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Doing business in México is all about...
· Economical stability and a legal framework providing security and protection for investment.
· Skilled and competitive professionals.
· Strategic location with modern and efficient infrastructure.
· “Just in time” access to the North American and Latin American markets.
· Preferential access to the most important markets worldwide, thanks to one of the world’s largest networks of trade agreements.
www.promexico.gob.mx
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V - 2
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9
V - 2
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9Country’s
Infrastructure
DestInatIon Holbox Treasure Island
Electrical InfrastructureDevelopment and Progress
An Oasis of CompetitivenessIndustrial Parks
growth towards the oceans5Port facilities improve links to the world
logisticsA Matter of Business
A vitAl circulAtory systemEvery year in Mexico, 574 million tons of merchandise move through a 360,000 kilometers road network.
Contents
2 Negocios
11 Briefs
14 Mexico’s Partner
14 Report
40 Figures
30Electrical
InfrastructureDevelopmentand Progress
Firms 6Country’s Infrastructure,Outstanding OpportunitiesBy Bruno Ferrari
8 Business tips: logistics, a matter of business
34
mexico grows towArds the oceAnsPort facilities improve links to the world
An oasis ofCompetitivenessIndustrial parks: Infrastructure, communications andsecurity.
18
21
A Competitive Country
is a country of young people. During the next 30 years, the working popu-lation will rise to 69 million.
Mexico prepares competitive, higly qualified professionals to meet the needs of the country’s industrial sector.
Advantages of Investing in Mexico: Access to the North American market, which shares the same time zone.
Qualified personnel in English and Spanish, two of the three most spoken languages in the world.
HigherEducationInstitutes
2,539
Postgraduate students
250,000
Youngstudents
3 million
Mexico
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. title certificate of lawfulness 008404. text certificate of lawfulness 5017. number of title reserve 04-2005-11292235400-102. Postal registry PP09-0044. responsible editor: manager in turn of the publications department. Printing: cía impresora el universal, s.A. de c.v. distribution: Proméxico camino a sta teresa 1679, méxico d.F., 01900. Phone: +52 (55) 5447 7000. negocios is an open space where diverse opinions can be expressed. 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 it states otherwise. Although this magazine verifies all the information printed on its pages, it will not accept responsability derived from any omissions, inaccuracies or mistakes.
4 Negocios
54 ReportA CyClone oF CrAFts exportsMexican businessman and artisan Oscar Daniel Hernández
58 TechnologyA well ConneCted CountryMexico surfs the web
51 The Lifestyle Briefs
48 DesignACross the
tAssier universeThe only Latin Americandesigner who has won the
Sir Misha Black Medal Award
Interview
jAvier mArínArt in Motion
Destination
teAsureislAndA secret that can no longer be kept
60
42
The lifestyle Contents
directory
proméxiCo Ceo Bruno Ferrari proméxiCo imAge And CommuniCAtions direCtor ricardo rojo proméxiCo mAnAging CoordinAtorAndrés tamariz
proméxiCo Advertising And susCriptionsmiguel Ángel [email protected]
proméxiCo Copy editinggabriela mejan ganem
tAller méxiCo puBlisherAlejandro serratos [email protected]
tAller méxiCogenerAl mAnAgeremmilú lópez [email protected]
tAller méxiCo Copy editing Felipe Zúñiga [email protected]
piso de ediCiones senior writervanesa [email protected]
tAller méxiCo design direCtorJorge silva [email protected]
tAller méxiCo design ma. elena ló[email protected] Juan Pablo r. [email protected]
piso de ediCiones stAFF writersKarla Juárez sandra roblaguilucila valtierramauricio Zabalgoitia
prooF reAding And trAnslAtionlozano translations
ContriButorsoldemar, vanesa robles, rené valencia, Francisco vernis.
this is an editorial project for Proméxico by taller méxico & Piso de ediciones.
Download the PDF version of Negocios magazine in www.promexico.gob.mx
One out of every 10 cars sold in the United States is made in Mexico
Mexico is one of the leading car manufacturers in the world, in 2008 alone this industry’s exports exceeded 55 billion dollars.
Last year, Mexico exported 80 million mobile telephones and manufactured one out of every four televisions sold in the United States. In the same period, the country's Information Technology (IT) industry experienced 15% growth. It is quickly evolving into Business Procces Outsourcing (BPO). In Mexico, there are more than 2,000 companies and 500,000 professionals specialized in IT.
Mexico is one of the world's top ten tourist destinations. Each year over 21 million
visitors enjoy the 7,000 km of beaches, as well as the country’s colonial cities and archaeological sites.
Currently there are important infrastructure projects underway that will help the tourism industry and will
allow Mexico to be the ideal destination for retirees looking for a second residence or wishing
to settle in the country.
An Amazing Country
With more than 190 established companies, Mexico is the sixth largest aeroespace industry supplier to Europe and the ninth to the United States.
6 Negocios6 Negocios6 Negocios
from the CEO.
Country’s Infrastructure outstAnding oPPortunities
Mexico keeps working to strengthen its participation in the global economy. Among other emerging markets, the country stands out with several competitive advantages that make it a unique destination for productive investment.
One of these advantages is the country’s infrastructure. Mexico is fully equipped for international businesses. Its transport system not only offers the ability to ship merchandise within the country and its growing internal market, but also allows fast access to North American and Latin American markets. Mexican roads, railroads, airports and seaports provide logistics solutions for international companies’ imports and exports, allowing them to take advantage of the country’s location. Investment also finds the best conditions for its development in Mexico.
Although infrastructure in Mexico is fully set and provides businesses with remarkable advantages at competitive costs, it is facing one of the most important challenges in its history. The huge growth in Mexican foreign trade, in addition to the increase in traffic of merchandise arriving at our ports, the increasing energy needs for productive activities and the country’s position as a destination for productive investment, is requiring a quick response from the infrastructure sector to improve efficiency and cost savings. Therefore, an aggressive program to improve Mexican infrastructure is being undertaken. Over the next few years, Mexico will become one of the best logistics platforms in the world, due to strong public and private investment in its infrastructure development and expansion.
This month’s issue of Negocios features an overview of our country’s logistics infrastructure and the outstanding opportunities it offers to global businesses.
Welcome to Mexico.
Bruno Ferrari,ProMéxico CEO
offices abroad
ProMéxico Headquarters+ 52 (55) 544 77070
AmericaSao Paulo Regional [email protected]: Buenos Aires, Bogota, Guatemala, Santiago, Sao Paulo
Buenos [email protected]
Houston Regional [email protected]: Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver
New York Regional [email protected]: Chicago, Miami, Montreal, New York
AsiaShanghai Regional [email protected]: Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo
Hong [email protected]
Singapore Regional [email protected]: Mumbai, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei
EuropeLondon Regional [email protected]: Brussels, London, Madrid, Milan, Paris Brusselsalejandro.saldivar @promexico.gob.mx
Paris [email protected]
Frankfurt Regional [email protected]: Dubai, Frankfurt, Moscow, Stockholm, Switzerland
8 Negocios8 Negocios8 Negocios
Over the last few years, Mexico has become fertile ground for logistics businesses. Both Mexican and transnational companies offer-ing logistics solutions are profiting from this blossoming market, while many of the big companies exporting from Mexico have opted to outsource supply and distribution services.
International companies such as Kingsley Group, A.T. Kearney, Penske Logistics and Redwood Systems, among others, are al-ready working in the country, providing their services to companies demanding custom-fit supply and distribution solutions.
Outsourcing enterprises differ in size and in the variety of services they offer, which may range from “flow-through” planning of parts for assembly, all the way to hands-on distribution of goods. What they have in common is a wide range of business opportunities in Mexico.
The needs of logistical services in Mex-ico are steadily growing as the country increases its participation in international trade and remains the destination of choice for transnational companies seeking to re-inforce their presence in the Americas.
These needs will increase even more as the Mexican government has launched an unparalleled infrastructure investment program aimed at improving and extend-ing roadways, railroads, seaports, airports and dry ports all around the country. Lo-
Logistics, a Matter of Business
gistical services and transportation capa-bilities go hand-in-hand. Therefore, private and public investment in this infrastruc-ture over the next few years will result in better business opportunities for the sup-ply chain of logistics solutions.
Quality transportation, timely delivery to final destination markets and develop-
ment of warehouse locations are key things needed to maintain the nation’s competi-tiveness. Getting into Mexico’s logistics scene might be a great business decision for companies providing services in these fields.
Investment in Infrastructure, Business OpportunityIn July 2007, President Felipe Calderón
announced the National Infrastructure Program (NIP), a collection of construction projects that will receive priority during his presidential term. The plan proposes investing 6 billion usd to construct five new ports and new terminals at current ports and to modernize 22 facilities. It also includes projects for new cargo facilities at several airports, the construction and modernization of 17,000 kilometers of roadways, 4 billion usd to increase rail track speeds from 25 to 40 km/hour on key routes, the implementation of 10 new multimodal corridors, the construction of 12 new intermodal terminals and the mo-dernization of existing terminals.
NIP covers 34 key projects in the en-vironmental, transportation and energy sectors. These projects have resulted in an important increase in demand for all types of equipment and services for intermodal transportation. They represent outstanding business opportunities for both national and international companies in multiple sectors including energy, environment, transpor-tation, telecommunications, security and tourism.
Information to identify market and in-vestment opportunities related to NIP can be found in Compranet –the Mexican go-vernment’s electronic procurement system at compranet.gob.mx–, which publishes
International companies such as Kingsley Group,
A.T. Kearney, Penske Logistics and Redwood
Systems, among others, are already
working in the country, providing their services to companies demanding
custom-fit supply and distribution solutions.
Just A Few decAdes Ago, iF AsKed ABout logistics, PeoPle in the trAnsPortAtion industry ProBABly weren’t ABle to tell whAt it wAs exActly. But times hAve chAnged And now the word –which reFers to the PlAnning, mAnAgement And orgAniZAtion oF Activities relAted to goods And services– seems to Be one oF the most commonly used in Business.
illustration oldemar
Business tips
information on the government’s pro-curement processes.
ABCs of Public Procurement in MexicoInternational companies interested in partic-ipating in NIP tenders should consider some basic information about public procurement in Mexico:
• The public procurement market in Mexico is divided into federal and sub-federal levels. The federal level is com-prised of government agencies and state companies, such as PEMEX, while the sub-federal level refers to state and mu-nicipal governments. NIP projects will be conducted under federal level rules.
• Article 134 of the Mexican Constitu-tion establishes the basic principle for public procurement, asserting that contracting will take place through open tendering procedures.
