No better name to describe SRs than the one chosen by
its founders.
SR is a name synonymous to building super car replicas.
SR is a car manufacturer with qualified carbonfibre mixed with kevlar
craftsmen who have over thirty years experience in the
carbonfibre mixed with kevlar replica industry.
The motto SR a name you can trust is a slogan our staff
stands by with dignity. Our professional service and
devotion of our staff to make better carbonfibre mixed with kevlar replicas
in a shorter time frame gives SR the ability to move
ahead in the 21st century. To compete internationally in
this new era of modern technology of the carbonfibre mixed with kevlar
replica industry, SR has had to advance in quality and
efficiency. Today at SR we use some of the world’s most
advance technology to recreate a pattern mould of a new
model car that was just released into the car market.
The high technology we use to produce our replicas gives
us the ability to have a wider range of super cars for
you to choose from in the SR Catalog.
In 2008 SR announced their new campaign of going global.
SR World is now our new name. When SR made the giant
step to penetrate the international car market we were
faced with new challengers from our competitors. Before
SR was building replicas exclusively for the Latin
American car market, but now we are expanding our
production by including Europe, Asia and North America.
Exporting cheaper replica cars around the world does not
mean the quality is compromised in anyway. In fact with
low overheads and competitive incomes measured on the
economy of Latin America, SRhas more resources available
to use in improving our technology, giving us the
competitive advantage to expand the range of designs in
our replicas. SR uses some of the world’s best engineers
and tradesmen in the industry to create our master
pattern moulds. SR maintains a quality before quantity
standard always even when facing the new challengers of
expanding into the global market. Exporting hasn’t
inhibited our ability to create high quality Replica
kits with the best competitive prices.
Thanks to the NAFTA agreement, building SR kits in Latin
America means we can build them at lesser costs. The
prices of our SR are measured by the awarded wages paid
to our employees. The rates of income are very different
to those in Europe and North America. In fact even the
lifestyle is cheaper in Latin America than in the
Western World. For this reason alone the cost of
building replicas in Latin America is very low compared
to the high salaries and costs of the average Western
World employees The average salary of a Latin American
carbonfibre mixed with kevlar worker is US$7.00 a day compared to the
hourly rate of an American carbonfibre mixed with kevlar worker of US$20.00
an hour. The average American only works 8 hours a day
making an expense of US$140.00 a day. The average Latin
American works 10 to 12 hours a day at the expense of
US$7.00 a day. This is why SR World faces greater
challengers from our competitors.
Below is a list of some of the newest SR releases. Now
more than ever SR is expanding their replica development
by producing a broader variety of sports-cars. SRs New
Releases 2008 Rolls Royce soft top 2008 Reventon LAMBO
2008 LAMBO Gallardo Spyder (soft top optional) 2008
LAMBO Gallardo Superleggera (soft top optional) 2008
LAMBO Murcielago (soft top optional) 2008 Porsche
Carrera GT (soft top optional)
Executive
Summary of NAFTA and how it functions.
This is a brief overview of the opportunities available in Mexico to firms contemplating overseas production sharing in the form of Mexico's Maquiladora or "in-bond" program. Important factors which make Maquiladoras attractive include: • Low cost labor: Wages range from 15% to 25% of comparable rates in the U.S. Normal work week is 48 hours. Productivity often exceeds the U.S. rates. (U.S. Bureau of Labor) • Favorable duty/tax treatment: Southbound, the Mexican government allows duty-free imports of all materials and machinery needed for the plant. Northbound, many North American sourced products are now duty free under NAFTA. • 100% Ownership of subsidiary: Leaves total control for all operations in the hands of the parent. There are professional services available to handle such matters as personnel, accounting and import/export management. • Proximity to U.S.: Lower turnaround times compared to other low labor rate countries, lower transportation costs, and the ability for managers or skilled technicians to commute on a daily basis to the Mexican facilities is possible in the border areas. • Access to the Mexican Market: Maquilas may currently sell up to 55% of their previous years export output in Mexico's 90 Million person consumer market.
What is a Maquila?
A Maquiladora or Maquila (used interchangeably) is a
plant in Mexico that retains a Maquiladora Permit from
the Mexican government to import raw materials duty free
into Mexico for manufacturing, assembly, repair or other
processing. The foreign company must agree to re-export
a majority of its production. Originally known as the
Border Industrialization Program, the Maquiladora or "in
bond" industry was designed to reduce unemployment in
the border regions. Mexico gains over $3 billion in hard
currency each year for its foreign exchange balance, as
much as from tourism. Mexico hopes to also benefit from
the technology transfer and training provided by foreign
companies as they integrate with the local economy. Each
Mexican administration has supported the industry with
new laws and decrees designed to streamline the process
and increase foreign investment. Maquilas may now easily
sell to other Maquiladoras. Job creation south of the
border reduces immigration pressure and helps strengthen
and stabilize the Mexican economy. There are many jobs
created in the U.S. to support and supply the industry,
since over 95% of Maquiladoras' raw materials and
machinery are sourced in the U.S. Mexico's currency was
overvalued before the December 1994 financial crisis.
The subsequent free-fall in the value of the peso is now
spurring Maquila growth. NAFTA is also forcing third
country (mostly Asian) manufacturers to establish North
American facilities to gain duty free access to the
Mexican Market.
