Page 110 - Forbes - USA (March 2018)

Promotion

items for both the automotive with end users. So we started clients who are con-
and residential sectors, says, “It a brand-recognition process. cerned about the
is business as usual. In fact, we We have opened about 50 sales possible ramifica-
have many new projects with franchises in our name and offices tions of any changes
U.S. companies that manufacture throughout the Americas. We to NAFTA.
in the U.S. but want to come to plan to double our number of “What we do is
Mexico to be more competitive.” franchises by next year.” analyze their contrac-
Grupo Merik Enterprises is To further penetrate the U.S., tual conditions, see
involved in the manufacturing Grupo Merik Enterprises has how tax increases
of metal auto parts, a sector bought innovative Canadian could affect them
William J. Arturo Merikanskas,
with “great growth potential,” door and gate-automation com- and, in case NAFTA
Waggoner, CEO, CEO, Grupo Merik
Merikanskas believes; “We have pany Service Door Industries, is dissolved, con-
Mexico Petroleum Enterprises
been granted many licenses to which extends its range of in- sider the relevant Company
produce goods in Mexico and demand technologies. To date, measures to take to
export them to the U.S. and the company has grown organi- prepare for the worst-case sce- substantial investments in elec-
elsewhere. To make the most cally, but it is now considering nario,” he explains. tricity and hydrogen, and in the
of this, we have embarked on bringing in external investors, in “An eventual increase in tar- construction sector there are big
new ventures, such as hot forg- order to take full advantage of iffs with the U.S. will not mean projects.”
ing, and are investing in renew- the potential in its markets. the end of commercial relations FDI is also coming in for world-
ing our processes to be more between us, and we should not class industries, as the Mexican
competitive.” The Legal Position forget that we have the Gen- workforce becomes increasingly
The company is also Mexico’s While there is general opti- eral Agreement on Tariffs and skilled and specialized, he points
market leader for garage doors mism about the future of trade Trade to fall back on,” Junquera out: “Mexico is the first coun-
and door openers, which it between the two countries, “it Sepúlveda notes. try to have a university focused
sells to property owners. Here is always better to prevent prob- Mexico already has a wide on the aeronautical sector, for
again, the company is confi- lems and be prepared,” states range of international trade example.”
dently investing. “We were very Junquera Sepúlveda. Junquera agreements, and he expects The legal system itself is a sec-
well positioned in business-to- y Forcada is one of a number more will follow. This, coupled tor that has seen considerable
business, but not necessarily of Mexican law firms with U.S. with the recent reforms in Mex- reform. “Today we have con-
ico, will soon result in a huge ciliation, arbitration and other
increase in FDI, he says: “The alternatives to solve conflicts.
severe structural reforms were We did not have these before
very important and are already and it favors international inves-
working — a window of oppor- tors. Everything is more agile and
tunity is opening for Mexico.” provides certainty,” he declares.
Junquera y Forcada is a lead- Luis A. Cervantes Muñiz, law-
JUNQUERA Y FORCADA, S.C
ing boutique firm that has had yer and partner at Cervantes
Integral Legal Services commercial and professional Sainz, confirms that Mexico’s
Civil, mercantile and criminal links with the U.S. for over three judicial and legal system “works
litigation services. decades. To ensure it continues if you want it to work — and if you
Legal consultancy at a domestic to offer its increasing number of know how to make it work. You
and international level. foreign clients the best advice, just have to know how to apply
Corporate consultancy.
it has joined more international or implement the law. My job is
bar associations and taken on to give credibility to the Mexican
extra staff, although it intends to legal system and to let investors
remain boutique and selective. know that they are protected.”
Its lawyers have also received One of the main differentia-
detailed training on the coun- tors of his firm of about 60 law-
try’s recent reforms, provid- yers is that it specializes in both
ing Junquera Sepúlveda with transactional and litigation ser-
insight into the prime sectors for vices. From offices in Querétaro,
investment. Cancún and Mexico City, the
Agriculture in Mexico is receiv- Cervantes Sainz team “goes to
ing significant FDI, Mexican criminal, civil and administrative
food products are increasingly courts every day,” notes Cer-
+52 (55) 5488-1420 visible around the world, and vantes Muñiz.
bufete@junquera.com.mx the predicted boom in energy Another specialty is assisting
www.junquerayforcada.com.mx is not limited to oil and gas, he investors during mergers and
states: “We are witnessing very acquisitions, which Cervantes

2 Economic Development