países no solo en el tema comercial, sino también en el de inversión. Por eso es su-mamente relevante impulsar nexos con los países de la Alianza del Pacífico, así como seguir con detenimiento los avances en las negociaciones del Acuerdo de Asociación Transpacífico (TPP), entre otras iniciativas comerciales y de integración.

Tal como lo señaló el titular de la SE, Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal: “[Debemos] reducir costos de tránsito en frontera para los países con los que tenemos vínculo co-mercial, hacia el sur una nueva presencia de México en América Latina y hacia Eu-ropa modernizar el tratado que tenemos desde el año 2000. Respecto a Asia: de los 45 países con los que tenemos tratados solo hay uno asiático: Japón […] A través de la negociación del TPP y de la nueva relación con China […], Asia ha sido la re-gión del mundo que más ha crecido […] Como país estamos obligados a diseñar nuestras pertenencias en función de qué es mejor para los mexicanos, para sus sala-rios, sus empleos y para sus empresarios.”

La estrategia de diversificación comer-cial debe impactar el ecosistema de produc-ción del país e impulsar el encadenamiento productivo del sector exportador en distin-tas industrias. Estas medidas incidirán en el desarrollo regional mediante la creación de más y mejores empleos, y repercutirán en el desarrollo del mercado interno y de la eco-nomía nacional. Si a esto se suman los re-cursos que se capten por concepto de tasas impositivas al sector exportador, podrán canalizarse recursos a sectores innovadores y al resto de las industrias tradicionales y no tradicionales, con el firme propósito de impulsar el desarrollo nacional.

El reto es fortalecer la promoción de la oferta exportable de acuerdo con las oportunidades que se detecten, sin des-cuidar la demanda que se tiene detectada en los nichos tradicionales. Asimismo,

debe enfatizarse en el tema de capacita-ción comercial. La creación de una es-cuela que forme cuadros y profesionalice gestores u operadores comerciales, es un elemento clave. Los gestores u operado-res comerciales no solo deben ser mul-tilingües y dominar el lenguaje del país en el que son asignados, también deben conocer a fondo cuál es la cultura, las tradiciones, el protocolo de negocios aplicable, y estar bien preparados para diseñar y ejecutar cualquier política de inteligencia económica, sobre todo si buscamos apuntalar el acercamiento de México con nuevos mercados. N

*Director de programa de la licenciatura en

relaciones internacionales y del Bachelor in

International Affairs (BIA), Tecnológico de

Monterrey, Campus Santa Fe.

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Es necesario que las empresas efectúen cambios de fondo en su estructura organizacional para aminorar el riesgo de la operación aduanera y maximizar los beneficios de los instrumentos vigentes.

Desde la década de 1990 el comercio ha crecido dos veces más rápido que el producto interno bruto (PIB) mundial. En este contexto es sabido que los paí-ses que consigan atraer mayor inversión extranjera y que al mismo tiempo forta-lezcan su comercio exterior, tendrán un mayor crecimiento económico.

Para incrementar el intercambio co-mercial entre los países no basta con re-ducir o eliminar aranceles. También es necesario poner en marcha sistemas de modernización aduanera para reducir cos-

diEz accioNEs Para Mejorar el coMercio exterior

Los cambios más trascendentales en materia de comercio exterior de México han sido producto de los acuerdos comerciales en los que el país ha participado con 45 países. En la actualidad las empresas

deben empezar a reconfigurar sus áreas y procesos. Es preciso que tengan una visión más amplia sobre la importancia y las implicaciones del comercio exterior dentro de su organización.

por fRANCISCO j. MéNDEZ*

tos e incrementar la competitividad inter-nacional, entre otras medidas.

Los países que tienen las mejores prácticas en materia de comercio exte-rior han adoptado una serie de mecanis-mos, como el sistema de ventanilla úni-ca. En México hace dos años se creó la Administración Central de Auditoria en Comercio Exterior (AGACE) debido a la necesidad que representaba para los tra-bajos de auditoría especializada. Aunado a ello se establecieron modificaciones es-tructurales para la operación de las em-

presas pertenecientes a la Industria Ma-nufacturera, Maquiladora y de Servicios de Exportación (IMMEX), instancia ante la cual las empresas que buscaban seguir gozando de sus beneficios necesitaban tramitar una certificación.

Dada la importancia de estas modifi-caciones, es necesario que las empresas se sensibilicen sobre ellas y efectúen cambios de fondo en su estructura organizacional para aminorar el riesgo de la operación aduanera y maximizar los beneficios de los instrumentos vigentes.

