Latin America economic thread

Brazil and Mexico are positioned among the two Latin American countries with the largest production of cast metals in the world, a position achieved despite the fact that during the covid-19 pandemic “the situation of the industry was very complicated”, said this Monday the director of Global Sales of the Mexican company Fundiciones Nardo, Jorge Vázquez Lujano.

In the case of Mexico, the sector is expected to grow by 3% by 2024, an increase that, according to Fundición de Metales en México, is due to the relocation of companies or “nearshoring”, as it has generated investments of US$1.8 billion for the sector, which is made up of 1,000 companies.

“Thanks to ‘nearshoring’, the foundry industry has reached its investment target of US$1.8 billion, which was planned for 2026, ahead of schedule, and an additional percentage of up to 50% is now projected,” said Bruno Jaramillo, general director of the Mexican Foundry Society (SMFAC), about Mexico.

Jaramillo also argued that “the foundry sector is the basis of the entire metal manufacturing production chain,” creating more than 65,000 direct jobs and another 205,000 indirect jobs in ferrous and non-ferrous products for “practically all manufacturing sectors in the country,” with the automotive sector standing out, which supplies 63% of manufacturing.

Qualified jobs and competitiveness
However, he warned that production has a 62% deficit in specialized personnel, referring to mechatronics engineers and technicians, which is why there is currently “an effort to create new specialist cadres for this sector.”

The deficit is present throughout the Latin American region, because women have been excluded from STEM careers, that is, those related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

According to Vázquez, another factor that threatens manufacturing is competition in the market from countries such as China, Turkey, and India, as they are the ones that “have prices up to 30% lower than Mexicans.”

However, the director of Fundiciones Nardo raised the issue that delivery times for these destinations are on average six to eight months, while foundries in Mexico take approximately two months, which gives the American territory “a competitive advantage”. In this sense, he emphasized that, in order to continue promoting these advantages of the sector, it is important to generate global meetings such as FundiExpo, an event that will be attended by more than 350 companies from all over the world from October 16 to 18 in the Mexican capital.

 
An annual production of 10 thousand silicon wafers is estimated and depending on the type of chips, between 500 and a thousand chips could be obtained
At the end of 2025 or beginning of 2026, the first chips could be manufactured in Mexico, according to the projections of the Mexican company QSM Semiconductores, which plans to install a plant with an investment of between 10 and 12 million dollars.

In it, it estimates an annual production of 10 thousand silicon wafers and depending on the type of chips, between 500 and a thousand chips could be obtained.

”We have visualized on the map that in December of this year or January of 2025 the first stone will be laid.”

”All of 2025 would take us to develop (the plant) and by the end of 2025 or beginning of 2026 we will be producing the first Mexican chip manufactured in national territory,” explained Alejandro Franco, general director of the company.


Currently, in Mexico only the design of the chips is carried out, so the country has to import them already finished for various industries.

In order not to disburse a large investment, the company decided to use legacy node technologies.

These are mature technologies that already had their research and development costs, that is, they are not the ones demanded by the tiny chips that go in a mobile device like an iPhone, but they are larger in size, but they are profitable in many industries, such as the medical, security, automotive and household appliance sectors, who expect to be their clients, he explained.

He is confident that over time an integrated chain of suppliers will be formed and that for the moment there will be no problem in importing inputs such as silicon wafers or different gases, which are currently brought from Asia, Germany and the US.

 
During 2023, 106,180 electric cars were assembled in Mexico, 36.3 percent more than the previous year, reported the Mexican Automotive Industry Association AMIA.


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Ford produces the 150,000th Mustang Mach-E at its Cuautitlán Izcalli plant. Cuautitlán Izcalli, State of Mexico, November 30, 2022.Nov 30, 2022
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Tata Marco Polo Blue colour Front view

Why Tata Marcopolo is the safest buses in India?​

Tata Motors | Aug 17, 2018 10:13 am

Through the Joint Venture between Tata Motors (51%) and Marcopolo SA of Brazil (49%) which was signed in 2006, Tata Marcopolo Motors Limited (TMML) was established. Since then, Tata Motors has successfully entered the bus market and turned out be a trendsetter in the school bus segment.

Though they have been commonly used so far, school vans and auto rickshaws come with a lot of serious safety issues. To avoid such risks and mishaps, Tata school buses are outfitted with all kinds of advanced safety measures including option of GPS trackers, ITS systems and CCTV cameras for extra security of school children.

The Marcopolo partnership with Tata Motors has brought about a revolution in school bus safety standards. Tata Motors realized the fear of parents who entrusted the security of their children in the hands of the school transport staff. Standing by this commitment, Tata buses have proven to be the most reliable mode of school transport yet; providing safe journey for school children across the country.

School buses from Tata are available with a capacity of 23 seats to 56 seats in both AC and Non-AC variants. Also, the vehicles are instilled with diesel and CNG options and compatible to BS IV norms. The interiors of all Marcopolo school buses are molded in a way that minimizes injury to hyperactive children.

School buses of the past looked dull and boring and came with a notable lack of comfort. Over the years, the new age design and technology has transformed the appearance of school buses making them attractive and comfortable for the children. Today, Marcopolo buses stand out on the roads with their bright yellow chassis and stylish, international look. Children love the look and feel of their new buses, and parents are delighted with the safety they offer.