Finding a SupplierThe supply chain in Mexico is wide and di-verse. The Ministry of Economy has brought it all together in a useful directory where companies interested in outsourcing logisti-cal services can find the best providers in the country. This directory can be consulted at www.elogistica.economia.gob.mx. n
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Mexico’s Partner A conversation with
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Expand your possibilities.
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We offer you complete access to information on business opportunities, investment environment and lifestyle in Mexico.
+52 (55) 5447 7070
Nearly half of the beer imported into the United States comes from Mexico, led by FEMSA and Grupo Modelo, according to
consultant Beverage Marketing. Mexico, Holland and Canada make up nearly 84% of the imported beer market. In 2007, Corona Extra, Heineken and Modelo Especial were the import brands preferred by Americans. They were followed by Tecate, Guinness and Corona Light.
www.grupomodelo.com
www.femsa.com
BrIefs.
Nearly Half of Foreign Beer in the United States is Mexican
In 2007, Corona Extra, Heineken and Modelo Especial were
the import brands preferred by Americans. They were
followed by Tecate, Guinness and Corona Light.
Ph
oto
co
ur
te
sy
of
te
ca
te
IMPORTS
NH Hotels has chosen Cancún as the site of its first luxury establishment in Mexico. The chain has invested 130 million usd in NH Riviera Cancun as part of its new line of luxury resorts. The hotel is in front of Puerto Morelos’ beaches, 36 kilometers north of Playa del Carmen and 20 kilometers south of the international airport. In 2009, NH Ho-tels will also open new accommodations in Guadalajara, Querétaro and in Terminal 2 at Mexico City’s International Airport. For the chain, NH Riviera Maya signifies an impor-tant opportunity to expand into the luxury resorts sector.
www.nh-hotels.com
InvESTMEnT
Luxury in CancúnECOnOMIC IMPACT
Banorte Exceeds Credit Expectations Banorte will acquire the remaining 30 percent stake in Texas-based Inter National Bank for 150 million usd. With this investment, INB will be a 100% subsidiary of Banorte Financial Group. This will allow the Mexican bank’s financial portfolio to grow up to 12 percent in 2009, above performance expectations by the market.
www.banorte.com
Medicine, hotels and attractive sights on the same trip are part of the 2009 strategy for Hospitales Ángeles and Camino Real Hotels. Angeles Health International is a new agen-cy that offers health and travel packages. In 2008, Hospitales Ángeles received 1,500 pa-
tients from the United States and it’s looking to doble that figure in 2009. It’s estimated that last year US citizens spent 2.1 billion usd on medical tourism. That saved them 14 bil-lion usd that they would have spent for the same care in their country.
www.hospitalangeleslomas.com
www.caminoreal.com
12 Negocios12 Negocios Photos courtesy of pemex/nh hotels/camino real/archive
MAnuFACTuRInG
MEdICAL TOuRISM
Sound Mind and Sound Body
That saved them 14 billion usd that
they would have spent attending a hospital
in their country.
suPPlies For AssemBly PlAnts
US company Wisconsin Tool has begun operating its new me-tallic parts production plant in the El Bajio industrial park, lo-
cated in Tecate, Baja California. With this plant, the company is
looking to consolidate itself as the supplier of the maquiladora or assembly
plant industry, mainly located on the border between Mexico and the United States.
www.witool.com
Canadian firm opens plant in Guanajuato
A year after announcing its plant near the inland port of Silao, Guanajuato, Canadian company Mailhot Industries has opened the doors to the 10 million usd facility at the Santa Fe Industrial Park.
“Today the most important plant in Latin America that produces nitrated hydraulic cylin-der tubes is ready to start its first stage of pro-duction and employ 150 people from this beau-tiful region,” said Jesus Nuñez Garibai, Mailhot Mexico’s president.
Mailhot is one of the world’s best manufac-turers of nitrated hydraulic and telescopic cylin-ders which are used by several industries.
www.mailhotindustries.com
InduSTRy
BrIefs.
EnERGy
Injecting Millioninto Oil Exploration
State-owned Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) has awarded a 646 million usd contract to Weatherford International Ltd. for the drilling of 500 wells in Chicontepec, Veracruz, which will be one of the largest oil field production sites. Pemex will invest 2.3 billion usd in that geographically difficult basin, where it hopes to produce between 600,000 and 700,00 bar-rels per day by 2017. Weatherford of Mexico, a subsidiary of Weatherford International Ltd. beat out six other firms for the contract. The project will unfold between April 2009 and July 2012, according to Pemex.
www.pemex.com
EMPLOyMEnT
From Florida to Reynosa, Orthopedics Manufacturing This month, the German company BSN Medical will move a large part of its orthopedics equipment and products production from Florida to Reynosa, Tamaulipas. BSN Medical is the second medical equipment manufacturer in 2009 to announce it is moving its operations from the United States to northern Mexico.
www.bsnmedical.com
From Chiapas, the Region’s Cream
Nestlé is investing nearly 10 million usd, starting in October, to transform its factory in Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas into a center of production for coffee cream. The plant will supply Latin America and the Caribbean and it’s expected to generate sales of more than 70 million usd.
www.nestle.com
AGROBuSInESS
FInAnCInG
In Spanish HandsSpanish finance company Caja de Ahorros Mediterráneo (CAM) has entered into an agreement with the shareholders of Credito Inmobiliario to buy 100 percent of the fi-nance company for nearly 180 million usd. The new owner will allocate 80 million more usd to strengthen the company’s capital and achive its financial independence.
www.cam.es
emerging mArKets Focus on renewABle energyREEM09 (Renewable Energy in the Emerg-ing Markets of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean), was a three-day conference in San Francisco, California, focused on introducing all methods of renewable energy technologies to leaders and political figures in the markets of these three areas of the world, resulting in an unparalleled networking opportunity for this growing sector.
The event was an exclusive opportunity for attendees to collaborate and form part-nerships to increase their roles in sustaining the world’s economies and its environment, particularly those of the United States and the emerging markets of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
From April 27 to April 29, the conference featured numerous renewable energy technol-ogies including: wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, biofuels and hydrogen. It also provided policy makers from these areas of the world the op-portunity to learn from the various market-enabling policies and incentives that can be replicated in any country. The conference was sponsored by the Center for International Trade Development and coordinated by the Bay Area Center for International Trade Development.
www.reem09.net
EnERGy
14 Negocios14 Negocios Photo courtesy of mecano america
Skyworks Solutions, Inc. is an innovator of high reliability analog and mixed signal semi-conductors enabling a broad range of end markets such as automotive, broadband, cel-lular infrastructure, energy management, in-dustrial, medical, military and mobile hand-
Skyworks Mexicali Highlights
Produces approximately 4 million units of finished goods daily
delivers assembly and test yields of over 98%
Operates with world class cycle times
Ships directly to a worldwide customer base
Above the skyworks lab center.
Skyworks, A Source of Competitiveness
set applications, to name just a few. Head-quartered in Woburn, Massachusetts, in the United States, Skyworks operates worldwide with engineering, manufacturing, sales and service facilities throughout Asia, Europe and North America. Skyworks’ Mexicali facility is part of this success story.
Skyworks Mexicali, located in Baja Califor-nia, Mexico, has been manufacturing integrated circuits since 1969. Over the years, Skyworks has made significant investments in technology, facilities, and state-of-the-art equipment, yield-ing a world-class operation based on advanced processes and a highly-trained work force – with over 1,600 employees.
Today, Skyworks Mexicali continues to play an integral role in the production and delivery of analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, providing assembly, test and finishing services for over 600 different products serving cus-tomers worldwide. n
report nAtionAl inFrAstructure ProgrAm
Investment in the CountryWith the NIP 2007-2012, the Mexican government aims to position the country as one of the main logistics platforms in the Americas and the world.
By KArlA JuÁreZ
Investing in infrastructure equals investing in the country’s future. It is one of Mexico’s priorities, according to President Felipe Calderón and it is synonymous with eco-nomic, human and social development.
This program establishes strategies, goals, objectives and actions to increase the quality, competitiveness and coverage of infrastructure in Mexico. It also positions the country as one of the main logistics platforms in the world.
Mexico’s geographic location and network of trade agreements with other countries –which guarantee preferred access to more than 1 billion consumers around the globe– are other factors that favor investment.
The investment proposed in the NIP is looking to strengthen the competitive and comparative advantages the country offers
to productive investment. Among the actions this program anticipates are: constructing and modernizing more than 17,000 kilome-ters of highways and rural roads, including more than 1,400 kilometers of railways and developing systems I, II and III of the Subur-ban Railroad of the Valle de México metro-politan zone; constructing various airports including Ensenada and Mar de Cortés as well as expanding those in Cancún and Tolu-ca; developing 10 new multimodal concours-es; extending capacity of ports; and increas-ing water and sewage services throughout the country.
The goal by 2030 is for Mexico to be among the 20% of countries rated the best by the World Economic Forum’s infrastruc-ture competitiveness index. n
16 Negocios
According to Mexican legislation, an indus-trial park is a geographical area defined, planned and designed especially for the in-stallation of industrial plants that bring to-gether the best conditions for location, infra-structure and equipment.
The sector’s most important organization, which serves as its spokesman to governments and investors, is the Mexican Association of Private Industrial Parks (AMPIP). It represents 54 corporate members that together adminis-ter 186 parks with more than 1,775 established companies. According to figures from AMPIP, its member real estate assets are valued near 20 billion usd. The organization, led by Alberto Chretien, director of Verde Corporate Realty Services, is also in charge of promotion to at-tract new investments to these spaces.
Communication and SecurityIndustrial parks in Mexico are located close to population centers and they have access to highways, railways, airports and seaports. These allow the companies to receive raw ma-terials and transfer their products.
One of the most important characteristics of an industrial park is that it gives a company the certainty that it is established in a zone without any land ownership problems; where there are basic infrastructure services like water, electric-ity, paved streets, lighting and treatment plants; and that have maintenance and security services.
“The large global companies and their respective suppliers along the production
An Oasis of CompetitivenessAn industrial park is a place where a company can establish itself with the security that it won’t have problems at its facilities with infrastructure, communication and security. In Mexico, there are more and more spaces of this type.
By rené vAlenciA
Photos courtesy of swift iamsa
report industriAl PArKs
18 Negocios Photos courtesy of oradel
“Industrial parks will continue being a necessary component in a competitive environment
now that you can combine in one place not only such variables as location but
also integration of production, logistics and distribution
chains to determine the success of whatever investment
project,” said Ávila.
chain require being settled in locations where they are guaranteed adequate infra-structure, in addition to industrial buildings with sophisticated specifications,” said Clau-dia Ávila, director of AMPIP.
Due to the competition generated by parks in their efforts to attract investors, land is no longer the only thing they offer. They also include in-dustrial buildings constructed according to the needs of investors, genera-ting the phrases “built-to-suit,” “lease-back” and “buildings in inventory.”
