"Maquiladoras" (Assembler companies) and Corporations Oriented to Foreign Trade.

The export and maquiladora industry in Baja California, mainly located in the cities of Tijuana, Tecate and Mexicali, include over 90% of all the 913 maquiladoras (assembler companies) in the State, which represents 32.3% of the overall industry in the country. The assembler companies mainly assemble electronic devices, wood furniture, metal mechanic and textile.

The regional economy has been strengthened by the opening of new Corporations mainly from Asia, thus motivating the economic development of the State and the port activity. It is estimated that this activity generates a volume of more than 70 thousand containers per year, specifically in the manufacturing sector, an element reflecting the weight of the industry and its potential growth in the coming years.

According to a research, there are about 21 corporations using the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach - Ensenada simultaneously, the Challenger is to reach the complete potential market being used by the port. There are also 2,822 plants already established representing 1,223,180 jobs from the export maquiladora industry. In Baja California, there are 913 plants representing 32.3% of all the Maquiladora Industry in the country, 253,944 jobs (23% of the total).

Potential Market

The potential markets of the port include the West Coast of the United States and Canada; the countries on the Pacific Rim, Central and South America.

The import and export market in San Diego is a high potential market, since the ground freight LA/LB-San Diego is very similar to the freight cost from Ensenada to the United States, including the costs of the customs office in Ensenada. It is important to mention that the consolidation of an International traffic market USA-MEX, starting in USA going through our country with destination to another country, using our port, will close a compete International traffic market for the logistic chain of the region.

The Shipping Lines will make the most on operations by shipping full containers from Ensenada to the United States, and reusing said containers back with commodities or export merchandise from the United States with destination to any other country via Ensenada. This will guarantee the availability of enough equipment for the operation, thus generating a positive impact reflected into competitive in ground transport between Southern California taking as reference the tariffs Ensenada-San Diego and LA/LB- San Diego.

The strongest market is from the Maquiladora Business in Southern California and Northwest Baja California, and on the other hand, the export industry of perishable products.

To meet the needs of the growing market, it has enabled the figure of international transit (in-bond) which allows for the transportation of goods from the Port of Ensenada to the United States and vice versa, by the main border crossing through Otay Mesa, Tecate and Mexicali.

It is estimated that in the first year of its implementation, it may increase 15% of the container goods getting into the Port of Ensenada. Some of the products which will have access are: wines, cigarettes, textiles, footwear, toys, paper rolls, auto parts and tires and some others in import and export.