Although clothing and car wiring harnesses continue to lead, the number of types of goods exported under the free zone regime has gone from ten in 2008 to 20 today.
Production and export of clothing and wiring harnesses are still the main goods produced and exported under free trade zone conditions, but now others have been added such as as cigars, edible oil, fruits, leather shoes, paper, cardboard, and manufactured leather covers for furniture.
A report by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData.com notes that in 2015 Central American countries imported $318 million worth of yarns, filaments and textiles, led by El Salvador with $157 million.
El Salvador was the main importer of synthetic filaments, strips and materials similar to synthetic textiles last year, according to data on the Textiles and Raw Materials Market compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData.com.
To compensate for the loss of market which is expected once the Transpacific Agreement takes effect, the textile industry intends to resume FTA negotiations with the northern country.
A free trade agreement with Canada would allow the exporting textile companies to enter a market with high potential, since according to theexecutive director of Camtex, Patricia Figueroa, the country imports more than $14,000 million a year in textiles products and confection of synthetics such and towels, carpets, curtains and tablecloths. "
The Honduran government has announced that the footwear and clothing company plans to set up a plant to manufacture its products in the north of the country.
From a statement issued by the President of Honduras:
Tegucigalpa, 24 August.The facilities that Honduras offers for investment are attracting internationally recognized brands, such as the case of the sportswear manufacturing company Nike, which in the coming days will set up a plant in the country which will generate about 25 thousand jobs.
At the end of the first half of the year maquila textile exports to the United States grew by 13% compared to the same period in 2015.
Figures from the biannual report by the US Office of Textiles and Clothing (OTEXA) show that between January and June Nicaragua sold 255 million square meter equivalents (SME) to the United States generating revenues of $708 million.
Textile exports in the year exceeded $2.5 billion, an increase of 6% compared to 2014.
From a report by the Chamber of Textile Industry, Clothing and Free Zones of El Salvador:
The growth of exports in the sector in 2015 amounted to $149 million more exports compared to 2014 ($2,403,000), positioning itself as the most important sector in exports with $2,552 exported, accounting for 46% of the country's total exports.
A meeting is being convened for the textile and clothing industry on March 16 in El Salvador, where the overall situation in the sector will be discussed.
From a statement issued by Proesa:
El Salvador is preparing for the third edition of the Forum of Textiles and Apparel (FOROTEX) 2016, a space where high-level international speakers present trends and strategies for competing in international markets.
Despite the challenges facing the Central American textile industry with the coming into force of the TPP and Asian competition, projections are that there will be growth of 8% in 2016.
The main reason is the decision of the US government to extend for ten years the tariff advantages enjoyed by Nicaraguan exports to the northern country, supporting them against the entry into force of the Trans-Pacific Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP).
Its participation in the US market has dropped, but the unification of the cluster now encompasses the entire manufacturing process, generating exports worth $1.5 billion.
The integration of the production process, generating greater added value to all parts of the production chain of the textile industry, has enabled the industry to stay afloat and face off competition from producers such as Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries.
Efforts are growing to minimize the impact of the possible signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, and a tariff reduction program with long deadlines for sensitive products has been proposed.
As negotiations proceed to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), the textile industry in El Salvador is stepping up its efforts to maintain the conditions of the CAFTA treaty and minimize the impact that the TPP will have on the sector in the long term. One of the main risks is that "... Vietnam could introduce products from China and then export them tariff-free to the United States, which would give them a huge competitive advantage. "
At the end of 2014 320 assembly plants were in operation, of which 42% were American, 36% founded on Honduran capital and 22% from other countries.
From the summary of a report by the Central Bank of Honduras "Goods for processing and related activities 2014 and perspectives for 2015/2016"
Operating under the Free Zones regime companies that carry out processing activities, commonly known as maquila, showed a significant increase in 2014 (11.8% in the Gross Value Added, VAB1) because of a stable international environment influenced by strengthening demand mainly outside of the US market which showed economic growth of 2.4%, resulting in an increased demand for goods for domestic production (approximately 76.0% of the exports of the maquila from Honduras went to that country).
In order to improve their competitiveness in the manufacturer of uniforms and baseballs Rawlings Costa Rica will move its uniform line to El Salvador, laying off 200 workers.
The company which has operations in Turrialba announced that the main reason behind the transfer of operations is to do with competition.The manager Alejandro Cotter told Crhoy.com that "...
The textile industry has proposed that the government implement labor schemes with flexible hours, allowing plants to operate on shifts of up to 14 and 16 hours.
The proposal involves establishing modern labor schemes, as implemented in other markets, said Patricia Figueroa, executive director of the Chamber of the Textiles, Clothing and Free Zones of El Salvador.
Factors such as production costs and labor, as well as security and economic stability seem to be more relevant to the textile companies that choose the country than tariff benefits.
The expiry on December 31 of the Tariff Preference Level (TPL) with the United States has not impacted the textile industry, as initially expected at least so far. According to the Nicaraguan Association of Textile and Apparel Industry (Anitec), the country still has attractive conditions for foreign investment in this sector.
The Korean textile SAE-A Spinning SRL has started producing yarns and fabrics in the manufacturing plant built in the industrial area of Coris, in Cartago.
Although construction of the new textile plant, which required an investment of $35 million was announced in June 2014, it is just now starting operations.
The Costa Rican Coalition for Development Initiatives (CINDE), told Nacion.com that "...