According to the ClientThe Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C. has established six categories under the concept of “business parks:” industrial parks, distribution parks, logistics parks, scientific parks, technology parks and corporate parks.
In general, these parks grant common ser-vices to all their clients, like the ability to op-erate almost immediately, maintenance and security, among other things. However, what differentiates them is the type of tenant that occupies each space.
“For example, a manufacturing company will require a major volume of water and elec-tricity in a spacious building. A distribution company will require a building more than 8 meters high and loading platforms and large pa-tio areas to facilitate the loading and unloading of merchandise. A research and development company will mainly ask for offices in smart buildings with high tech telecommunication services,” said Claudia Ávila.
Connected to the OutsideIn Mexico, industrial parks have been con-nected from the beginning to the external sec-tor, mainly to the maquiladora industry, which rose in the middle 1960s.
The first industrial park was established in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua in 1965. But it was
in the mid 1980s, during the country’s com-mercial opening and its contact with globaliza-tion, that the sector began to take off and for-eign investors started arriving. Working with national companies, these investors developed this type of infrastructure to receive compa-nies that were arriving to the country.
“This new phase of industrial parks was characterized by the consolidation of portfo-lios made up industrial buildings being leased through long term contracts in dollars, by the reduction of profit margins and by more aggres-sive competition due to the arrival of new play-ers in the market,” said AMPIP’s director.
This tendency obligated Mexican developers to attain standards that were as high as those of industrial parks in the United States and Canada.
Currently in Mexico, the importance of logistics is growing ahead of traditional manu-facturing schemes.
The costs of transportation and distribu-tion are important factors that determine the cost of a product and this is where Mexico has advantages over its competitors. The clearest one is its proximity to one of the world’s big-
gest markets: North America.It’s because of this that many of the country’s
industrial parks have promoted construction of large distribution centers, with modern loading systems to optimize costs.
Confronting the Crisis The international financial crisis has affec-ted without a doubt the industrial real estate sector in the areas of financing and the oc-cupation of buildings. “Because of this, many developers are establishing new business strategies, mainly in customer service. It is a way to retain the largest number of current tenants and attract new ones who are look-ing for services that go beyond the renting of a building,” said Claudia Ávila.
AMPIP trusts that Mexico will in the short and medium terms continue being an impor-tant place to attract new investments to the sector due to its proximity to the United States and the changes in focus its union works are making. International companies are looking to knock down costs as a survival strategy and thus they require installations that can com-
report industriAl PArKs
pete in terms of cost and logistics. “Industrial parks will continue being a
necessary component in a competitive envi-ronment now that you can combine in one place not only such variables as location but also integration of production, logistics and distribution chains to determine the success of whatever investment project,” said Ávila. n
Origin
Companies located at industrial parks affiliated with AMPIP,
by country of origin
Companies of national origin - 52% -Foreign companies - 48% -
Foreign companies originating from the united States - 63% -Foreign companies originating
from other countries - 37% -
Source: AMPIP
20 Negocios inFograPhic oldemar
To Become an Industrial ParkREQUIREMENTS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND URBANIZATION
SOURCE: MEXICAN LEGISLATION FOR INDUSTRIAL PARKS, NMX-R-046-SCFI-2005.
hourly precipitationfrom the
geographic area
Basic services in the park’s area: Minimum service recommended
Drinkable waterand/or of industrial use
0,5 l/s/ha 1,0 l/s/ha
Electricity(medium tension)
150 kVA/ha-250 kVA/ha
Telephones10 lines/ha-20 lines/ha
Unloadingof leftover
water
Water drainagein line with local
rainfall levels
Acceleration and deceleration lanes or an access road to the park
Concreteharnesses
Sufficient and efficient lighting on roads, sidewalk with an average of 8 lights
per km
Street nomenclature
and lot numbers
Green areas5% of the park’s
total area
Horizontal and vertical signage (informative, restrictive and preventative)
Networks ofelectrical energy
Maximumuprootingof the area
Construction density
Openspaces
Paved roads of concrete asphalt and hydraulic concrete
Drainage with any one of the following solutions:
Releases to the open sky, prior to treatment, complying with valid regulations and with the permission of the CNA
Disposing of residualwaters to themunicipal network
Reuse priorto treatment
70%
30%
If the highway and railroad infrastructure is like a country’s circulatory system, which takes vital raw materials to each part of its geography, then Mexico’s main arteries are its freeways and its veins are its railroads.
According to figures from the Ministry of Communications and Transportation, in 2007 Mexican freeways transported 474 million tons of products while railroads shipped 100 million tons. The highway network transported nearly 83% of merchandise that circulated through the country, while 17% was sent by rail.
The constant modernization of these routes, thanks to the public and private sectors, has helped make Mexico highly competitive in establishing companies that have the United States as a market.
According to a study by the Mexican Insti-tute for Competitiveness (IMCO), transport-ing a 40 foot container with an average value of 100,000 usd will take four days from the time it leaves a factory in Mexico City until it arrives at its destination port in the United States and will cost 2,789 usd.
In comparison, the same container origi-nating from Paris, France, will take 18 more days to arrive at its US destination and will cost 3,503 usd, 26% more. From Sao Paulo, Brazil, the cost is 5,021 usd, an 80% increase, and from Beijing, China, the cost rises to 6,259 usd, a 124% increase.
A Vital Circulatory System Every year in Mexico, 574 million tons of merchandise are moved through a 360,000 kilometer road network.
By rené vAlenciA
report highwAy And rAilroAd inFrAstructure
22 Negocios photos courtesy of sct
Asphalt networkThe Mexican road system measures 360,075 kilometers, of which more than 11 thousand corresponds to highways of four lanes or more.
The highway construction boom began in the 1970s with a federal program called “Mano de Obra” (Work Force), which focused mainly on the creation of roads. As a result, the road network grew from 71,000 kilometers in 1970 to 200,000 kilometers by 1980.
A new road construction effort began in 1990 and it has continued to this day. In 1980, the country had 1,000 kilometers of highways. A decade later, this number had grown to 5,500 kilometers and by 2000, it had reached 10,000 kilometers.
Currently, the highway network by which most merchandise is transported in Mexico is administered by the Federal Roads and Bridges Commission (Capufe), an organization decen-tralized from the federal government more than 50 years ago.
In 2009, the Mexican government plans to spend 150 million usd to improve and expand the highway network, part of an important
investment program to better the nation’s transportation system.
The Iron Horse Mexico’s railroad system, which began operating in 1850 on a 13 kilometer stretch in the state of Ve-racruz, had its biggest expansion during the era of President Porfirio Díaz, who led the country for most of the period from 1877 to 1911. By the end of this time, the railroad system had grown to 26,677 kilometers, 90 percent of which had been done during Díaz’s era.
In 1938, President Lázaro Cardenas na-tionalized the country’s railroad system, cre-ating the state owned company the National Railroad of Mexico.
Nearly 60 years later, in 1996, President Ernesto Zedillo decided to decentralize the company and turn over a majority of the rail-road network to private interests. Since that time, the amount of merchandise carried by this mode of transportation made an impor-tant jump, going from 50 million tons in 1995 to nearly 100 million tons by 2007.
Currently, the majority of the railroad net-
work is managed by two companies. The lar-gest is Ferromex, part of the mining consortium Grupo Mexico. It controls more than 8,500 kilometers of railroads which link five of the country’s most important cities, five cities along the US-Mexico border and four ports along the Pacific Ocean and one on the Gulf of Mexico. The other company is Kansas City Southern of Mexico (KCSM), which administers the railroad network that connects the Lázaro Cárdenas Port in Michoacán to the United States.
Ferromex also owns part of Ferrovalle, a company that operates railroads and terminals in the Mexico City area.
While the highway network continues to be the country’s main method of transporting merchandise, the railroad system is growing in importance due to the investment companies in that sector are making to improve the network and its service.
From Mexico to the united StatesKansas City Southern of Mexico (KCSM) cur-rently manages 4,251 kilometers of railroads that cross 15 states in the industrial heart of
Private Railroad Companies in Mexico
- Ferrocarril Mexicano (Ferromex) -
- Kansas City Southern de México (KCSM) -
- Ferrocarril Coahuila durango -
- Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec -
- Ferrocarril del Sureste (Ferrosur) -
- Ferrocarriles Chiapas Mayab -
- Ferrocarriles del valle de México (Ferrovalle) -
report highwAy And rAilroAd inFrAstructure
Mexico: Michoacán, Estado de México, Dis-trito Federal, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Vera-cruz, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas.
The company has shaped the International Railroad Corridor, which begins in Lázaro Cárdenas Port in the southern state of Micho-acán and runs to Kansas City, Missouri in the Central United States.
“Our network makes up 20% of the coun-try’s railroads; without a doubt, nearly 40% of railroad cargo is carried on our lines,” said David Eaton, director of institutional relations at KCSM, a division of Kansas City Southern (KCS).
In 2008, KCS reported sales of 1.8 billion usd, including operations in Mexico and the United States. This was a 6.3% increase over sales from the previous year. The biggest increase in cargo was in the agricultural and minerals sector, which had a 12.7% jump.
Since 1997, the year KCSM received its part of the country’s railroad network to run, the com-pany has invested more than 700 million usd,
more than 200 million usd just in 2008 alone. Most of this investment is going into the
International Railroad Corridor, now that 70% of the cargo that arrives at Lázaro Cardenas Port is distributed by railroad to the industrial centers in Mexico and the United States. This corridor offers an alter-native to the highly congested US ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Because of this, KCSM is projecting it will invest 80 million usd for the construction of an Intermodal Railroad Terminal on the Is-land of the Palm Trees in this port in Micho-acán and more than 200 million usd on the construction of an intermodal terminal in a central Mexican state. In addition, the com-pany has considered constructing a new rail-road bridge in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, lo-cated in the northeastern part of the country along the US-Mexico border.
