COLORADO COMPANIES NEED TO LOOK AT VERACRUZ FOR EXPANSION OPPORTUNITIES

By Gil Cisneros, President/CEO Chamber of the Americas

Veracruz, Veracruz (no, we’re not stuttering) is probably better known in some quarters as a seaside resort than as a bustling port city and major economic generator for Mexico. With its strategic location along the south-central coast of the Gulf of Mexico, Veracruz offers a doorway to trade with countries throughout the Americas and the Caribbean.

The Chamber of the Americas (COTA), recognizing the importance of Veracruz to both Mexico and the United States, last November opened a permanent office in the city of Veracruz to better serve our membership and provide the support every business person needs when setting foot on foreign soil. Mexico Senator Juan F. Perdomo is vice president of COTA for Mexico, extending the reach and influence of the office to every city and state in Mexico. COTA is fortunate to have a man of Sen. Perdomo’s caliber represent us in Mexico.

Veracruz is Mexico’s largest commercial port, capable of handling all kinds of cargo from automobiles to agricultural products.

This year it is expected the port will move 500,000 vehicles in and out of the country, 20,000 more than last year. Infrastructure improvements, underway for the last half dozen years, will substantially increase capacity and efficiency, and facilitate transportation to and from the port when projects wrap up sometime in 2010. Among the improvements: direct highway access to/from the port, a railway network in proximity to the port, and expansion of several docks.

With so much activity ongoing, we think it’s time that Colorado and Veracruz-based companies examine the opportunities that exist on each other’s turf. Certainly, agriculture tops the list, followed by seafood and tourism. Chief exports from Veracruz are coffee,

fresh fruits, fertilizers, sugar,


fish and crustaceans.

Right now, we’re looking at an opportunity to build a high-tech indoor shrimp farm that has the potential to create 2000 new jobs once it’s up and running. For tourists, the Spanish-era ruins in and around Veracruz and the charm of its colonial past draw are a big draw.

Equally important is the ease of getting there. The city of Veracruz is a quick 2.25-hour flight from Houston. Mexico City is 261 miles to the west of Veracruz, 30-40 minutes by air. Rail, highways and ports give manufacturers options for shipments of their goods.


Opportunities are not limited to the city of Veracruz. The state of Veracruz is rich in natural resources, including oil,

and accounts for approximately 35 percent of Mexico's water supply. The people are industrious and welcoming to U.S. businesspeople and tourists. A U.S. company that can create jobs in the state will have access to a lot of assistance all the way to the governor’s office. The only limitation to mining opportunities across borders is our imagination. Once a company decides to make that leap, the Chamber of the Americas can open doors to government, business and community leaders, and pretty much line them up with things such as hotel, car and driver, and the best facilities to utilize.




For more information about Veracruz or any other market in the Americas, call Gil Cisneros at 303-462-1275, or e-mail him at gil@chamberoftheamericas.com

The mission of the Chamber of the Americas, headquartered in Denver, is to facilitate commerce and understanding among the businesses and governments of the Western Hemisphere.