New Mexican companies interested in exploring supply opportunities with Mexico’s maquiladora (twin plant) industry are invited to participate in a trade mission and matchmaking sessions that will take place November 11, 2009 in El Paso, and November 12 and 13, 2009 in Juarez, Mexico. Organized by the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Office of Mexican Affairs and Trade, in conjunction with the International Business Accelerator and the Juarez Economic Development Department, this event will be designed to put New Mexican suppliers in direct contact with the purchasing managers of maquiladoras.

Up to 30 purchasing managers will be providing lists of the production inputs and industrial processes that they are currently in search of, including plastic injection, packaging, metals, and resins. Based on these needs, companies will then be recruited to participate in the trade mission, which will include one-on-one meetings with the purchasing managers in both El Paso and Juarez. For a copy of these production inputs click here and here.

For more information or to secure your company’s participation, please contact Randy Trask (505-231-0677 or randall.trask@state.nm.us) of the Office of Mexican Affairs or Jerry Pacheco (575-589-2200 or jerry@nmiba.com) of the International Business Accelerator.

J.H. Rose Logistics was presented as a success story and model company at the recent NAFTA Institute Trade Conference.

The Office of Mexican Affairs of the New Mexico Economic Development Department, the New Mexico Partnership and the International Business Accelerator assisted J.H. Rose Logistics with their expansion to Santa Teresa in 2007.

For more information about J.H. Rose Logistics visit their website or see their video on YouTube.

On the following day, attendees heard from experts on a variety of issues ranging from border security to rail shipping to financing issues. There were also presentations regarding Foxconn’s San Jeronimo project, Union Pacific’s Santa Teresa rail relocation project, and the Punta Colonet port project.

The annual event is organized by the International Business Accelerator (IBA). Additional event hosts for 2009 included the New Mexico Economic Development Department Office of Mexican Affairs, The North American Institute (NAMI), the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance, Gobierno Municipal De Juarez, Western New Mexico University and the New Mexico Small Business Development Center (NMSBDC).

See related articles from the Las Cruces Sun-News, El Paso Times, New Mexico Business Journal .

This unique event combines the activities of the “NAFTA Institute” and the “Supplier Meet the Buyer Trade B2B sessions.” The conference is designed for business people interested in selling their products to the North American market, importing products from Mexico and/or becoming a supplier to Mexico’s maquiladora industry. The organizers of the conference will match potential Mexican buyers/sellers with participants in private business-to-business sessions. Anybody interested in learning the mechanics of doing business with Mexico or Canada will also benefit from the NAFTA Institute sessions. During the event, topical experts will be discussing the various aspects of conducting cross-border business.

The event will begin with B2B sessions on June 11, followed by dinner and live entertainment that evening. On June 12, various experts will give presentations on cross-border trade topics.

The cost to participate in this event is $79, which includes meals, materials and entry to all sessions. A special rate of $49 will be charged to companies only wishing to participate in the business-to-business sessions.

Interested parties are urged to sign up quickly, as space is limited. Special hotel rates for conference participants have been arranged with area hotels. A limited amount of scholarships providing special pricing for this event are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information please click here. If you have questions or would like specific information, please contact the International Business Accelerator at 575-589-2200 or at info@nmiba.com.

MVEDA  President and CEO Davin Lopez said the facility will be helping to handle logistic needs for Foxconn, a Taiwan-based electronics company that is building a factory just across the border from Santa Teresa in San Jeronimo, Mexico. “It is one of our first opportunistic wins (as a result of Foxconn),” Lopez said of the addition of the Expeditors International facility.

The New Mexico Economic Development Department, along with its Office of Mexican Affairs, MVEDA and the New Mexico Partnership, worked closely with Expeditors executives during the past eight months to facilitate the project.

The Foxconn plant, which when completed will be the largest maquila in Mexico, was the subject of a November, 2008 article in Site Selection Magazine, linked from MVEDA’s “News and Announcements” page.