Currently, the company has 3,500 workers in Mexico. “In spite of the difficult conditions due to the national and international economic crisis, we have made a strong effort to keep our labor force intact,” Eaton said. n
24 Negocios inFograPhic oldemar
Infrastructure in 2012DRY PORTS AND MULTIMODAL TERMINALS
Veracruz
Orizaba
Lázaro Cardenás
Manzanillo
Gómez Palacio
Topolobampo
Guaymas
Nogales
Tiju
ana
Punta Colonet
En
sen
ada
Ciudad Juárez
Altamira
Nuevo Laredo
Matamoros
Tampico
Mazatlán
Villahermosa
Jalapa
Pachuca
Guanajuato
Colima
Guadalajara
Tepic
Ciudad Victoria
Chihuahua
Hermosillo
Mexicali
Torreón
Durango
Aguascalientes
Culiacán
Puebla
Toluca
Puerto Progreso
Symbolism
QuerétaroIrapuato
San Luis Potosí
Saltillo
Port terminals
Private automotiveterminals
Loadingdocks
Monterrey
x4
x3
x3
x3x2
New legs/Reconstructions
Rural roads
New multimodalcorridors
Work on progress at terminals
Salina Cruz
Ciudad Hidalgo
Tapachula
DF
Mérida
Coatzacoalcos
x2
x4
Confinement of the corridorOrizaba-Río Blanco-Cd. Mendoza
Córdoba
Oaxaca
mAps inFrAstructure
Infrastructure in 2012DRY PORTS AND MULTIMODAL TERMINALS
Veracruz
Orizaba
Lázaro Cardenás
Manzanillo
Gómez Palacio
Topolobampo
Guaymas
Nogales
Tiju
ana
Punta Colonet
En
sen
ada
Ciudad Juárez
Altamira
Nuevo Laredo
Matamoros
Tampico
Mazatlán
Villahermosa
Jalapa
Pachuca
Guanajuato
Colima
Guadalajara
Tepic
Ciudad Victoria
Chihuahua
Hermosillo
Mexicali
Torreón
Durango
Aguascalientes
Culiacán
Puebla
Toluca
Puerto Progreso
Symbolism
QuerétaroIrapuato
San Luis Potosí
Saltillo
Port terminals
Private automotiveterminals
Loadingdocks
Monterrey
x4
x3
x3
x3x2
New legs/Reconstructions
Rural roads
New multimodalcorridors
Work on progress at terminals
Salina Cruz
Ciudad Hidalgo
Tapachula
DF
Mérida
Coatzacoalcos
x2
x4
Confinement of the corridorOrizaba-Río Blanco-Cd. Mendoza
Córdoba
Oaxaca
26 Negocios inFograPhic oldemar
Infrastructure in 2012MAIN AXES AND ROADS
Mex
ico-
Nu
evo
Lar
edo
bran
ched
to P
iedr
as N
egra
s
Veracruz-Monterreybranched to Matamoros
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Yucatán Peninsula
Qu
erét
aro-
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ez
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Tra
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sula
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BC
Only Federal Government developments are considered
San
José
del
Cab
o
La Paz
DF
Querétaro
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Loreto
GuerreroNegro
Bahía delos Ángeles
Ensenada
TijuanaMexicali
San Luis Río Colorado
Cab
o Sa
n L
uca
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Sonora
Hermosillo
Culiacán
Mazatlán
Tepic
Guadalajara
Manzanillo
Col
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Morelia
Nogales
Santa Ana
Caborca
Ciudad Juárez
El Porvenir
Acuña
Piedras Negras
Nuevo Laredo
Cd. Obregón
PuertoPeñasco
Los Mochis
Río Grande
Lázaro Cárdenas
Huatulco
Ciudad Hidalgo
Salina Cruz
Matehuala
Linares
Tuxpan
Torreón
Durango
Salt
illo
Mon
terr
ey
Tampico
Altamira
Reynosa
Matamoros
Zacatecas
Guanajuato
Aguascalientes
Puebla-Oaxaca-Cd. Hidalgo
Chihuahua
Puebla
Tlaxcala
San Cristobal de las Casas
Tapachula
AcapulcoOaxaca
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ico-
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ched
to T
ijuan
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erto
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Acapulco-Veracruz
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Transithmus Circuit
Mexico - Tuxpan
Altiplano
Symbolism
Other highways fromthe network
United Statesof America
Guaymas
Ciudad Victoria
San Diego
Tucson
El Paso
Houston
Dallas
San Antonio
mAps inFrAstructure
National railroad systemsAND THE CONNECTIONS TO THE US
Symbolism
BNSF
TPM
Ferromex
Ferrosur
Shortlines
SDIV
Tiju
ana
Tec
ate
Phoneix
Albuquerque
Dallas
San Diego
Calexico
Nogales
Cd. Juárez
Nuevo Laredo
Matamoros
Laredo
Piedras Negras
Eagle Pass
Presid
io
PensacolaMobile
Alr
min
gham
Mem
phis
Internationalconections
El Paso
Chihuahua
Torreón
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Salina C
ruz
Manzanill
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Aguascalientes
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ey
DF
GalvestonIowa
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United Statesof America
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a
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Campeche
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Topolobampo
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árdenas
Puebla
Pachuca
Oaxaca
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28 Negocios inFograPhic oldemar
DF
United Statesof America
AMPIPINDUSTRIAL PARKS
Tijuana
Mexicali
San
Die
go
Calexico
San Lucas
Presidio
La Paz
Loreto
Ensenada
Main cargo airports
Main maritime ports
Logistics main corridors
Simbology
Primary road
Railroad
123456789
10111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546474849505152535455
Industrial Developers of Mexico
7, 35, 37, 38 y 54
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26
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26 y 48
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8 y 34
20, 26, 28 y 39
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AMB Property MéxicoAmerican IndustriesAmistad Industrial DevelopersAPI AltamiraBermudez InternationalBrasa DesarrollosCP AmericasCOFOIN HidalgoDavisa Desarrollos InmobiliariosEl Florido Parque IndustrialFIDECIX TlaxcalaFideicomiso ZacatecasFIDEPAR Estado de MéxicoFIPAIM MichoacánGicsaGrupo AlasGrupo FrisaGrupo Garza PonceGrupo La MesaGrupo O’DonnellGrupo Property PlusGrupo Río San JuanGuanajuato Puerto InteriorHinesIAMSAIntraméricaLas Américas de TorreónLaSalle Invesment ManagementLogistik FTZMarhnosMillenium Industrial ParkOradel Industrial CenterParque Ind. Antonio J. BermúdezParque Industrial AtitalaquiaParque Industrial CalafiaParque Industrial Los FuentesParque Industrial MaranParque Industrial MexicaliParque Industrial QuerétaroParque Industrial San JorgeParque Industrial Santa FeParque Industrial Valle de TehuacánParque Industrial YucatánParque Logístico Industrial TabascoParque Logístico SLPParques industriales IntermexProLogisPrudential Real Estate InvestorsSEDECO PueblaSEDECO TabascoSEDECOP VeracruzThe Offshore GroupTrento Industrial Park de SonoraVerde Corporate Realty ServicesVesta
Agu
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Lázaro Cárdenas
42, 21, 16 y 49Puebla
29, 31y 45
44 y 50
Phoenix
1, 2, 7,18, 26, 47
report exPologísticA
“Logistics” is a key term in the business world. To complete a company’s commercial and business objectives, all resources have to be ready and willing to function together
Logistics is a serious matter. Throughout the world, there are specialized companies that by offering consulting and strategic services make processes more efficient and help reach business goals. Expologística is recognized by the business sector as the most important Latin American gathering event for such companies.
Centro de Exposiciones Banamex in Mexico City, is the venue where companies of all sizes convene for anupdate on themes related to plan-ning, supervision, efficiency, the optimization of processes and products delivery.
In the 2009 edition, 300 Mexican and multi-national companies participate as exhibitors. The main themes include: the viability of efficiency and the protection of the environment. The oc-casion’s special feature is having a common goal an ecological commitment and a responsibility to the environment while improving processes, adding value and other services.
Logistics specialists also participate in all the fair’s branches and sectors. There are five specialized pavilions organized according to solutions for specific themes. These are: fleets and light vehicles for distribution; real estate
Sustainable logistics, successful businessesExpologística, the most important logistics fair in Latin America, takes place every summer in Mexico City. It offers businesses of all sizes solutions with a sustainable vision to improve processes and make them more efficient.
logistics; logistics operators and cargo agents; lo-gistics suppliers for small and medium compa-nies; and multimodal transportation. All of this is focused on the idea that logistics can also be “green” and can collaborate in the fight against globe pollution.
More than 10,000 executives with decision making power attend the fair every year. They go through the venue guided by experts who participate in two of the event’s biggest areas. One is the “ADN logistics expo,” which is held in a 900 square foot space and represents the creation of a value chain from the moment a finished product leaves the production line until it finally reaches the consumer. The other is the “RFID Knowledge Center,” which gathers high tech companies that demonstrate the latest radio frequency identification tools (RFID for its initials) and show how they become part of process optimization, revolutionize productivity and efficiency schemes.
Three forums are also held: Ciencia Logis-tica (Logistics Science), the Autotransport Salon and the Logistics Education Salon for Foreign Trade, which allows visitors to update their knowledge on the subject and increase their companies’ productivity.
The best logistics experts with a sustainable vision gather in Mexico at Expologistica 2009 for the whole world to reach. n
Expologistica by the numbers
Month - July 1-3 -
Exhibition Area - 13,000 Sq. Meters -
Exhibitors - 300 -
visitors - 10,000 -
Specialized Pavilions - 5 -
Lectures - 25 Sessions -
Ph
oto
s c
ou
rte
sy
of
dis
tr
ito
ca
pit
al b
y a
dr
ien
dir
an
d
down the Crowd at Expologística,
where the entrepeneur can find almost
every option of logistics for his business.
30 Negocios Photo archive
A country’s electrical capacity is fundamen-tal to its development. It not only benefits its industry and cities but also has a decisive im-pact on the lives of each of its citizens.
A quality electrical infrastructure, which provides service to a country’s entire terri-tory, is synonymous with progress and mo-dernity. In addition, electrical energy ser-vice of quality and sufficient coverage are fundamental aspects of decisions on where to invest, as a large electrical capacity gua-rantees any productive activity will be done successfully.
Mexico can boast of a quality electrical infrastructure that provides sufficient co-verage and, above all, service at competitive costs. As a large country with innumerable natural resources, Mexico’s electrical energy production can be done within its own ter-ritory. This considerably reduces costs for supplying energy to productive activities.
Mexico’s actual electrical capacity is 37 percent greater than in 2000. The country has also successfully begun putting in place 33 electrical energy-generating plants and 37 new main stations. This expansion required an investment –both public and private– of more than 8 billion usd. Between 2000 and
Electrical Infrastructure, Development and ProgressMexico’s electrical infrastructure has been one of the biggest leaders of the country’s development and represents a key factor in its future. An enormous investment has turned the service and the quality of the Mexican network into one of the best in Latin America and the rest of the world.
speCiAl report electricAl inFrAstructure
32 Negocios Photo courtesy of cfe la venta/iberdrola renovables
2006, more than 6.7 billion usd was invested to build 28 new main electrical stations.
Mexico has decided to boost its genera-tion of renewable energy. In the last year, more than 800 million usd has been invested in wind energy infrastructure. The Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) has awarded close to 1,600 MW permits for wind energy developments.
