MBAE & Helimex, a trade show focused on aviation equipment and services for business use, will be held February 28 to March 2, 2011 at the Toluca International Airport just west of Mexico City. The show features 40 – 50 industry-specific exhibitors and is closed to the general public. Toluca is the principal hub of Mexico’s business aviation industry. For more information, see www.mbaeexpo.com .
Posts Tagged aerospace
Reports on some recent and upcoming investment collected from the local business media:
- Retail: Mexican franchise operating group Alsea announced plans to invest approximately US$400 million over the next five years to open new stores. The licensee in Mexico of brands such as Domino’s, Starbucks, Burger King and Chili’s, Alsea will also add locations in Chile, Argentina and Colombia.
- Energy: Mexican industrial baking giant Grupo Bimbo announced the initiation of construction of a major wind farm in southern Mexico that is intended to supply nearly 100% of the company’s domestic electricity needs. The majority of the US$200 million investment in the site will be supplied by Spanish renewable energy developer Renovalia, which will build and operate the facility.
- Manufacturing: U.S.-based tile and floor covering materials producer Dal-Tile Corp. will invest US$111 million in a new manufacturing plant in the central city of Salamanca, Guanajuato. The new facility, planned for construction in 2011, will become the second plant in Mexico operated by local subsidiary Daltile de México.
- Recycling: Member companies of the Mexican plastic bag industry association (Inboplast) will invest over US$12 million in the development of 24 bag recycling plants beginning next year. The plants are intended to take greater advantage of underutilized plastic in Mexico City’s enormous landfills.
- Energy: Dubai-based alternative energy developers Rubenius announced plans to invest up to US$4 billion to construct a large scale energy storage facility in Mexicali, Mexico near the U.S. border. The site is planned to store 1,000 Mw of solar, wind and geothermal energy for distribution to grids in both Mexico and the United States. Read the rest of this entry »
Reports on some recent and upcoming investment collected from the local business media:
- Steel: European and Japanese steelmakers Ternium and Nippon Steel Corp., respectively, announced an alliance to build and operate a new steel manufacturing plant outside Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Projected to come on line in 2013, the plant will produce galvanized steel sheeting for the automotive industry.
- Aerospace: Canadian aerospace giant Bombardier inaugurated a US$250 million expansion to its manufacturing complex in the central state of Queretaro this month. The new facility will produce fuselages and electrical components for the company’s Learjet 85 model aircraft.
- Retail: Office products retailer Office Depot de México revealed ambitious plans to continue its expansion into the Central and South American markets. The company, which currently operates sales locations in Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras in addition to its 188 stores in Mexico, is projecting US$50 million in investment to open 50 new stores in Colombia during the next five years.
- Manufacturing: U.S. sports equipment manufacturer Easton Bell Sports will invest US$50 million to open a production plant in Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon. The company, which produces sports headgear for the NFL, MLB and NHL, initially will manufacture football helmets at the new plant for export to the United States.
- Telecommunications: Telefonos de Mexico (Telmex), Mexico’s largest fixed telephone and internet service provider, estimated investment in network and internet infrastructure upgrades at over US$880 million in 2009 and 2010. The company plans to continue investing in internet infrastructure despite a slight decrease in the strong pace of growth in recent years. Read the rest of this entry »
Reports on some recent and upcoming investment collected from the local business media:
- Retail: DIY retailer Home Depot announced investment of US$115 million in Mexico in the current year, principally for the opening of five new stores. The leader in its segment in Mexico, Home Depot projects 85 retail locations in operation by the end of 2010.
- Environmental: The North American Development Bank (NADBank) has ramped up its financing of environmental and other infrastructural projects in Mexico’s northern border zone over the past three years, local media report. Projects in Mexico financed by the bank during this period include 32 water treatment plants, 50 drainage and potable water systems and 12 solid waste landfills.
- Telecommunications: Telecom service provider Nextel projects investing up to US$1.5 billion in the construction of new network infrastructure. Nextel recently won a nationwide spectrum auction in Mexico in partnership with television broadcast giant Televisa.
- Aerospace: U.S.-based aircraft manufacturer Hawker Beechcraft is currently constructing a new production plant in the northern city of Chihuahua. The US$108 million facility, set to produce aircraft assemblies and subassemblies, will become the company’s second manufacturing plant in Chihuahua, further bolstering Mexico’s robust aerospace sector.
