Mexico must address various weaknesses to take advantage of the opportunities created by nearshoring, experts warn.
During the panel “Nearshoring, the panorama of Mexico”, they highlighted this Tuesday the lack of infrastructure and talent as the main aspects that should be resolved in states and municipalities, and that currently companies are solving internally to be able to establish themselves in the country.
Jonathan Pomerantz, chief agent from developer Meor, said in his participation that Nearshoring gave Mexico the opportunity to capture $50 billion in investments over the next 5 years.
During the same period, he added, the country could increase its exports by 155 billion and consolidate itself as the largest exporter to the United States.
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However, the country needs to address the infrastructural aspect, as it lacks industrial properties that should already be built, he commented.
According to the director, it is currently estimated that there is a shortage of 13 million square meters of industrial space for companies to establish themselves in the national territory.
In his participation, Fernando Pliego, partner of Salles Sainz Grant Thornton, highlighted that also in Mexico there is an urgent need for a water plan to address the water shortage in the industrial centers of the north and the north-central part of the country.
He noted that some water recycling practices, such as harvesting, could be encouraged at the state level. “Unfortunately, what is achieved is done individually and not at the community level,” he explained.
Specialists agree that there is also a lack of qualified talent to join companies that could establish themselves in the country thanks to nearshoring.
“The talent that exists is already being hired,” Pliego said.
Thus, according to Grant Thornton, partner of Salles Sainz, companies must absorb the costs of training the staff they need.
“Staff will be trained as soon as they join the companies,” he said.
Outlining the profile Mexico needs to prepare for nearshoring, Pomerantz said the required talent comes primarily from the fields of mechanical, electrical and automotive engineering.
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