In addition, to boost the growth of wind en-ergy projects, the federal government created the so-called “Open Season,” an agreement be-tween the CFE and various private companies, which have committed to financing the con-struction of a new 145 kilometer long transmis-sion line that will run from La Ventosa (an elec-trical station in the state of Oaxaca) to the Juile substation in the state of Veracruz. Another agreement, “Mini Open Season,” will construct a second circuit 154 kilometers long that will reinforce the line from the Juile substation to Cerro de Oro, also in Oaxaca. These are two good examples of how renewable energies are being used to supply electricity to large zones in the country.
Thus, to invest in Mexico, the variable of
security of service should not be the only thing considered. Respect for the environ-ment is another factor to take into account. The total investment cost for the infrastruc-ture to transmit and interconnect the new wind energy projects with the national elec-tri-city network was set at 240 million usd. The firms Eurus and Parques Ecológicos de México will be in charge of completing them, committing themselves to reinforcing CFE’s actual transmission capacity to 250 MW and 80 MW, respectively.
In addition, four companies in 2009 have obtained the pertinent permits to utilize CFE’s infrastructure and offer their wind energy services. The firms are: Eléctrica del Valle de Mexico, which is about to start working; Fuerza Eólica, which will begin working in the second half of 2009; Eoliatec, expected to begin working this year; and Bii Nee Stipa Energía Eólica. These companies will only be able to jointly generate 163 MW
in the first stage, adjusting to CFE’s actual transmission capacity.
When the infrastructure for “Open Sea-son” is finished, before 2013, seven compa-nies besides CFE will begin wind energy projects in the country. These companies are: Desarrollos Eólicos Mexicanos, Eoliatec del Pacífico, Eoliatec del Istmo, Gamesa En-ergía, Preneal de México, Unión Fenosa Gen-eración México and Fuerza Eólica del Istmo. Wind energy is now part of the electrical in-frastructure used by Mexico to supply power to households, factories, businesses, airports and ports.
Through an important revision of the nation-al electrical network, done by CFE between 2004 and 2006, more than 54 work projects en-able 12 transmission lines, which increased the electrical network by 158 circuit kilometers and 42 substations. All these actions have assured energy supplies for the entire country until 2010. This is due also to the operations of the Chicoa-sen Central Hydroelectric facility, the fourth most productive hydroelectric energy plant in the world is located in the state of Chiapas. There is also the hydroelectric terminal called “El Cajón” (The Drawer), located in the state of Nayarit and which cost 900 million usd.
El Cajón is a major project that Mexican en-gineering is very proud of. The dam’s curtain, 186 meters high, is nearly as tall as the Torre Latinoamericana (a 204 meter skyscraper located in downtown Mexico City). On its con-crete face, there is room for up to 12 soccer fields. These characteristics make it the second such structure of its kind, right after Agua-milpa, also located in Nayarit. This facility has the capacity to generate up to 8 percent of the country’s total hydroelectric energy. The plant alone could supply the energy needs of a city like Guadalajara, Mexico’s second biggest with more than 4 million people. Two other hydro-electric central stations are part of this consid-erable development: La Yesca, also in Nayarit, and La Parota, in the state of Guerrero.
Thanks to its electrical infrastructure, Mexico is a profitable territory for industry, commerce, tourism, and of course, for the conveniences of modern life. n
sources:
federal commission of electricity
Through an important revision of the national electrical network, done by CFE between 2004 and 2006, more than 54 work projects enable12 transmission lines, which increased the electrical network by 158 circuit kilometers and 42 substations.
speCiAl report electricAl inFrAstructure
Photo courtesy of juan carlos noriega/punta colonet34 Negocios
Cover FeAture Ports
It’s impossible to imagine Europe without potatoes, Asia without rice, the Americas without livestock and the world without ports. Ports occupy a fundamental place in the world’s consciousness, in the origins of the most powerful countries and in trade be-tween regions. Mexico knows this.
What has changed through history is the infrastructure of these port installa-tions, which, paradoxically, have become more efficient thanks to the marketing of in-novations that occur at these maritime, air, interior or dry land facilities. It is an area in which Mexico has an endless number of opportunities, due to its geographic position and its privileged location: more than 11,000 kilometers of coast, most of it along the Pa-cific Ocean (7,828 kilometers) but also along the Atlantic (3,292 kilometers).
In 2007, just through its maritime ports, Mexico received and sent to the rest of the globe 202.4 million tons of merchandise, equivalent to 12% of the world’s grain pro-duction, according to the World Trade Orga-nization.
Imports, through more than 26 daily ar-rivals of large commercial ships at ports, to-taled 67.9 million tons. The majority of them were bulk minerals (17.4 million tons) and petroleum by-products (16.6 million tons), currently indispensable supplies for the world. They are the raw materials needed for industrial processes and the develop-ment of things used in everyday life by thou-sands of people not only in this country but also in other nations in Latin America and the United States, which receives a portion of them by highway and railway.
Mexico Grows Towards the OceansMexico is set to invest billion of dollars in its various portfacilities as a way to increase its economic importancein the world.
By vAnesA roBles
Photo courtesy of antonio ruelas/puerto de altamira36 Negocios
In 2007, 134.4 million tons were exported from Mexican maritime ports. The majority of them were petroleum and hydrocarbon by-products (97.4 million tons) and bulk minerals (20.5 million tons).
In contrast to older ports, the majority of pre-sent day ones specialize in receiving and shipping particular products and setting aside extensive areas for industrial and warehouse spaces, crea-ting unending sources of employment.
In Mexico, the intensity of commercial maritime activity is not chance ocurrence. The World Economic Forum asserts that the nation’s maritime ports infrastructure qual-ity ranks No. 8 in the world.
The advantage many of these ports have is great potential for development and land reserves for their commercial and industrial
expansion. The National Infrastructure Program has
put forth an investment goal of 5.1 billion usd from the government and the private sector by 2012. It will be used for the development of 12 ports: Punta Colonet, in Baja California; Cabo San Lucas, Loreto, Cortés and Pichil-inche, in Baja California Sur; Manzanillo II, in Colima; Lázaro Cárdenas, in Michoacán; Guaymas, in Sonora; Topolobambo and Mazatlán, in Sinaloa; Puerto Vallarta, in Jalisco, and Zihuatanejo, in Guerrero.
In 2009 alone, the government will invest 703 million usd in ports, 4.5% more than it did in 2008, according to the General Coor-dination of Ports and the Merchant Navy of the Ministry of Communications and Trans-portation.
The investment for 2012 proposes the expansion and construction of new naviga-tion canals and the construction of marine platforms and industrial complexes. It also includes the creation of multiple use termi-nals for such things as tourism. Each year, 3,171 cruise ships with 6.4 million passengers arrive at Mexican ports.
In addition to maritime ports, investment is also being proposed for dry ports: large ware-houses at strategic points in the interior of the country responsible for operations and distri-bution of products through different routes.
The Mexican government’s national deve-lopment plan envisions 10 dry ports operating before 2012. These include one already work-ing in San Luis Potosí in the northwestern area of the country; the Guanajuato Interior
01 Corn loading into a ship at Topolobampo port.
02 AeriAl view from a part of Progreso port.
0201
Cover FeAture Ports
Port in western Mexico; and the multimodal platform in Querétaro in the central region.
The government in Puebla, a state also in the central zone, has already invested 13 million usd in what will be the La Célula dry port. The state of Nuevo León, located on the border with the United States, is looking to construct Interpuerto Monterrey, the largest dry port in Latin America.
In June 2008, the Mexican newspaper Excelsior reported that according to North America’s SuperCorridor Coalition (NASCO), Mexico will require nine working inland ports before 2012. In an interview, Jorge A. Acevedo, the executive director of the Guanajuato Inte-rior Port, said there are plans to develop some of these ports on thousands of hectares in the states of Jalisco, Hidalgo, Aguascalientes, Za-catecas, Puebla and Nuevo León.
Throughout centuries, ports have still re-mained focal points of the world’s develop-ment. n
38 Negocios inFograPhic oldemar
The Pacific Ocean ExpansionThe National Infrastructure Program has put forth an investment
goal of 6 billion USD from the government and the privatesector by 2012. It will be used for the development of 12 ports
Zihuatanejo
Topolobampo
Cabo San Lucas
Source: Ministry of Communication and Transport (SCT)
Puerto Cortés Pichilingue
Guaymas
Punta Colonet
BA
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Cover FeAture Ports
The Pacific Ocean ExpansionThe National Infrastructure Program has put forth an investment
goal of 6 billion USD from the government and the privatesector by 2012. It will be used for the development of 12 ports
Zihuatanejo
Topolobampo
Cabo San Lucas
Source: Ministry of Communication and Transport (SCT)
Puerto Cortés Pichilingue
Guaymas
Punta Colonet
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Mazatlán
Lázaro Cárdenas
Loreto
Puerto Vallarta
PACIFICOCEAN
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MEXICO
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International Mexican merchandiseto US trade by mode of transportationMillions of USD
Mexican Merchandise TradedWith Canada and the United Statesby Mode of TransportationMillions of USD
Source: North American Transportation Statistics Database
2000 2005 2007
Total trade 340,579 436,053 553,824Exports 166,121 214,233 271,875
Imports 174,458 221,820 281,949
Air 27,752 26,138 33,117 10,018 7,935 10,285
17,734 18,203 22,832
Water 53,304 92,663 132,391 27,775 47,236 68,130
25,529 45,427 64,261
Road 209,533 258,864 312,281 105,951 136,408 163,242
103,582 122,456 149,039
Rail 31,332 31,315 44,325 21,737 18,210 27,005
9,595 13,105 17,320
Mexican transportation infrastructure:System extent and facilities Length in kilometers
NUMBER OF FACILITIES
1,4251,215
2000 2007 2000 2007
Airports Ports and facilities
37
2000 2005 2007
Road 323,065 355,796 360,075Paved 108,488 122,678 127,173
Major road system 101,798 111,900 114,061
Less than four lanes 91,585 100,669 102,445
Four or more lanes 10,213 11,231 11,616
Pipeline 16,420 25,475 26,275Gas 7,516 16,328 16,843
Oil 8,904 9,147 9,432
Rail 26,655 26,662 26,677
Trade with the United States
Trade with Canada
Total 274,934 302,110 362,606Air 14,756 7,851 9,008Water transport 23,610 38,491 49,785Road 193,246 208,526 243,676Rail 28,456 27,955 40,544
Exports 147,400 183,563 223,133Air 6,901 3,789 4,241Water transport 16,993 29,350 38,125Road 102,998 129,157 152,376Rail 19,895 16,960 25,606
Imports 127,534 118,547 139,473Air 7,855 4,062 4,767Water transport 6,617 9,141 11,660Road 90,249 79,369 91,300Rail 8,561 10,996 14,938
2000 2005 2007Total trade 7,357 10,404 14,448Air 523 690 1,166Water transport 967 1,473 1,845Road 2,868 5,090 7,805Rail 2,200 2,475 2,898
Exports 3,340 4,234 6,491Air 158 481 794Water transport 466 766 868Road 970 1,819 3,475Rail 1,743 1,054 1,316
Imports 4,017 6,169 7,957Air 365 210 372Water transport 501 707 977Road 1,898 3,271 4,330Rail 456 1,422 1,582
Mexican Transportation by the numbersVehicles/Equipment
2000 2005 2007Air 6,476 7,172 7,572Commercial aircraft 1,173 1,406 1,646General aviation 5,303 5,766 5,926Road (Commercialfreight vehicles) 4,939,417 6,980,738 7,870,417Rail (Freight cars) 34,764 36,452 32,762Water transport 2,200 2,348 2,387
40 Negocios
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The lifestyleT h e C o m p l et e G u i d e of t h e M ex i c a n Way of L i fe .
