Chihuahua, a new investment magnet due to ‘nearshoring’ in northern Mexico

In the midst of ‘nearshoring’ or business relocation, Chihuahua seeks to consolidate itself as one of the most attractive cities for investments high added value in the north of Mexicobetting on talent and the quality of life it offers its inhabitants, said this Wednesday the president of Economic Development of the State of Chihuahua (Desec), Jorge Cruz Camberos.

Located just 400 kilometers from the United States and in the center of the largest state in Mexico, Chihuahua has managed to rise in the rankings of competitiveness and quality of life, thanks to a strategic alliance of almost 10 years between governments and private initiative with the objective to be the best family industrial city.

Cruz Camberos assured that the key has been to establish a model in which the different Governments, the educational system and the private initiative adapt to the same vision of development.

Over the last 8 years, the quality of life has been improved based on household income, and has reached 23,000 pesos (US$ 1,370) per house-room as a minimum, although the goal has been set at a maximum of 83,000 pesos (US$ 4,900).

“If we have to pay better salaries, we need more competitive companies and to do so we need to be a more competitive city”he told EFE.

Since then, this development vision has been negotiated with each mayoral candidate, which has given them the best results since Desec was created 50 years ago.

Competitiveness and quality

In 2016, the city was the 12th most competitive city in the country, with less than 1 million inhabitants. This year Chihuahua appears in the sixth tier of large cities, next to Mexico City, Monterrey (Nuevo León) and Guadalajara (Jalisco).

“Many people do not know Chihuahua, when they arrive they are surprised by the quality of life that the city offers, which is an ideal market for people of 35 or 40 years old, with good schools, security, easy transportation, and very good employment opportunities” , explained Cruz Camberos.

It has more than 120 export manufacturing companies, employs more than 120 thousand industrial workers and contributes at least almost the twenty% of the exports of the state of Chihuahua, national leader in that area.

In this sense, Arturo Chretín Sáenz, who directs Chihuahua Espectacular, highlighted among the attractions its infrastructure for business tourism, as well as the design of an orderly city, a hotel network focused on the middle class with very good service for both families and for those who come to do business.

“It is a fun city, with good gastronomy, a historic center, museums, and above all an extremely valuable business union where all businessmen pull in the same direction. A developing and competitive city”, Chretín pointed out.

It may interest you

• Sura Investments seeks to expand its business in Mexico thanks to “nearshoring”
• Rise of ‘nearshoring’ worsens the housing crisis on the northern border of Mexico
• The Economist: US border crisis, a “great wall” for nearshoring