A continuación se enlistan diez accio-nes básicas para maximizar la operación del comercio exterior de una empresa u organización: 1. Realizar un catálogo de fracciones

arancelarias de importación y expor-tación confiable.

2. Verificar que las mercancías a impor-tar o exportar cumplan con los reque-rimientos para obtener las certifica-ciones correspondientes.

3. Comprobar el valor de las importacio-nes y exportaciones contra el pago de la mercancía, así como todos los do-

cumentos de prueba necesarios, como el pago de transporte, seguros, manio-bras y regalías, entre otros, de acuerdo con los términos internacionales de co-mercio (Incoterms) negociados.

4. Pagar las contribuciones de comercio exterior de forma electrónica utilizan-do el Pago Electrónico Centralizado Aduanero, con el objetivo de amino-rar el riesgo de un fraude.

5. Realizar un análisis de riesgos de la empresa en materia aduanera para llevar a cabo las acciones necesarias para disminuir cualquier posibilidad de infracciones y multas.

6. Implementar los estándares de seguridad en materia logística para disminuir el riesgo de que los embarques sean usa-dos para transportar mercancías ilícitas, posteriormente inscribirse en el Nue-vo Esquema de Empresas Certificadas (NEEC) para obtener más de cuarenta beneficios que ayudan a simplificar las operaciones aduaneras de las empresas.

7. Visitar las instalaciones de los agentes aduanales en los puertos, aeropuertos y puntos de entrada o salida del terri-torio nacional, para conocer su ope-ración y el equipo humano y material con el que cuentan. De igual forma, sistematizar la información que trans-mite el agente aduanal a la empresa a través de interfaces.

8. Llevar un manejo y control puntual de los activos fijos, para poder acreditar la estancia legal de toda la maquinaria con sus respectivos documentos origi-nales cotejados con números de serie, marca y modelo.

9. Cotejar las declaraciones contables con las operaciones de comercio exte-rior, identificando las causas posibles de las diferencias encontradas.

10. Realizar auditorías internas y externas para analizar errores o desviaciones (medidas preventivas), con el propósito de disminuir el riesgo de infracciones y sanciones, así como la suspensión de la empresa en el padrón de importadores o de la certificación IMMEX.Mediante estas diez acciones elementa-

les las empresas podrán tener un punto de referencia para generar un plan de trabajo adecuado y convertirse en empresas u or-ganizaciones con las mejores prácticas en el comercio exterior del país. N

*Consultor del Consejo Empresarial Mexicano

de Comercio Exterior, Inversión y Tecnología.

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El 29 de abril de este año se publicó el decreto por el que se aprueba el Programa Nacional de infraestructura (PNi) para el periodo 2014-2018, el cual contará con una inversión pública y privada histórica de 7.7 billones de pesos.

El Programa NacioNal dE iNfraEstructura

y su iMPacto en la regiÓn del Bajío

México ha emprendido reformas estructurales para consolidarse como un destino atractivo para las

inversiones productivas. Este panorama implica la aprobación de reformas en el ámbito educativo, de

telecomunicaciones, político-electoral, financiero, hacendario y –por supuesto– energético.

por féLIx pONCE-NAVA CORTéS*

México tiene grandes ventajas y oportunidades frente a otros paí-ses. En el terreno energético se promueve cierta apertura para de-sarrollar tareas y proyectos estratégicos con otros actores. La ex-ploración, la petroquímica y el desarrollo de energías renovables son muestra de ello. Aunado a lo anterior, existen oportunidades en telecomunicaciones y radiodifusión.

México registra una importante industrialización que ha em-pezado a tomar mucha fuerza en varias zonas del país. El despun-te de la industria automotriz y del sector aeroespacial, así como la manufactura y diseño de componentes con mayores insumos tecnológicos, han incidido positivamente en ciertas regiones del país como el Bajío.

Esta tendencia está reforzada por el bono demográfico, por la solidez del mercado interno –con condiciones para constituir-se como uno de los más dinámicos del mundo–, los indicadores macroeconómicos y acceso a múltiples mercados con base en los acuerdos comerciales celebrados con 45 países –entre otros facto-res no necesariamente vinculados con un bajo costo de operación, sino con el talento y la profesionalización de los mexicanos.

Una vez que las reformas estructurales se consoliden, se po-tenciará el atractivo de México como destino competitivo para recibir mayores flujos de inversión.

Aunado a los esfuerzos antes mencionados, el gobierno fe-deral ha emprendido distintos programas y políticas estratégicas para apuntalar esta tendencia.

El 29 de abril de este año se publicó el decreto por el que se aprueba el Programa Nacional de Infraestructura (PNI) para el periodo 2014-2018, el cual contará con una inversión pública y privada histórica de 7.7 billones de pesos.