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Interview
javier marínArt in Motion
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42 Negocios i The Lifestyle Photo courtesy of javier marín
When he discovered that his work touched spectators in Mexico and France the same way, Javier Marín (born in Uruapan, Michoacán in 1962) became certain that his job as a sculptor was on the right track and that his message was being heard.
Almost since the start of his career 25 years ago, Marín’s work has gone around the world and his journey doesn’t seem to be ending. The same work is exhibited in the Museum of Art in Zapopan, Jalisco as in Amsterdam, Milan or Florida, where the J. Johnson Gallery, which represents him in the United States, is currently showing his most recent work. This latest piece consists of bodies in distinct poses and faces molded from such materials as clay, resin and bronze.
Over the summer, Marín will display in Holland “3 by 3,” the same exhibit that was shown in Pietrasanta, a coastal town in Italy. It is a series of nine monumental horses, three colossal heads and other pieces that reflect his creative search.
Another piece will be seen right in front of Monaco’s cathedral, where it will remain permanently. Something similar could happen with his two-year project in Vancouver, inside the Biennial of Monumental Art .
While his art moves around the world, Marín works in his studio on another grand project. With a religious-like routine and a relaxed attitude that seems like it will never be upset, the artist is currently designing a new alter for the Zacatecas’ cathedral. The project altar is developed under the auspices of the state government –and one that Marín speaks about with passion.
Javier Marín,Art in Motion
Over a 25-year career as a sculptor, Javier Marín’s work has become well positioned not only in the Mexican market but also in the United States and Europe, where his art continues on its journey.
By FrAncisco vernis
interview JAvier mArín
Marin international
Since the start of his career, Javier Marin has exhibited at Mexico’s most prestigious venues, in addition
to taking his works around the world.
2007Contemporary Art Museum
in Oaxaca, MexicoSan Francisco de Asis Convent,
La Habana
2006national Gallery of the
Children’s Museum, San José, Costa Rica
Museum at Santa Clara Church, Bogotá, Colombia
2005Ex-Convent of Capuchinas, Guatemala
Ex-temple of St. Agustín, Zacatecas, México
2004Clavijero Palace,
Michoacán, Méxicodominican Gallery, Prague,
Czech Republic
sustain what it is shaping. In addition what clay has is its warmth and delightfulness that results from working with it. Here you understand very well that at one time it occurred to somebody to say that the first man was made of clay. It’s like skin. It has the dampness of skin. But you always turn to another side and bronze came about and then resin. I was very prejudiced toward bronze. But the trick is getting in there and understanding a little bit about the process and rescuing from that the things that go well with my own expression. It has qualities like strength and the type of molding. If you mold with plasticine or with clay, you have a super plastic facility. Resin is interesting as a material because it is new, industrial and it has an infinite range of possibilities, from being transparent like ice to looking like rock, or metal to having the translucence of wax.
And now you make composites? It was all a part of looking to enrich the resin. Resin is only flat, very plastic. So I mix in an organic material that provokes accidents, something with an interesting charge like amaranth, which was a ritual material used by the Aztecs. This results in a terrific union. I have also mixed materials with dried beef and tobacco.
How much does your original idea for a particular work change during the process?I start with an idea and I launch the bulk of it. It becomes as much as I want it to be and then I make a rubber mold that respects it just the same.
Photo courtesy of javier marín44 Negocios i The Lifestyle
by foreign galleries willing to represent him abroad.
He is now one of the most sought-after Mexican artists. In 2003 he participated in the Venice Biennial with a piece that had everyone talking: a textile of bodies that were shaped into a toboggan and that the artist later took to a small church in Lithuania. Also, last year he won the grand prize at the International Art Biennial in Beijing.
In Search of universal Expressions How do you perceive the human body? What does it represent for you?I enjoy it because it’s an absolutely universal language that is easily understood by anyone. It’s not that I’m passionate about the body from the point of seeing its anatomy or its aesthetics. I like the idea that it’s a very accessible language, common to all human beings.
How do you relate to all your subjects?It’s a very intimate relationship because I am all of my subjects. I relate to them as intimately as I do with myself. I am convinced they are all part of me.
How did you decide on sculpture?By ingenuousness on my part because I was going to work one year in sculpture, the next in painting, the next engraving and the next photography. But I began in sculpture and I couldn’t leave it. There is always more and more to find and discover and one thing takes you to the next, trapping you. Now I can’t leave sculpture alone.
So you will stay with sculpture?I don’t believe so.
What advantages do you find in sculpture over everything else? No advantages, only differences.
And what are your distinct experiences with the materials you utilize?I began working with clay exclusively. I enjoyed it because it had its own challenges. Learning to construct with clay is difficult because it’s shaped directly, not allowing you to place structures or anything else. You have to be very well-balanced, very calculated so it can start taking the necessary rigidity to
Everything has flowed from a surprising manner, he recounts standing in front of the model, which is populated by angels and saints made of plasticine that barely supports the heat of the afternoon. Marín participated in a contest organized by Zacatecas’ Secretary of Tourism. He was motivated by a fascination provoked for the baroque church. Besides winning the contest, his project has received the approval of all involved sectors: the church, the state and the local population.
Even though he was surprised by such contentment, Marín is accustomed to things turning out well. After an accumulation of successes he have permitted him to live off of his art, he sure that the most important thing in life is defining what one wants and then asking for it so it can become a reality.
More or less that’s how things have been for him. A family tradition of artists (his nine brothers are dedicated to art and his father spent his free time painting) defined him from the beginning and never put in doubt what his profession would be. However, he never thought he could make a living as an artist.
Before finishing his studies, a friend opened a gallery and invited him and two other comrades to organize an individual exhibition. The day of the opening, hesold all his works. Then he knew it was possible to dedicate his lifework to art while making a living from it. The rest became a series of fortunate successes.
The next step was a sculpture exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City. The event was also well-reviewed by critics and resulted in an invitation to show at the MARCO museum in Monterrey, one of the most coveted spaces for contemporary artists.
He no longer had to pass through smaller galleries. Short after, he received an offer from Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, and that became the best platform to be reached
Shortly thereafter, he received an offer from Palacio de Bellas Artes inMexico City, various foreign galleries showed interest in representing him abroad.
interview JAvier mArín
Photo courtesy of javier marín46 Negocios i The Lifestyle
What are your references? The spectacular posters of the beltway in Mexico City and the sensational magazines of truck drivers, those are my references. I don’t go to the classic sources because that is not my purpose. I know those from the perspective of a Mexican that lives in Mexico City and who all grown-up discovered the classic works in Europe. There are thousands of influences that hang me up: classicism, romanticism, gothic, expressionism. They always bring something new and I like that very much because I have always said that I am a proud successor of the work of those who were here before me. I naturally assume it’s because it is part of me, of my grandfather, of my great-great-grandfather.
How much of your message is received? I think very much of it. It’s difficult to pass in front of my work and not turn around to see it or to not feel or perceive it. People see it, they feel it and something reaches them. That keeps me making more.
do you see big differences between the art market in Mexico and other countries? Yes, I believe each place is different. Each one has is peculiarities. There is something that I really enjoy in Mexico. There is a youthful quality to collecting. The United States is more rigid because of the auctions.
As an art buyer, what do you like?Things that get in my way. The last thing I bought was a sculpture by Kioto Ota, a Japanese artist who has lived in Mexico for a long time. I’ve known him since I was in school and during the MACO fair, I saw one of his sculptures which I enjoyed and I carried it off with me.
With the experience you’ve had from places where you have exhibited, do the spectators change much? There is one part that doesn’t change and I enjoyed discovering that. The same people that cry because of a piece in Mexico cry in Italy, in China or in France. I always look to make sure ideas or themes are common to any human being. I don’t like explaining my work. n
interview JAvier mArín
48 Negocios i The Lifestyle
For many years, Gonzalo Tassier’s graphic design work has accompanied Mexicans in their daily lives through advertising campaigns or company logos that have turned into symbols of modern Mexico. The colorful and eye-catching designs of the self-taught artist and his studio, Retorno Tassier (Tassier’s Return), enlarge the graphics universe that million of people see, consume and enjoy everyday. Through inventiveness and originality, Tassier has become an ambassador of Mexican talent.
Getting to where he is has not been easy. Tassier has gone through professional experiences that can be a source of inspiration to any young graphic designer who believes advertising and product design are a form of art.
Tassier started drawing at a young age, learning how to do it from life and books. With a keen vision of his surroundings –fully advertised Mexico City– he developed a self-distinctive style: an assertive combination of drawing and photography that always transmits confidence and happiness.
The universe conveyed by Retorno Tassier is optimistic, youthful and colorful, but more than anything, it is unfussy. Simplicity is perhaps his best weapon. Some examples include: logos for canned foods brand Del Fuerte; the proudly Mexican soda Jarritos; and for Mexico City, which despite its gray hues gives a sensation of tranquility and perfectly reflects the history of the metropolis.
Tassier’s career began in 1963. Since then he has held different positions, always drawing, creating images or inventing bright worlds. At the beginning of his career, he worked as an art editorial assistant at different magazines. He then became
Across theTassier UniverseGonzalo Tassier is the only Latin American graphic designer who has won the Sir Misha Black Medal –one of the field’s greatest awards.
Photos courtesy of gonzalo tassier
design gonZAlo tAssier
50 Negocios i The Lifestyle
a graphic designer for Herrero Editorial and worked in European co-productions creating art books until becoming graphic art director for Arte Publicitario de México.
In 1971, Tassier became art director at Giancarlo Novi Asociados. Then from 1974 to 1977, he was creative director for advertising at D’Arcy, where he was in charge of such accounts as Gerber, Indetel, General Popo, Anderson Clayton, Clemente Jacques, as well as the image of products from Kimberly Clark and Cigarrera La Moderna. For a decade he was creative director and partner of Design Center and creative consultant for Grupo Zimat. He was also creative director for Bozell México, in charge of accounts like Chrysler,
Aurrerá, Teléfonos de México, Holiday Inn, American Airlines and Fuji Films.