 

Bimbo pressed deeper into India with 2021 acquisitions​

Modern Foods

Source: Modern Foods
02.28.2022
By Josh Sosland
MEXICO CITY — Enumerating corporate highlights of 2021, Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV said it had completed six acquisitions during the year.

Perhaps the largest area of expansion for the company last year was in India, where Grupo Bimbo made two acquisitions. The first, was Modern Foods, the market leader in South India. The second was Kitty Bread, the second largest baking company in northern India.



India's Bread Industry Poised for Change as Bimbo Enters the Market​

Grupo Bimbo, the Mexico-based business that is the world's largest bakery products group, has moved into a new emerging market. Bimbo has muscled its way into India with the acquisition of a majority stake in local packaged bread group Ready Roti India. Logistical and supply chain issues make India's bakery industry challenging but some market watchers expect Bimbo's move to be followed by other multinationals attracted by the industry's growth.
Mahindra & Mahindra announced that the company currently operates in Mexico
through various channels including the distributor channel wherein it continues to operate, sell and service its products including tractors and other farm machinery. The company's sale of tractors in Mexico has increased by CAGR of 41% over the last 3 years ending FY 2023.
The company, through its wholly owned subsidiary Mahindra USA Inc. (MUSA) has a step-down subsidiary Mahindra Mexico S. De. R. L. (Mahindra Mexico) which has been non-operating for over two years. As a part of the organisational structure simplification, Mahindra Mexico had filed for voluntary liquidation

 
Chinese automaker Chirey Group is restructuring its operations in Mexico to better position its brands in a competitive market. The company plans to consolidate its four brands—Chirey, OMODA, JAECOO, and EXEED—under a unified commercial strategy.

This strategic move is in response to declining sales, with the group recording 16,604 vehicle sales in Mexico from January to July 2024, a decrease of 25.9% compared to the same period in 2023, according to Mexico's National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).


"We are focusing on consolidating our brands in key locations where it makes business sense, which will allow us to leverage our strengths," explained José Ángel Sánchez, Vice President, Chirey, to Milenio.

Chirey plans to expand its dealership network, aiming to establish 80 Chirey dealerships, 70 OMODA and JAECOO dealerships, and 30 EXEED dealerships across the country. While these numbers remain consistent with previous projections, the potential for brand-sharing within dealership spaces is expected to make products more accessible to customers. Sánchez emphasized, "Our adaptability and brand presence in strategic locations will be a major strength in offering a wide range of products."

In addition, Chirey is integrating its after-sales services, allowing customers of any Chirey Group brand to service their vehicles at any of the group’s dealerships. This initiative aims to enhance customer access and satisfaction.

This restructuring comes at a time when Chirey faces significant competition from both established brands and new entrants in the Mexican market. Gabriel Ríos, Vice President of Product, OMODA, stated, "We believe that our brand consolidation strategy will be instrumental in achieving our goals."

Since entering the Mexican market in 2022, Chirey has considered establishing a manufacturing plant in the country. Currently, the company operates a Parts Distribution Center in Tepozotlán, State of Mexico, which houses an inventory of up to 600,000 parts and employs more than 130 technicians. Chirey has also partnered with DHL to enhance its logistics capabilities, a collaboration that began in March 2024.

As part of its product strategy, Chirey Mexico offers a diverse range of vehicles, including the Arrizo 8 sedan, Omoda O5 and O5 GT, and SUVs such as the Jaecoo 7, Omoda C5, and the Tiggo series, which includes the Tiggo 2 Pro, 4 Pro, 7 Pro, 8 Pro, and the hybrid 8 Pro Max. The official launch of the EXEED brand in Mexico is anticipated in the coming weeks, with further product portfolio expansion expected thereafter.
 
Tegucigalpa, Apr 3 (Prensa Latina) Honduras can close 2024 with good economic performance, thanks to indicators such as a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of more than 3.5 percent and the inflationary decline to five points, official sources project today.
April 3, 2024 | 13:37
According to the country's Central Bank (BCH), these forecasts are derived from the expected dynamism in private consumption, the recovery of exports and the boost to public-private investment in areas such as textile manufacturing and the production of food, agricultural machinery and minerals.

Another important element will be greater execution of construction projects by the private sector after having better financial conditions and the three percent increase in the flow of family remittances, consolidated as one of the main sources of income for households and the collection of foreign currency.

Specifically, in this last indicator, the forecast is that it will generate an inflow of nine thousand 518 million dollars, that is, 276 million dollars more compared to 2023.

Regarding inflation, the BCH predicts a level of five percent, but warned about the persistent uncertainty due to internal factors such as variations in supply and among the external factors will be the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Middle East on the rise in the price of food, fuel, maritime transport and supply chains.

Likewise, it called for taking into account the impact on the hydrocarbon market of the United States sanctions against Venezuela and the possible effects on agriculture due to droughts, floods and other disasters derived from the El Niño and La Niña phenomena.

The Bank considered that all these positive projections are also valid for 2025 and that GDP could even reach 4.5 points of expansion at the end of next year.
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TAIPEI, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Foxconn (2317.TW), opens new tab is building in Mexico the world's largest manufacturing facility for bundling Nvidia's (NVDA.O), opens new tab GB200 superchips, a key component of the U.S. firm's next-generation Blackwell family computing platform, senior executives at the Taiwanese company said on Tuesday.
Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer and known as Apple's (AAPL.O), opens new tab biggest iPhone assembler, has been benefiting from the artificial intelligence boom as it assembles servers used to process AI work.
 

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