- Automotive: General Motors de Mexico announced projected investment of US$500 million in the northern state of Coahuila to produce a new generation of eight-cylinder motors as well as a new vehicle platform. Projects supported by the new investment are planned to begin this year with actual production set for 2011. Read the rest of this entry »
Reports on some recent and upcoming investment collected from the local business media:
- Water treatment: Mexican sugar producer Grupo Azucarero México (GAM) revealed it will begin construction next month on a new waste water treatment plant. GAM has invested US$35 million over the past four years in automation process technology, as well as a system for generating electricity through steam produced by burning cane bagasse.
- Logistics: Guanajuato’s Guanajuato Interior Port multimodal logistics center will enter a new phase of expansion in the coming months. Approximately US$55 million in new investment will be carried out to expand existing infrastructure at the site, which includes Customs facilities, a free zone, ground and air cargo handling services, industrial yards and related operations.
- Automotive: German engine components maker Getrag Transmissions Manufacturing inaugurated a new production plant in the central city of Guanajuato. The US$500 million facility will manufacture transmissions for the Ford Fiesta line being built at Ford’s Cuautitlan Izcalli plant outside Mexico City.
- Manufacturing: French digital media manufacturer Technicolor will begin making 3D Blu-ray discs for Warner Brothers at its Guadalajara plant this year. The company is investing US$11.4 million in the plant to boost production capacity.
- Green building: Mexican developer Homex announced plans to develop four new housing complexes in north western Mexico based on the concept of Integrated Sustainable Urban Developments. The first of these complexes will require investment of US$27 million and all will incorporate green building technologies. Read the rest of this entry »
Mexico’s aerospace industry continues to grow aggressively (see our past post on the Tijuana aerospace forum at http://bdp-americas.com/blog/2010/02/aerospace-supplier-forum-set-for-tijuana), and this Fall the sector will achieve another milestone: Guadalajara will host the first event organized in this country by BCI Aerospace. The French firm specialized in global promotional events for the aerospace and defense industries will host “Aerospace Meetings Guadalajara” October 4 – 8 at Expo Guadalajara. The event provides a forum for aircraft manufacturers and potential suppliers to engage in one-on-one meetings, in addition to attending conferences, workshops and tours of Mexican manufacturing facilities. According to BCI’s brochure, Aerospace Meetings Guadalajara will feature participation by 100 Mexican companies and 150 foreign firms representing a total of 20 countries. For complete details, the event brochure is available here: www.bciaerospace.com/mexico
Reports on some recent and upcoming investment collected from the local business media:
- Steel: Mexico’s steel manufacturing industry chamber of commerce Canacero projected investments of US$10 billion over the next five years to significantly boost production in the sector. Canacero estimates production will increase 13.5% this year over 2009, when output dropped significantly.
- Airports: The Mexican Ministry of Transport (SCT) announced plans for three new airports to be constructed in 2010, with investment of US$36 million. The local airport developments are planned for La Pesca in the northeast and the tourist sites Creel in the north and Palenque in the south.
- Transport: Inter-city bus operator Grupo IAMSA reported it plans to add 300 new luxury buses to its fleet this year. The US$100 million investment is slated to go primarily to Volvo for the new buses.
- Aerospace: French aerospace manufacturer Grupo Safran inaugurated two new plants in an aerospace park in the central state of Queretaro, site one of Mexico’s leading aerospace clusters. The approximately US$150 million investment set up plants for Safran’s affiliates Messier-Dowty and Snecma to produce jet engine parts and undercarriages.
- Solar power: BP Solar, the solar technology subsidiary of Great Britain-based energy giant BP, announced plans to subcontract the assembly of solar modules with Jabil Circuit in Chihuahua, northern Mexico. Plans call for producing modules with a combined capacity of 45 MW, with the possibility for expansion as demand dictates. Read the rest of this entry »
While many industries are struggling in the current down economy, aerospace continues to post robust results in Mexico. Aerospace manufacturing and support services in the country have grown from a relatively minor industry in the 1990s to become one of the world’s leaders by 2010. Particularly in recent years, as the momentum of clusters grew, the industry has exploded from about 60 companies in 2004 to over 200 currently. Export sales are projected at US$3.4 billion for 2009, and are expected to exceed US$4 billion in 2010.