However, his real interest was always to have his own brand and became a household name therefore he created “Tassier Universe”. In 1969, he founded the graphic design firm Tassier and Associates, S.A., which worked with private companies and government agencies. But the firm only lasted a couple of years. His dream would eventually become true years later. In 1995, he founded Retorno Tassier, a hard won comeback and the product of years of work and experience.
In recognition of his career, the London Royal College or Art awarded him with the
prestigious 2008 Sir Misha Black Medal, the highest award given to honor the work and contributions of a designer. Past winners of the award include the Serge Chermayeff, the Spaniard Santiago Calavatra, the Swiss Max Hill and Italian Ettore Sottsass. Tassier is the first Latin American designer to win the prize.
Among his most recent works is a new logo for the Mexican postal service. Regardless of the multiple offers to work in other countries, Tassier is a true believer of working in Mexico. He is a university professor and travels around the country and the world, giving lectures and showing his art work in galleries and museums. n
Photos courtesy of gonzalo tassier
The Lifestyle briefsDistrito Capital, a new classic from Grupo HabitaFrom the heart of the Mexico City neighborhood of Santa Fe arises Distrito Capital, the eighth hotel from Mexico’s celebrated Grupo Habita
Following the success of its recently opened Hotel Habita in Monterrey, Mexico, Grupo Habita has unveiled its eighth property, Distrito Capital, located in the international business neighborhood of Santa Fe in Mexico City. The name of the hotel translates into “The Capital District.” a suitable name for a property situated right in the middle of this zone in Mexico City, home to the most cutting-edge architecture in the country.
Grupo Habita left nothing to chance with its new property. The hotel boasts five modern floors of casual luxury, filled with prominent vintage furnishings, designer cutlery from John Pawson and other small yet significant in-room amenities.
The interiors, artfully crafted by Parisian designer Joseph Dirand, focus on public spaces that encourage social interaction, like a lounge-friendly pool area, several terraces and a film projection room. Other facilities include a library, business center, conference center, solarium and gym.
Its 17 rooms and 13 suites are full of vintage furnishings by Charlotte Perriand and other renowned 21th century designers, making them more like chic art spaces than overnight accommodations. Each room offers a leisure area, Acqua di Parma amenities, wireless Internet, iPod docking stations and 24-hour room service. The suites come with an additional living room and bathtub and the presidential suite has a kitchenette and private gym.
A gastronomic hotspot, Enrique Olvera’s restaurant and bar on the fifth floor, with a spectacular panoramic view of Mexico City, offers a delicious menu that will certainly impress even the most refined palate.
With Distrito Capital, Grupo Habita once again carries its signature chic and outstanding service to a new location, transforming it into an instant classic. n P
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52 Negocios i The Lifestyle
REAdInG MATERIAL
Purely Mexican StyleVibrant colors, patterns, textures and ideas can be found in this guide that fea-tures the best of Mexican inte-rior design for homes.
The authors of Mexico Style j o u r n e y e d through homes, villas, haciendas, cabins and palm shelters from Costa Careyes in the state of Jalisco to Yucatán, finding places that reflect the purest essence of Mexican style.
Mexico Style Edited by Angelika TaschenPhotos by René and Bárbara StoeltieTranslated to Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
www.taschen.com
Ulf Rollof, Axolotl ProjectIn 1986, Swedish artist Ulf Rollof spent a sea-son in Pátzcuaro Lake. He got to know the axolotl salamander –black amphibians that measure approximately 25 centimeters and have gills that come out of their necks. He immediately became interested in them and in an attempt to figure out their mysterious anatomy, Rollof dissected one of them. As an act of reciprocity, he decided to show con-nections between axolotls and the mysteries of the human body. That’s how Project Axo-lotl was born. The artist designed a series of aquatic devices that through light permitted communication with the salamanders.
This work is part of the collection at the Contemporary Art University Museum (MuAC) and from April 18th it will be on dis-play along with sketches and documentation about how it was created.
Contemporary Art University Museum (MuAC), Hall 8, University Cultural Center, Insurgentes Sur 3000, Ciudad Universitaria.
www.muac.unam.mx
Photos courtesy oF FrAnZ mAyer museum/sector reFormA/tAschen BooKs
ExHIBITIOn
Ceramic, useful artCeramics can be anything from a container for salsas to a sophisticated white dress. Examples of this work will be exhibited at the 4th Bien-nial of Utilitarian Ceramics, which continues until June 7th 2009, at the Franz Mayer Muse-um in Mexico City. Visitors will be able to find containers for the kitchen, garments to wear, jigsaw puzzles and even pieces of architecture.
www.franzmeyer.org.mx
ART
FESTIvAL
mexico: invited countryMexico is the guest country at the HOT ART Fair, held in Basel, Switzerland from June 9th-14th, 2009. The gathering is looking to become “an international cultural platform,” according to its official Web site.
The HOT ART Fair gathers emerging art-ists from all disciplines of contemporary art. In 2009, three Mexican galleries will have a secured exhibition space: Nina Menocal, Ter-reno Baldio Arte and Taeger & Pinto.
www.hot-art-fair.com
The Lifestyle briefsCITy
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Gastronomy, History and Archaeology
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Culiacán’s official name is Culiacán de Rosales, in honor of Antonio Rosales, who defeated the French during their invasion of Mexico from 1862 to 1867.
Culiacán, the capital of the northeastern state of Sinaloa, is the oldest city in that region of the country.
It has a wide variety of natural attractions like the Ensenada del Pabellón wetlands, Quevedo Bay, the Lucenillas Peninsula and Punta San Miguel. The beaches of Altata and El Tambor also shouldn’t be missed. The city’s gastronomic offerings include chilorio, machaca, white menudo and a great variety of seafood like its famous aguachile.
Archaeological sites like Valle de Culiacán and Tecomate have turned the city into a popular tourist attraction.
Culiacán is also the home of great athletes like soccer player Jared Borgetti, baseball star Oliver Pérez and boxer Julio César Chávez.
www.culiacan.gob.mx
Romantic and Tasty Its name brings to mind two of the most popular gifts associated with love: roses and chocolate. Rosas & Xocolate is a boutique ho-tel located in the heart of Mérida, in an area where the Mayan civilization discovered co-coa and offered it to its gods.
The colonial homes where it is located were restored by the architect/design team of Salvador Reyes Ríos and Josefina Larrain. The work of this talented duo resulted in an elegant and rustic hotel that was a combina-tion of the ancient mansions of the Yucatán Peninsula and modern accessories. Among the main attractions are the bathtubs, which have moveable roofs that allow guests to en-joy a view of the stars while enjoying a rela-xing bath.
This place was created for those who take romance very seriously. 480 56-a street, Mérida, Yucatán.
www.designhotels.com
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54 Negocios i The Lifestyle Photos archive
Óscar Daniel Hernández aka “Cyclone” owns Mexican Commerce Company and is one of the most successful exporters of national crafts and fashion to the demanding Japanese market.
His D.E. Oscar firm’s sterling silver pieces are exhibited at the eight stores of Funny Cowboy & Indians (www.funny-western.
co.jp) as part of the premium collection available in cities like Osaka, Kobe, Hokkaido and Tokyo, in the Disney park. Thanks to his last collection, Hernández signed a contract earlier this year with the Disney Company to create his own line of Mickey Mouse themed bracelets, rings and earrings. D.E. Oscar also makes original design cowboy boots in León, Guanajuato, exporting them to Japan. The shoes are desirable and ready to be shown in the most prestigious fashion magazines.
Why Cyclone?I have a gift for speed. As a kid I was the fastest. As a teenager, I was the fastest in soccer. And today I think I am going faster than my competitors when it comes to exporting crafts to Japan.
At least in that last statement he is right. But it is quality and not speed that has been the key to his success.
Cyclone’s story is not a conventional one. In the 1990s he traveled to Seattle, Washington and Alaska to learn English. In Seattle he met Emi, a young Japanese girl who owned a clothing store. They became friends talking about fashion.
In 1997 she invited him to her country. During that trip they started a relationship, eventually getting married. Emi’s father
A Cyclone of Crafts ExportsMexican businessman and artisan Oscar Daniel Hernández is not only exporting some of his country’s best examples of craftsmanship to Japan, he is also creating them.
By vAnesA roBles
report mexicAn commerce comPAny
56 Negocios i The Lifestyle Photos archive
report mexicAn commerce comPAny
Yoshi Kitaura, imports handmade products from around the world for the Funny Cowboy & Indians stores and also has an artisan workshop in Japan. When Hernández was about to return to home, his father in law asked him if by any chance there were good quality crafts in Mexico.
During 1997 and 1998, Óscar and Emi traveled throughout Mexico. In the north, they bought cowboy hats; in the central states, silver and alpaca; in little towns in Oaxaca they had textiles made; and in Azomoc, Puebla, silver spurs. They gathered all these artisan pieces and shipped them to Japan. They believed those pieces would leave their clients with open mouths. But the result was unexpected: the clients wanted something similar to what he offered them, but not exactly the same.
In 1997, Hernández realized he was interested in the exports business. Two years later, during a yearlong trip to Japan, he realized he wanted to be an artisan. In his father in law’s shop, Cyclone quickly learned
–as usual– an unexpected but pleasant skill. He learned to be as patient as needed to work on a unique piece and know when to start from scratch if an error occurs.
The bad thing was that when he returned to Mexico, nobody in Japan seemed interested in his country’s craftwork. Japan’s indifference continued for another year. “You trained me. Now we can start all over again,” he told his father in law over the phone. Yoshi Kitaura let out a laugh that sounded like he was making fun of him and hung up the phone. Around that time, Hernández planned a workshop, building a model of it and investigating where to find the best raw materials. “I came back with a clear idea: teach people the same way I learned,” he recalls.
In 2000, Emi called from Japan. Her father was willing to start a workshop in Guadalajara. All he asked in return was quality. Mexican Commerce Company was created in mid-2001. “The adventure began,” Hernández asserts.
Not everything has been a success.
Training the team he still works with took a large amount of money and five years, too much time for someone like the Cyclone, who is used to speed. “In Japan I fell in love with the patience I was taught and in Mexico I made a point of teaching the same way. I thought they would understand because we speak the same language.”
In Japan, Hernández learned to be a businessman. But he thinks of himself as another worker. He pays fair wages, eats lunch with his employees and asks them about their well-being. “Treat others the way you want to be treated,” he says quoting Confucius.
And what about Japan? We get along well. The recipe is to think about even the most minor details. We fuse things. For example, they work the leather and I make leather objects. I travel there twice a year to stay up-to-date.
