GREAT business in Monterrey

Guest blog: Sarah Hildersley, British Consul and Director UK Trade & Investment in Monterrey

Since I arrived in Monterrey in early February, I have had the opportunity to meet representatives from some of Mexico’s leading companies. The role of UK Trade & Investment in Mexico is to identify opportunities for British and Mexican companies to do business, and in Monterrey, my focus is on Advanced Engineering (including Aerospace and Automotive), Mining and Steel.

It’s clear that the scale of business in Nuevo Leon is hugely impressive and projected growth across these sectors promises a bright future for our bilateral trade relations.

Companies such as FRISA, who work with Rolls Royce, CEMEX, Villacero, ALFA, GRUMA-Maseca, Cydsa and many others based in Nuevo Leon demonstrate that not only does Mexico have immense private sector capabilities, but it has ensured that the level of technology deployed in its industries is rapidly catching up with that seen in the world’s leading industrial nations. I enjoyed visiting British companies with production facilities in Monterrey such as Spirax Sarco, Smiths Medical and Vesuvius whose

Since I arrived, Ambassador Judith Macgregor has visited Monterrey with the British Council and following discussions with Governor Rodrigo Medina, the Council are setting up a substantial English language Teacher training programme with the Secretaría de Educación, “Project English”. We look forward to having a broader British Council programme in the region.

The recent UK Green Growth Seminar in Monterrey was attended by 100 business representatives and we hope to explore more opportunities for working in low carbon technology with Mexico in the coming years.

At the moment we are working on our upcoming event: Mexico – Aerospace Supply Chain Seminar, which will provide a unique opportunity to understand the potential in the Mexican Aerospace industry highlighting success of UK aerospace companies in Mexico.

But life in Monterrey is not all work and no play. Exploring Parque Chipinque and Parque Fundidora have been real high points. I spent a morning with some new friends from Starbucks and other expatriates at Casa Hogar de los Ninos, where we painted playground equipment and planted out the area for the 68 children who live in the centre. It was wonderful to see the children happily joining in the digging and watering of new plants which might bring some joy to these disadvantaged youngsters.

Sadly this wonderful city has had some difficult security issues over the past year or so. But UK and other foreign companies are still coming into Monterrey and business here is thriving.