Tijuana, the center of one of Mexico’s aerospace clusters, will host a forum in March to bring together aircraft manufacturers and suppliers of the parts and components they need. The event will feature a conference series as well as one-on-one matchmaking meetings. Full information and registration can be found here:
Some investment and other economic activity reported in local media over the past month:
- Logistics: Argentina-based logistics company Axis Logistica announced plans to build a new distribution center in Mexico in 2010, in anticipation of economic recovery. The company entered the Mexican market in 2007 and has invested US$10 million since that time in construction and upgrades of its distribution infrastructure in the country.
- Aviation: Private air transport for executives is a growth industry in Mexico, with positive growth projected for 2009. The sector is led by Aerolineas Ejecutivas (ALE), which is projecting 12% growth for the year. The company invested approximately US$35 million in a new terminal at Monterrey’s international airport this year.
- Aerospace: Mexico’s aerospace industry continues to post impressive growth despite the worldwide economic slowdown. The number of companies in aerospace manufacturing, maintenance and related support services in Mexico has grown from 61 to 194 over the past four years, with export sales projected at US$3.4 billion for 2009.
- Automotive: Ford Motor Company inaugurated a new engine manufacturing plant in the northern city of Chihuahua, in the state of the same name. Ford invested a reported US$838 million in the new plant, which will produce diesel motors for pickup trucks.
- Laboratory: Coca-Cola de México launched operations at a new testing laboratory in Mexico City. The US$8 million facility includes state-of-the-art technology and will be used to verify the safety of ingredients, materials and finished products.
- Solar power: The State of Durango announced it is preparing to develop a major industrial park to produce solar power equipment and generate solar electricity. The complex, to begin construction in 2010, is planned to house 20 solar technology companies. Durango reportedly recently signed a cooperation agreement with a German solar power research institute.
- Airports: Tourist resort developer Grupo Vidanta inaugurated a new international airport in the northwestern location of Puerto Peñasco. Vidanta, which operates resorts in the area, invested US$40 million in the project, which was also supported by the Sonora state and federal governments. In the future the developer seeks to construct a new highway linking Puerto Peñasco with the U.S. border.
- Processed foods: Swiss processed foods giant Nestle announced plans for major investment in Mexico manufacturing operations for 2010. The program includes a US$15 million plant in the south eastern state of Chiapas to produce Coffee-Mate, and a US$100 million expansion of the company’s coffee processing plant at Toluca, near Mexico City.
- Aerospace: Canadian aerospace manufacturer Bombardier initiated construction of a new plant – the company’s third – at the Queretaro Aerospace Park in the central state of Queretaro. Bombardier has plans to invest US$250 million in the plant to produce fuselages, wings and electrical harnesses for Learjets.
- Retail: Grocery and general merchandize retailer Soriana announced 2010 investment plans to the tune of US$300 million for store upgrades and new store openings. The company is looking to focus on growth once again following a period of reorganization in the wake of its buyout of 198 stores from former rival Gigante in 2007. Soriana, with 470 stores, is Mexico’s second largest grocery chain after Wal-Mart.
- Metal tubing: Multinational metal products giant Luvata inaugurated a new production plant in the north eastern state of Nuevo Leon. The US$40 million facility will produce copper tubes, coils and coolers for heating, cooling, air conditioning and refrigeration applications. The complex includes its own water treatment plant.
- Automotive: Luxury automaker BMW announced plans to source US$2 billion worth of auto parts from Mexican manufacturers over the coming two years, in anticipation of a rebound in sales. The increase in sourcing from Mexico is intended to hedge the cost of parts currently purchased in Euros.
- Solar power: Japanese energy technology manufacturer Sanyo Electric Co. inaugurated a new production plant in the north eastern industrial city of Monterrey. The US$15 million plant will assemble high-efficiency solar modules for the North American market.
Mexico’s aerospace industry has posted astounding growth in recent years, turning the country into a key global aerospace manufacturer in the process. Mexico has been the world’s number one destination for aerospace manufacturing investment over the past two decades, with over US$1 billion in 2008 alone, according to the recent report Aerospace Globalization 2.0: The Next Stage, by industry consultants AeroStrategy. The country’s aviation industry has flown through quite a bit of turbulence (sorry) over the same period, but nonetheless represents an important market for products and services, between the commercial airlines, private air transport service providers and law enforcement and military fleets. The biennial Aero Expo coming up December 3-5 offers a great opportunity to meet the key players in NAFTA-region aerospace and aviation. Um, in Acapulco.
For information on the expo: www.aeroexpo.com.mx
Check out AeroStrategy’s report at their site: www.aerostrategy.com