Five thousand pairs of boots are loyal witnesses that things are working. n
To the left one of the designs of
Funny Cowboy & Indians.
Below silver weAr belt buckle,
another of the main exports from
the Funny Cowboy & Indians.
58 Negocios i The Lifestyle
A Well Connected CountryEveryday in Mexico over 22.7 million people use up to 14.8 million personal computers to surf theWeb.
By KArlA JuÁreZ
Technological advances and changes have made it possible for everything, or nearly everything, to be done without the need to move. Worldwide, more than 1 billion users are online daily, doing a variety of activities from work and playing games to keeping in touch with friends and family.
Mexico is very well connected to the Web, with 22.7 million Internet users, of which more than 19 million are 13 years old or older and live in the country’s urban areas, according to a 2007 survey from the Mexican Internet Association (AMIPCI).
The Internet has become an important part in the lives of Mexicans as 92% of users consider it the most indispensable medium, more impor-tant than cell phones or television.
According to the AMIPCI’s survey, of all Internet accounts, 78% are broadband. And
this figure keeps rising, as the Internet seems to have no limits.
For cyber users, being connected is not enough as they use the Internet for a variety of things. In Mexico, as in the rest of the world, it’s used to solve work issues, conduct school activities, perform banking as well electronic trade transactions and of course, entertain-ment. As a snapshot of this: 67% of Internet users have uploaded a video or photo to some of the world’s best known entertainment sites, like YouTube or Google videos.
May 17, Internet day 2009In 2005, the United Nations established World Society Information Day or World Internet Day. This year, the focus will be on how to spur in-dustry growth in this time of economic crisis.
Internet users also59% have a video game console22% with a console have an Xbox game system55% of those with a video game console play online
Chatting96% of Internet users sign up very frequently on MSN Messenger76% have more than 50 contacts
Machines
number of devices in Mexico that can access the Internet, 2007.
14.8 million personal computers in Mexico (PCs*)
63.2 million mobile phones (adjusted**)
8.7 million computers with Internet access
*Estimated figures
**The adjusted figure for mobile phones reflects
the total number of phones in use.
Mexico is among the top 20 countriesin Internet use, ranking 13th in the world.
on their instant messenger61% of instant messenger users communicate with their friends64% of them chat with people in their city
WorldwideMexico is among the top 20 countries in Inter-net use, ranking 13th on the list. 1.8% of worldwide users are Mexico based.source:www.exitoexportador.com
60 Negocios i The Lifestyle Photo courtesy of holbox island
destinAtion holBox islAnd
A paradise on Earth. A welcome escape from the real world in the form of a tiny island with idyllic characteristics. Holbox has been for many years the best kept secret of residents in southeast Mexico who prefer it to all the other highly popular tourist areas in the zone.
But no more. Lovers of the good life and demanding travel-ers from all corners of the world have made it into a must stop for any itinerary of Mexico’s best beaches. Holbox Island, which takes its name from the Mayan Word for “black hole” (for the black lagoon located in its southern side), is spread out over an area that is only 43 kilometers long and 3 kilometers wide north of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Of this area, there are 34 kilometers of pristine beaches with snow-white sand, moderate waves, and the desirable blue tones of the Mexican Caribbean.
The island is part of the Yum Balam ecological reserve, which explains the abun-dance of birds found there, including the
Treasure IslandIt is a secret that can no longer be kept. The fine white sand and the seductive turquoise water cry out that Holbox Island (pronounced ‘ol-bosh’) is the new paradise of the Mexican Caribbean.
pink flamingo, which arrives in groups of 40,000 from April through October, as well as other wildlife.
The Holbox community, founded in 1873 by fishermen and farmers, has been able to maintain a balance between tourist com-forts and a rustic atmosphere. The streets are made of sand and there are no automo-biles, except for golf carts that sometimes serve as taxis.
Visitors mix with the fewer than 1,500 residents at the tiny plaza, enjoying the sim-ple life without having to quit the comfort of luxury hotels or a variety of restaurants with impeccable confections.
The peak season runs from January through April and also during the summer months. During the rainy season –from May through June– mosquitoes might be a bit of a problem, but the climate is warm and pleasant all year long.
Prisoners of the island’s magic, days on Holbox go by worshipping the sun, a collection of thousand of shells and snails that adorn its
beaches in the caresses of the Caribbean. For the adventurous, this island treasure
also guards surprises. Besides an intense relax, Holbox offers a wide variety of activi-ties. These include: snorkeling in Cabo Ca-toche; helping when white turtles lay their eggs; traveling to Bird Island, which has more than 150 distinct species; visiting the nearby Mayan ruins; fly fishing in the beau-tiful Yalahau Lagoon, which separates Hol-box from the mainland; getting to know the nearby town of Solferino; and the jewel of the crown: Swimming with whale sharks!
The indisputable king of Holbox, the whale shark is nearly 15 meters long and is as harmless as it is imposing. From May to October, packages are offered that include opportunities to spot manta rays, dolphins, turtles and various chances to swim with whale sharks.
Where to stay?Holbox Island offers excellent lodging op-tions at good prices. From places to camp to
62 Negocios i The Lifestyle
luxurious boutique hotels, there are alterna-tives for all budgets, although hotels of me-dium range offer the best option for quality and price.
To campHolbox Golden Paradise 52 984 875 2426 y 52 998 577 [email protected]
www.holboxgoldenparadise.com
Casa Maya de José Lima 52 984 875 2428 y 52 984 138 [email protected]
www.casamayadejoselimaholbox.com Both places offer space along the sea to pitch tents, at a cost of about 10 usd per person per night.
Posada Los Arcos 52 984 875 [email protected]
Located in front of the plaza, this hotel offers rooms with fans or air conditioning. From 30 to 40 usd per night.
Hotelito Casa las Tortugas 52 984 875 [email protected]
www.holboxcasalastortugas.com One of the most attractive constructions on the island. The rooms have hammocks or hanging beds on the balconies. It also has a restaurant/bar, a travel agency, a bookstore and Internet. From 80 to 100 usd per night.
Villas Chimay 52 984 875 [email protected] / www.holbox.info
This is an eco-resort that has pleasant bun-galows with an exclusive view of the beach and an excellent restaurant.
Casa Sandra52 984 875 [email protected] www.casasandra.com This impressive hotel is part of the exclusive Boutique Hotels of Mexico group. It offers luxury suites, a spa, organized tours and a succulent restaurant.
From 220 to 560 usd per night.
Where to eat?Most of the hotels have a restaurant and many include continental breakfast in their price. However, there are options to eat in town, where it’s possible to mingle with other travelers.
Pizzería EdelynBetter known as “The Pizzería.” At this res-taurant, located in front of the plaza, it’s cus-tomary to try the lobster pizza.
PelícanosA menu with an Italian accent and a bohe-mian atmosphere is what this location offers. It also has the best wine list in the area.
La Isla del ColibríA favorite of tourists, it offers breakfast, interna-tional cuisine and occasional live entertainment. ZarabandaIt is an institution. A place where fresh sea-food, the hallmark of the island’s gastrono-my, must be enjoyed. n
01 CrystAl CleAr wAter and white sand
are part of the landscape of Holbox Island.
02 the FAunA includes pelicans,
manta rays, dolphins, among others
03 trAditionAl architecture
of Holbox Island.
04 see And swim with the whale sharks.
05 relAxing is one of the most
important activities on the island.
On the opposite page dusk at Holbox Island, is
one of the views that complete the experience.
0301
0402 05
Photos courtesy of holbox island
destinAtion holBox islAnd
64 Negocios i The Lifestylein
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Airlines flying to and from Cancún
Tizimin
Leona Vicario
Isla Cozumel
Air Canada52 (998) 892 18 8452 (998) 887 48 28www.aircanadamex.com
AirTran Airways1-800-965-2107www.airtran.com
Alaska Airlines(52-55) 5282-2484001-800-252-7522 (Reservations)001-800-654-5669 (Customer Care)www.alaskaair.com
American Airlines(998) 887 3187(998) 887 5517Airport: (998) 887 0129(01 800) 904 60 00www.aa.com
Continental Airlines(998) 886 016952 (998) 886 00 69(998) 886 0040 (Luggage)01 800 900 5000www.continental.com
Delta Airlines01 (800) 902 2100 (MEX)1 800-221-1212 (USA)
Frontier Airlines800-265-5505www.frontierairlines.com
Jet Blue Airways1 800-538-2583 (from USA)01-800-861-3372 (from MEX)www.jetblue.com
MEX307
Playa del Carmen
El Cedral
MEX
295
MEX
295
MEX
180
Q U I N T A N AR O O
Y U C A T Á N
MEX
180
MEX
180D
2h 3h
ValladolidThe trip lasts 2.5 hours and also costs less than 5 USD.
C A R I B B E A NS E A
United Airlines01 (800) 003 0777 (from MEX)1-800-538-2929 (from USA)www.united.com.mx
USA 3000998-881-9583998-881- 9549www.usa3000.com
US Airways(998) 886 0549(998) 886 0449800-428-4322
Viva Aerobus(81) 82 150150 (from MEX)1-888-9-3598482 (from USA)www.vivaaerobus.com
Mexicana Airlines(998) 881 90 90(998) 881 9042 (Airport office)01 800 3665400www.mexicana.com
Northwest Airlines(998) 886 00 44(998) 886 0646
Spirit Airlines01 800 501 8212(998) 8843112www.spiritair.com
Sun Country Airlines1-800-778-48381-800-455-9880 (TTY)www.suncountry.com
Kuntunilkín
San Ángel
HolboxHow to get there...
Chiquila
Cancúnthree buses leave daily (two from the Mayab line and one from Noreste) to the townof Chiquila. Tickets cost less than 5 USD and the trip lasts around 3.5 hours
Investing in HolboxIn spite of its rapid growth, Holbox offers opportunities to buy land. Two of the agencies with a long history of promoting land sales on the island are: Playacar Beach Properties (Damero Street and Tiburón Ballena,in front of the main square.)52 984 875 2203
Ricardo Barraza & Asociados(Cancún-based)52 998 884 043452 55 5351 1581www.ricardobarraza.com
YA L A H A OL A G O O N
P U N T A M O S Q U I T O
Holbox
ChiquilaA ferry that goes to Holbox Island leaves every hour from 5 am to 6 pm in the winter and until 7 pm in the summer. The trip costs less than 3 USD per person and lasts around 35 minutes.Alternatively, private boats can be hired at all hours at the dock. The cost depends on the number of passengers (usually 10 can fit), but the average is from 34 to 38 USD. The trip is much faster than the ferry.
When traveling to Chiquila by car, it’s best to park in town. Parking costs about 2.30 USD per day.
