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Posts Tagged biotechnology

Recent and upcoming investment in Mexico

May 2

Posted by Tom in Investment, Manufacturing | No Comments

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Information collected from media reports over the past month:

  • Hotels: U.S. luxury resort developer AM Resorts plans investment of approximately US$500 million in Mexico over the next three years, the company reported.  Locations for new developments under the company’s brands, which include Secrets, Dreams, Now and Sunscape, include Los Cabos and the Riviera Maya beaches of Akumal and Playa Mujeres. (Reforma, April 1, 2013)
  • Airports: Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) will invest US$40 million to upgrade its international airport in the western city of Guadalajara.  Projects include expansion of capacity to receive international flights and two new departure gates, the company reported. (Reforma, April 1, 2013)
  • Beverage: Mexican beverage bottler Arca Continental, the world’s third largest bottler of Coca Cola, plans investment of approximately US$340 million this year.  Resources will be dedicated to maintenance and upgrades of bottling plants, and may include acquisitions abroad in the beverage and snack sector, the company reported. (Mexican Business Web, April 19, 2013)
  • Aviation: Mexican airlines plan investment of approximately US$20 billion to purchase up to 250 new aircraft, the National Air Transport Chamber (Canaero) reported.  Aeromexico plans purchases from Boeing, Interjet projects buys from Airbus and Sukhoi, and airlines Volaris, VivaAerobus and others also plan acquisitions, Canaero reported. (El Financiero, April 1, 2013)
  • Electrical: French electrical engineering multinational Schneider Electric will invest US$80 million in Mexico this year, the company reported.  Projects include completion of a research center in Monterrey as well as work on plants and clean energy projects for state-owned oil monopoly Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex). (Reforma, April 8, 2013) Read the rest of this entry »

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Recent and upcoming investment in Mexico

Mar 4

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

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Information collected from media reports over the past month:

  • Automotive: Japanese bearings maker NSK will invest approximately US$70 million to construct a new manufacturing plant in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, the company announced.  The new facility, to begin production in 2014, is planned to supply the regional automotive industry in the face of rising demand from the NAFTA zone auto market.  (Reforma, February 5, 2013)
  • Animal feed: MaltaCleyton, subsidiary of French animal feed maker InVivo, opened a new pet food production plant in the southern state of Morelos.  The US$18 million facility, the company’s tenth in Mexico, will require corn, wheat, sorghum, vitamins, fat, chicken meal and meat, the company reported. (El Financiero, February 21, 2013)
  • Biotechnology: Mexico’s CIMMYT Maize and Wheat Improvement Center inaugurated a US$25 million advanced bioscience research center in the central State of Mexico.  The foundations of magnates Bill Gates and Carlos Slim contributed to the project, which will conduct research in support of seed improvement. (CIMMYT, February 13, 2013)
  • Transportation: The Mexican government plans to issue tenders this year for construction of two major new passenger rail lines at a total estimated cost of approximately US$3.2 billion, the Transport Ministry (SCT) announced.  The lines would run from Mexico City to the central industrial city of Queretaro and from the Yucatan state capital of Merida to the Riviera Maya region on the Caribbean coast. (El Financiero, January 29, 2013)
  • Retail: Coffee shop chain Cielito Querido Cafe, owned by Mexican inter-city passenger bus operator ADO, will invest approximately US$8 million this year to expand operations.  Plans include the opening of 24 new sales locations in the Mexico City metropolitan area. (El Financiero, February 18, 2013)
  • Solar power: Mexican solar panel maker Solartec is investing approximately US$63 million to bring equipment and technology from Belgium to Mexico to produce photovoltaic panels in the central state of Guanajuato.  Outlays will cover purchasing the assets of Belgian manufacturer Photovoltech and relocating them in Mexico to create a new firm to be called Solarcell. (Milenio, February 21, 2013) Read the rest of this entry »

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Recent and upcoming investment in Mexico

Nov 2

Posted by Tom in Investment, Manufacturing | No Comments

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Information collected from media reports over the past month:

  • Real estate: Mexican commercial real estate developer Grupo Gigante is preparing investment in new developments in excess of US$800 million, the company reported.  The new developments include two shopping malls in Guadalajara and two housing developments in Mexico City, among others. (Reforma, October 2, 2012)
  • Automotive: Mexican auto parts manufacturer Nemak revealed investment of approximately US$230 million this year in new plants, expansions and other infrastructure.  The company reported that strong demand from Audi and Ford is driving growth in its operations in Mexico and China. (Reforma, October 2, 2012)
  • Retail: U.S. grocery and general merchandise retailer H.E.B. reported it plans to invest approximately US$60 million to open 4-5 new stores in northeastern Mexico next year.  Resources will also be channeled into remodeling existing retail locations. (Reforma, October 4, 2012)
  • Electronics: U.S. electronics manufacturer Plantronics plans investment of up to US$50 million to consolidate its operations in the northern city of Tijuana.  The manufacturer of communications headsets plans to move design and production activities into a new, solar-powered corporate center in the border city. (El Financiero, October 10, 2012)
  • Mining: Operations got underway at the first manganese mine in the northern state of Zacatecas, following a joint investment by Mexican and Chinese investors.  Capital to initiate exploitation of the manganese deposits was provided by Chinese investors identified as China Yunnan Metal Company.  Production is intended for export to China. (El Financiero, October 9, 2012)
  • Solar energy: Swiss power and automation technology giant ABB opened a solar power generation park in the central state of San Luís Potosí.  The plant is planned to have a generation capacity of 1.2 MW and required investment estimated at approximately US3.6 million. (Greentech Lead, October 5, 2012) Read the rest of this entry »

