I write this blog post from Querétaro, Mexico, a city of two million people that I have to admit I did not even know was here until two years ago when a local lawyer reached out to introduce himself and talk about the automotive industry. Not only are there two million people, but there is a rather substantial cluster of Automotive companies and on June 23 and 24 they put on quite the conference, Foro Automotriz QRO. Queretaro claims to be “La Capital del Sector Automotriz en Mexico” and having been here, it is difficult to argue.
Who was here?
It would be simpler to say who was not here. There were OEM’s and suppliers from Tier 1 to Tier 3. The Governor of Querétaro opened the event. Among other things, he noted that Querétaro’s growth is 4x higher on an annual basis than Mexico as a whole. Having been around town a little bit, this is not surprising – brand spanking new buildings are going up everywhere (including the nicest looking Starbucks I ever saw – but I only saw from outside, trying to eat local!)
What was covered?
Speakers covered a wide range of topics. For example, Carlos Gonzalez Martinez, Deputy Director of Economic Studies, Scotiabank discussed the Economic Outlook for 2016. A panel of industry people addressed Continues Improvement: Key Element for Competitiveness in the Sector. Greg Husisian covered the Regulation of Exports and International Conduct. And, of course, I gave advice on avoiding litigation: Protect Yourself! How to Supply Into the Land of Lawsuits.
What’s next?
You may have missed this meeting, but you can still come to Querétaro. As soon as February 20-22, 2017, Querétaro will host the International Business Convention for the Automotive Industry.
