In 2018, nearly 13,000 new jobs were generated in Costa Rica because of investment in 48 new projects in the service, manufacturing and other productive sectors.
The Costa Rican Coalition of Development Initiatives (CINDE) reported that because of new companies arrived in the country together with investments made by companies already installed, 12,961 new jobs were generated in the sectors of services, digital technologies, life sciences, advanced manufacturing and light manufacturing.
38% of the colombian companies who have invested in the country are dedicated to services, 28% to industry, 11% to construction and 23% to tourism, commerce or agriculture.
The service, food and manufacturing sectors are generating the most interest among Colombian investors, who in the last ten years have invested about $750 million in Costa Rica. Data from Procolombia added that in the same period, the Central American country has invested just $269 million in Colombia.
The purchase by the German company of the assets of Conceptus include a Patent for an intertubal contraceptive device which will go into production at the Metropolitan Free Zone in Heredia.
Bayer announced that the plant will be producing a new permanent birth control device. The first stage of the plant has been in operation since October 2014, dedicated to assembly and other tasks in the manufacturing process, but the product has not yet been marketed or exported because it is now in the certification stage.
Bekaert and ArcelorMittal will be investing $20 million in a new plant for steel fibers to produce 20 thousand tons a year.
As part of a share restructuring process, looking for a new business configuration in Latin America, partners of ArcelorMittal, the global steel and mining company and Bekaert, a leader in the transformation of steel wire, have announced the installation of a new plant for the steel fiber Dramix ®, with plans to begin production in the second quarter of 2014.
The loss of competitiveness due to costs, infrastructure backlog and delays in proceedings are forcing public sector companies to reduce their production and staff numbers.
The structural problems affecting the manufacturing sector explain the increasing shrinkage of Costa Rica's actual production. The lack of solutions to key issues affecting the productivity of Costa Rican industry is resulting in lower production and consequently less job creation.
The trade show MANUFEXPORT to be held on October 1st - 2nd will bring together companies in the region and international buyers.
From a statement by the Guatemalan Exporters Association:
"AGEXPORT and the Chamber of Industry have jointly organized MANUFEXPORT 2014, Special Edition where 100 buyers from the U.S., Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Colombia will discover the range of food and beverages (perishable and non-perishable) plastics, personal care and cosmetics, cleaning products, paper converters and processors, and for the first time the categories of home furnishings, clothing, accessories and footwear for sale at stands."
Tyre manufacturer Bridgestone has withdrawn from the free zone regime in order to export, with better benefits, under trade agreements with the countries of the Pacific Alliance.
The firm has dissolved Bridgestone de Centroamérica S.A, a company registered in the free zone regime, in order to centralize operations in the local company Bridgestone de Costa Rica, so that it can export under the conditions of the trade agreements.
The firm Suttle has reinvested $1.2 million in a technology center at its plant for manufacturing devices used for telecommunications.
From a statement issued by CINDE:
Costa Rica: Suttle expands operations and creates 150 new jobs
• Company celebrates 25 years of operations in the country and adds to its operation of manufacturing devices used in the telecommunications industry, a new center containing state of the art technology.
The multinational has announced investments of $31 million to expand its plant in Cartago and open a new service center in Heredia.
From a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Trade:
With an investment of $31 million, the company Kimberly-Clark (KC) will strengthen its manufacturing operations and services in Costa Rica. The company will invest $27 million in its new plant in Coris, Cartago, plus an additional $ 4 million for a new Shared Service Centre located in Heredia and which will support its business network throughout Latin America.
With an investment of $10 million the German company Zollner Elektronik AG is to establish a manufacturing and support services plant.
From a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Trade in Costa Rica (COMEX):
Zollner Elektronik AG, one of 15 world leaders in electronics manufacturing services (EMS) and the number one in Germany, announced today the establishment of its modern manufacturing and technical support services plant in Costa Rica.
In April and May, two Peruvian trade mission will visit Panama, Costa Rica and Guatemala in search of business opportunities.
The Exporters Association of Peru (ADEX) has organized two trade missions from companies from various sectors and foreign trade students from Peru.
Gestion.pe reports that "the first exploration mission from the imports and logistics sector will be held from 16th to 20th of April in Panama and aims at learning about the trade and development opportunities in this country which trades with the world more than $18 billion and through which passes 14,000 ships and more than 12 million containers a year. "
Volcano Corporation, a manufacturer of precision medical devices, has opened its first manufacturing plant outside the U.S., with an investment of $40 million.
A statement by Volcano reads:
Volcano inaugurates in Costa Rica its first manufacturing plant outside the United States
• The $40 million investment in its new facility in Costa Rica is the largest the company has made in its history and the first outside the United States.
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