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Recent and upcoming investment in Mexico

May 2

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

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Information collected from media reports over the past month:

  • Automotive: German luxury automaker Audi, owned by Volkswagen, will build its first manufacturing plant in Mexico by 2016, the company announced.  The assembly facility, planned to produce sport utility vehicles, will cost an estimated US$2 billion. (Bloomberg, April 19, 2012)
  • Automotive: U.S. auto maker Ford will invest US$1.3 billion to expand capacity at the company’s production facility in the northern Mexico city of Hermosillo.  The resources are planned to boost production at the stamping and assembly plant for new Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ models for 2013. (Torque News, April 2, 2012)
  • Energy: U.S.-based solar technology company SolFocus will lead the development of a major new solar energy generation site in the northern Mexican state of Baja California.  The project, to be built in conjunction with Mexican real estate developer Grupo Musa and U.S. contractor Synergy Technologies, is projected to cost over US$1.5 billion and generate 450 Mw. (San Francisco Chronicle, March 29, 2012)
  • Biofuels: The Veracruz Bioenergies Institute (Inverbio) will invest US$2.3 million this year to produce sweet sorghum, sugar cane, jatropha, yucca and palm oil for use in the development of biofuels.  Inverbio is contributing to efforts in Mexico to lower the cost of biofuels for aviation use. (Mexican Business Web, April 9, 2012)
  • Aviation: Mexican airline startup AeroJal announced it will launch regional passenger service in the west and northwest of Mexico this year.  The company will invest US$30 million to begin direct flights from Guadalajara to regional centers in the states of Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila and Nuevo León. (El Economista, April 16, 2012)
  • Food processing: Mexican baked goods multinational Grupo Bimbo announced it will undertake record investment of US$780 million this year.  The company, which has carried out a series of overseas acquisitions in recent years, plans to expand its production capacity and improve logistics infrastructure in its new markets. (Milenio, April 17, 2012) Read the rest of this entry »

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Recent and upcoming investment

Dec 6

Posted by Tom in Investment, Manufacturing | No Comments

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Information collected from media reports over the past month:

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

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Recent developments in biotechnology in Mexico

Nov 18

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

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Clear path to growth

Clear path to growth

Mexico’s biotechnology industry made an international splash this year when a biopharmaceutical treatment for scorpion stings developed in Mexico was approved for sale in the United States by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  The product, called Anascorp, was developed by the Biotechnology Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and is manufactured by Mexico City-based laboratory Instituto Bioclon.  It is reportedly the first antidote of its type specifically for potentially lethal scorpion stings to be available on the U.S. market.

While Anascorp captured headlines, Mexico has quietly been building up its biotechnology industry in recent years.  Sporadic projects to develop hardier agricultural varieties began in the late 1980s, and since have grown into a concerted effort by government and academia to promote biotechnological research and development in support of industry.  Much attention has been given to the field as part of recent administrations’ drive to build Mexico’s international competitiveness in advanced industries such as aerospace, software and pharmaceutical manufacturing.  The majority of resources currently dedicated to biotechnological research in Mexico are reported to be concentrated in the development of pharmaceuticals, with agriculture and energy applications also receiving significant attention.  The Mexican Economy Ministry estimates the domestic market for products of biotechnological origin to be approximately US$1 billion with strong growth potential. Read the rest of this entry »

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Recent and upcoming investment in Mexico

Oct 6

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

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Information collected from media reports over the past month:

  • Retail: USA-based apparel marketer Warnaco revealed plans to open approximately 30 new stores in Mexico over the next two years.  Mexico sales were up by 39% through the first half of 2011 for the marketer of brands such as Calvin Klein and Speedo. (Reforma, August 25, 2011)
  • Logistics: Mexican cargo terminal operator Ferrovalle Intermodal announced a US$10 million expansion to its rail cargo handling facilities in Mexico City to be carried out this year.  The addition of 25 developed acres to the terminal will increase annual handling capacity to over 550,000 containers and speed last-mile deliveries. (Reforma, August 1, 2011)
  • Entertainment: Mexico City’s largest film studio, Estudios Churubusco, will expand with the construction of a new post-production building.  The investment of approximately US$20 million will include over 30,000 square feet of digital laboratory space, production warehousing and offices. (Reforma, September 6, 2011)
  • Infrastructure: Spanish infrastructure developer OHL Group, through its environmental subsidiary Inima, will build and operate a large-scale desalination plant in the northern Mexican state of Baja California.  The US$41 million facility is planned to produce 275 million cubic feet of potable water annually. (Reforma, September 7, 2011)
  • Energy: Spanish renewable energy developer Siliken will invest US$20 million initially to build and launch a 100 MW solar power plant in the northern state of Durango.  The project is planned to include a research and development center in addition to generating electricity. (Milenio, September 8, 2011)
  • Autoparts: Japanese industrial automation manufacturer Omron Corporation will invest US$30 million to build a new production plant in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato.   The facility will join recently announced new factories to be built by Honda and Mazda in Guanajuato’s growing automotive industry. (El Sol de Irapuato, August 27, 2011)
  • Biotechnology: Mexican agricultural biotechnology laboratory Biosustenta inaugurated a new plant to produce biofertilizers in the western state of Michoacán.  The US$1.3 million facility will use mycorrhizal fungi and other bacterias to produce the fertilizers.  Biosustenta currently exports product to the United States, Canada and Europe. (El Financiero, August 30, 2011) Read the rest of this entry »

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