Distintas entidades e instituciones de gobierno están obligadas a elaborar sus respectivos programas anuales y anteproyectos de presupuesto, encaminados al cumplimiento de los objetivos, es-trategias, indicadores y metas que establece este programa.

La región del Bajío recibirá aproximadamente 158,463 millo-nes de pesos divididos de la siguiente forma: Guanajuato tendrá un presupuesto de 67,945.8 millones de pesos, Querétaro 3,291.5

millones de pesos, Aguascalientes 50,842.5 millones de pesos y San Luis Potosí 36,382.9 millones de pesos.

La publicación del programa muestra la relevancia del Bajío en la coyuntura actual. Los estados de Guanajuato y Querétaro –impulsados por las industrias automotriz y aeroespacial, respec-tivamente– se consolidan como polos importantes para la recep-ción de flujos de inversión en el país.

La inversión productiva que se espera para el segundo semes-tre de 2014 deberá aprovecharse por los distintos sectores del país. Para ello, debe promoverse mayor sinergia entre las institu-ciones académicas, las empresas y los tres niveles de gobierno, de manera que se mantenga la estabilidad y las oportunidades para quienes invierten en México. N

*Asociado de Basham, Ringe y Correa, S.C.

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la imPortaNcia dE la iNformática EmPrEsarial

La informática empresarial no ha demostrado con seriedad que cada dólar invertido en este tema está bien canalizado. A pesar de los avances de la última década, aún no se alcanza el punto de equilibrio en el que la inversión que se realiza en informática empresarial reditúe de la misma manera –o al menos en niveles similares– comparada con el resto de las inversiones que tienen que cubrir las empresas u organizaciones.

por jOSé IgNACIO SORDO gALARZA*

la informática empresarial se convierte en un gran reto para los paradigmas tradicionales de la gestión empresarial, por lo que debe transformarse. No debe tratarse únicamente como un asunto de costos, debe convertirse en un elemento diferenciador para el éxito de las empresas.

¿Cuántas veces se ha sentido inconforme? Sin duda el líder de una empresa no esta-rá de acuerdo. Hay un dicho que dice “la conformidad alimenta la complacencia y la complacencia genera el fracaso”. Las ideas disruptivas, casi por definición, con-llevan riesgos y generan inconformidad en una organización. Dichas ideas cuestionan lo establecido pero, si esto se pone en tela de juicio, por definición se generará un sentimiento de inconformidad. En otras palabras: las ideas disruptivas suelen ser riesgosas y dicho riesgo casi siempre pro-duce inconformidad.

En este sentido, es importante ser ob-jetivos y encontrar la perspectiva más ade-cuada sobre la informática empresarial. Debe propiciarse que suceda algo positivo en la empresa, por ejemplo: ¿Cómo mejo-rar el valor de negocio de la informática empresarial? ¿cómo beneficiarse de la in-formática empresarial y fomentar que se convierta en un catalizador para la colabo-ración e innovación en el mercado?

Algunas de las características de un lí-der inconforme, de un líder que desea pro-mover el cambio son: • Sesientenagustoconvivirenunam-

biente inestable. No tienen problema si se sienten inconformes.

• Los define una profunda curiosidadpor saber qué está pasando al interior de la empresa u organización, con los proveedores y los procesos. Siempre van más allá.

• Sucapacidadporenfrentarlarealidades distinta. Ven lo que está pasando en el mundo de manera más realista, obje-tiva y no toman partido.

• Siempreseenfocanenobtenerresul-tados.

• Nuncacesasupropósitoportransfor-mar una empresa u organización.Si retomamos la idea del filósofo alemán

Friedrich Nietzsche de hacer que el individuo sea inconforme, vemos que a partir de la in-conformidad es que las personas buscan un cambio. Si se encuentran en un estado cómo-do es mucho más difícil que éste se genere.

En este contexto, uno de los temas cen-trales vinculados con el cambio está basa-do en la informática empresarial dentro de las organizaciones. Su alineación con la misión y los objetivos de la empresa pue-de reflejarse en sus resultados. El enfoque estratégico de las empresas debe tener base en la canalización de recursos en este cam-po, con el propósito de eliminar el trabajo que no sea esencial.

La informática empresarial se refiere al desarrollo de una estructura y metodolo-gía adecuadas para instrumentar sistemas de información y comunicación en las em-presas (análisis de sistemas y procesamien-to de datos, entre otros).

