By Eliane Portillo

Mexico has become the leading country in attracting foreign direct investment in the aerospace industry. Only in 2010, reached 30 companies, surpassing China, which only got 25, U.S. 15, and Russia 10.

The aerospace industry in Mexico accounted for $3.2 billion dollars in 2010, considered Eduardo Solis Alfaro, representative of Eaton Aerospace, a company that designs, manufactures and integrates aircraft parts in Chihuahua.

Why? Not only the proximity to the vast U.S. market. The productivity of Mexican workers is a fact. The employees of the airline industry or the workers of the car makers are on par with the most productive in the world.

 

The qualifications of the workforce are very good. Mexico holds a value of 3.25 points in the Sophistication index developed by the Central Organization for Economic Development (OECD), which is estimated to range from one to four points. The average of the member countries of the international agency was 2.96.

The Mexican aerospace industry is concentrated mainly in Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Queretaro, Nuevo Leon and Jalisco. Only in Baja California there are 54 companies in the industry, 25% of the domestic market.

Currently 100% of the industry, 80% is manufacturing and assembly, 10% of maintenance, repair and operation and all other of engineering and design. Solis says that is required to increase the latter to be not only a labor country.

Industry is flying. Within ten years, Mexico will manufacture the first aircraft 100% manufactured, estimated Luis Oliva, head of the Investment Promotion Unit and International Business of Promexico, federal government agency that coordinates the trading strategies of Mexico in the world.

Mexico is already an aerospace power since it has exports exceeding $3.2 billion a year, through over 300 companies around the country.

The lineage that the country has in terms of automotive industry, it will help realize the ambitious project to build airplanes entirely Mexican, said Oliva.