En este contexto, debe establecerse un puente entre la informática empresarial –la cual tiende a ser muy predecible, es-tructurada y planeada– y los objetivos de la empresa. La informática empresarial se convierte en un gran reto para los para-digmas tradicionales de la gestión empre-sarial, por lo que debe transformarse. No

debe tratarse únicamente como un asun-to de costos, debe convertirse en un ele-mento diferenciador para el éxito de las empresas. Al respecto, deben considerarse los siguientes puntos:• No importa el sistema, siempre debe

quedar resguardada la integridad de datos de la empresa u organización.

• Debedefinirseelobjetivoprincipaldeltrabajo a realizar.

• Debesuperarsealacompetencia.• La informática empresarial debe for-

mar parte de la estrategia y trascender el control de costos.Uno de los retos centrales de la in-

formática empresarial se basa en la inno-vación e inmediatez. Si el proceso tarda más de lo debido, los resultados serán

obsoletos. Las empresas necesitan una organización informática empresarial que les ayude a transformar su modelo de negocio, a habilitar la toma de deci-siones y a dirigir la capacidad de innova-ción empresarial.

En resumen, un líder en el terreno de la informática empresarial siempre debe impulsar una visión de éxito. Debe lidiar con la adversidad, tomar riesgos, saber comunicar claramente lo que implican las tecnologías de la información para las empresas, transformar los retos en accio-nes y, sobre todo, contar con la capacidad tecnológica adecuada para concretar los trabajos de su organización. N

*Fundador y director de CIO Eureka!

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Generalmente se cree que las grandes em-presas son las principales empleadoras, pues son las que tienen capacidad para ab-sorber a la mayor parte de la población eco-nómicamente activa. Sin embargo, según ci-fras oficiales, en México las pymes generan 81% de las fuentes de trabajo. Si cada pyme emplea un promedio de entre veinte y trein-ta personas, se requieren cientos de miles de pymes para satisfacer la demanda laboral actual y futura, sobre todo si se considera que un buen porcentaje de estas empresas cierra en un lapso menor a dos años.

Las pymes enfrentan múltiples retos. ¿Qué alternativas tiene el país para gene-rar empleos para el futuro? La respuesta está en las empresas de alto crecimien-to –de reciente creación, innovadoras y fundadas por emprendedores con visión global–, las cuales crean y desarrollan a los emprendedores de alto impacto.

El movimiento emprendedor en Mé-xico ha cobrado relevancia. Incluso el gobierno federal –como mecanismo de apoyo– creó el Instituto Nacional del Emprendedor (INADEM) con el propó-sito de hacer del emprendimiento un as-

EmPrENdEdorEs dE alto imPacto:clave Para el desarrollo econÓMico

Uno de los retos de México y de otras economías en el mundo radica en la generación de empleos para las nuevas generaciones y para las personas que forman parte del mercado laboral actual. Estimaciones de la Organización Internacional del Trabajo (OIT) indican que México necesita generar alrededor de 8.8 millones de nuevos empleos, mientras que todos los países de América

Latina en conjunto requerirán de cincuenta millones de fuentes laborales para 2020.

por pILAR AgUILAR pARIENTE*

pecto estratégico para el desarrollo eco-nómico y social del país.

Sin embargo, no todos los emprendi-mientos tienen el mismo impacto, no todos pueden canalizar sus productos y servicios a nuevos mercados o incidir sustantiva-mente en el mercado exportador. Hay un grupo de emprendedores que está llaman-do la atención por su capacidad de impul-sar la economía a través de la creación de empleos y riqueza, el cual está generando un efecto multiplicador al inspirar y ayu-dar a otros a emprender.

Según cifras publicadas en la Encuesta de Empresas realizada por el Banco Mun-dial (2010), los emprendedores de alto im-pacto –a través de sus empresas– generan empleos 5.4 veces más rápido que otros negocios y hacen crecer sus ganancias a una velocidad 2.4 veces mayor que otras empresas. El alto impacto de este grupo tiene dos características sobresalientes: 1) Crean y desarrollan empresas que

escalan en tamaño (de pequeña a mediana o de mediana a grande), generan miles de empleos, crecen en ingresos de manera exponencial, son

productivas y tienen éxito al resolver problemas que el mercado demanda.

2) Capitalizan su éxito en dos vías: a) Comparten su conocimiento y ex-

periencia a través de mentorías para guiar a las nuevas generacio-nes de emprendedores.

b) Se convierten en potenciales inver-sionistas de otros emprendedores que demuestran capacidad de cre-cer y ser innovadores.

Tanto el perfil como la forma de hacer negocios antes descrita los hace únicos:• Cambianladinámicadelmercadoenel

que incursionan. Puesto que proponen nuevos modelos de negocio y atienden a nuevos perfiles de clientes con mayor efectividad, logran romper los modelos tradicionales y compiten con grandes em-presas y marcas muy bien establecidas.

• Resuelvenmejorquenadieunapro-blemática que demanda su mercado. Estos emprendedores identifican ne-cesidades de determinados perfiles de clientes, antes desatendidos o media-namente satisfechos, para resolverlas de una forma innovadora.

• Logran lo que nadie había pensado.Al apostar nuevos nichos de negocio y de mercado de una forma distinta a la tradicional, se salen de lo estableci-do en sus sectores y proponen nuevas maneras de hacer negocio. Esto les permite ir más allá que el resto.

• Toman riesgos. Los emprendedoresde alto impacto no le temen al ries-go, incluso lo buscan cuando se trata de obtener altos rendimientos e in-crementar la productividad. Se pro-ponen llegar a más consumidores y aprovechar las oportunidades en nue-vos mercados, capitalizando nuevas tendencias e implementando tecnolo-gía de punta o procesos innovadores que muchas veces crean desde cero.

• Escalanyhacencrecerdeformasos-tenible y exponencial sus negocios. Ellos no sólo buscan hacer crecer em-presas e innovar en nichos de merca-do nuevos o ya establecidos, preten-den impactar de forma positiva en la sociedad en el mediano y largo plazo.

• Generanunefectomultiplicador.Bus-can trascender más allá de su negocio e impactar en las nuevas generaciones

No todos los emprendimientos tienen el mismo impacto, no todos pueden canalizar sus productos y servicios a nuevos mercados o incidir sustantivamente en el mercado exportador. Hay un grupo de emprendedores que está llamando la atención por su capacidad de impulsar la economía a través de la creación de empleos y riqueza, el cual está generando un efecto multiplicador al inspirar y ayudar a otros a emprender.

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Para Exportadores

de emprendedores, compartiendo buenas prácticas y conocimientos e invirtiendo en nuevos proyectos de otros empren-dedores. Con esto, fomentan un ecosis-tema emprendedor bajo un esquema de relación ganar-ganar.Desde 2002 –antes de que el empren-

dimiento fuera algo común en el país– or-ganizaciones como Endeavor México se han especializado en apoyar a estos em-prendedores con el propósito de impulsar el desarrollo económico del país.

Su modelo de trabajo se basa en una red compuesta por consejeros, mentores y aliados que brindan su tiempo y cono-cimiento de manera desinteresada, con la convicción de que al apoyar a emprende-dores de alto impacto se contribuye al cre-cimiento de sus empresas.

De esta manera, el modelo propone: • Pensarengrande.Para ello tienen ac-

ceso a mentores con experiencia en mercados nacionales e internaciona-les, a eventos en los que se generan conexiones que les ayudan a crecer su negocio y a realizar actividades relati-vas a industrias específicas.

• Tener acceso a talento, inversionis-tas ymercados. En alianza con uni-versidades de prestigio y firmas de

endeavor es una organización internacional sin fines de lucro que tiene como objetivo contribuir al crecimiento del Producto interno Bruto (PiB) por medio de apoyos a los mejores emprendedores de alto impacto, y a transformar empresas de pequeñas a medianas y de medianas a grandes.

esta organización fue cofundada en 1997 por linda rottenberg y Peter Kellner en estados unidos, y llegó a México en 2002. el modelo de trabajo de endeavor ha sido analizado y reconocido por su capacidad de transformar economías por la escuela de Negocios de harvard y el Foro económico Mundial (WeF). está presente en veinte países ubicados en cuatro continentes. en México tiene presencia en once estados y en el distrito Federal.

consultoría, estudiantes de posgrado en negocios y ejecutivos interesados apoyan proyectos estratégicos de este tipo de empresas, brindan su conoci-miento y experiencia, y ofrecen ase-soría para recibir financiamiento y acercarse a inversionistas que puedan interesarse en un proyecto.En 2012 empresas y emprendedores

que Endeavor asesoró generaron 5,350 empleos y ventas por doce mil millones de pesos. De 2010 a 2012, las empresas consideradas en este programa registra-ron un incremento de 81% en su produc-tividad.

La generación de empleos y riqueza no debe asociarse únicamente con los grandes corporativos. Esta tendencia ha cambiado para dar paso a una nue-va generación de empresas encabezadas por emprendedores de alto impacto que están marcando la diferencia. No debe extrañar que aquellas empresas que ge-neran miles de empleos, patentan nuevos productos o servicios, o son generadoras de innovación tengan detrás a un em-prendedor de alto impacto. N

*Directora General de Endeavor México.

¿Qué Es ENDEavOR?

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