Source: Twin Plant News, U.S. Bureau of Labor Proximity
to the world's largest consumer market, favorable tariff
treatment in both directions, and relative political
stability has made Mexico an especially attractive site
for off-shore production and assembly. The Mexican
government allows 100% foreign owned subsidiaries to
operate in Mexico. The Mexican government sees the
Maquiladora as a tool for the diversification of Mexican
industry– the first step to economic self-sufficiency.
This is an opportunity that cannot be ignored by any
manufacturer with processes that include a significant
labor content.
Article 27, Section 1 of the Mexican constitution
disallows the foreign ownership of land in the
"forbidden zone" – that area of land within 100
kilometers of the borders or 50 kilometers from the
coasts. Leases were allowed for a maximum period of ten
years. This applied to any company that did not
specifically exclude foreign shareholders. A 1971 law
allowed foreigners to purchase land through a trust
called a Fideicomiso with a Mexican bank. The bank holds
the title, while all benefits of ownership are retained
by the foreign owner. The latest Foreign Investment Law
passed in December of 1993, has continued the gradual
loosening of restrictions to foreign ownership. Foreign
owned Mexican corporations – even 100% foreign owned
corporations – can now directly purchase commercial and
industrial (non-residential) real estate without
requiring a trust. Foreigners may now directly purchase
residential land in the forbiden zone through a
Fideicomiso, with an initial term of 50 years. Under
most conditions the Fideicomiso can be extended for a
new 50 year term. Typical costs for finished industrial
pads range from $3.00 to $9.50 per square foot along the
U.S. border. Prices are usually higher than what most
foreign companies expect due to the few sellers and
limited land with industrial infrastructure. Many land
lords will only lease, prefering to keep the property as
a patrimony to their decendents.
What Companies use Maquilas?
Almost all of Americas largest and best known companies
have some sort of manufacturing operation or subsidiary
in Mexico. These include the auto industry giants like
GM, Ford and Chrysler, and most of their suppliers, like
Champion Sparkplugs and Cooper Tire. Rockwell
International, Baxter Healthcare, IBM, Hughes Aircraft
and Black & Decker also manufacture in Mexico. There are
over two thousand U.S. manufacturers directly operating
Maquilas. Japanese companies like JVC, Sharp, Sony,
Sanyo, Casio, Kyocera, Pioneer and Cannon have plants in
Tijuana. Taiwanese and Korean manufacturers like Ichia
Rubber, Samsung and Hyundai are also setting up plants
in Mexico. The motivations of these companies are not
only the labor rates but also low tariff access to the
U.S. market. Source: SECOFI The preceding chart shows
the Maquila industry's diversity, which has been
steadily increasing over the last few years. The
percentages shown are for number of employees. The
Maquila is now an open system, whereby companies can buy
raw materials, components or packaging materials from
other Maquilas or Mexican companies. As more companies
enter the Maquila market, the diversity of materials,
services and sub-assemblies available in Mexico
increases,facilitating component sourcing. PC board
assemblers, printers, packaging, safety and industrial
parts suppliers, and plastic, metal, and foam
fabricators and molders supply maquilas on a
Just-In-Time basis from nearby contract shops. This will
be a major source of cost improvements in the future for
those companies that take advantage of it.
Where are they?
Most maquilas are located in the Mexican border states
of Baja California and Chihuahua. The cities which have
attracted the overwhelming majority of maquilas are
Ciudad Juarez across the Rio Grande from El Paso and
Tijuana, San Diego's southerly neighbour. The larger
maquilas are typically found in the Juarez area, whereas
there is a large number of small Maquilas in Baja
California. The intensity of Union activity decreases as
one heads West along the border – Tamaulipas unions, on
the Eastern seaboard, boasts over 90% control of the
maquilas located there, and only 5% of Tijuana's
maquilas are unionized. Some of the other states with
significant Maquila activity include:
The profit associated with moving production to Mexico
depends on the balance between labor cost reduction,
tariff and transportation costs and the fixed cost of
the move. There is a continuum of alternatives available
depending on the size and time frame of the operation
needed in Mexico and the specific skills required of the
labor force. The general terminology used for these
alternatives is: 1) sub-contract– when the assembler
bills on a per unit basis– 2) shelter – for
administrative services with a labor hour billing
scheme, and 3) Wholly owned and operated subsidiary.
There are a continuum of options depending on negotiated
contracts. Some wholly owned subsidiaries contract for
certain services such as import/export and accounting
support with traditional 'shelter' companies. Some
shelters pass through many costs . Under the traditional
shelter, the U.S. company supplies capital equipment,
raw materials and technology. The shelter handles
start-up permits, basic facilities, labor, customs,
accounting, legal, and transportation on the Mexican
side of the border. Different firms handle these aspects
differently. Some will provide a menu of services
including personnel, import/export management, freight
forwarding, general administrative, accounting services
or initial permit processing from which to chose; others
will provide only a complete turnkey approach. The cost
of these services are burdened to direct labor hours and
charged to the U.S. firm. These charges are typically
between $3.00 and $10.00 per direct labor hour,
depending on the number of workers and the contractual
obligations of the shelter. The shelter can be a fast
method of entry into Maquila production because a
manufacturer can focus on establishing the production
process, and can let the shelter handle administrative
and start-up issues. After a few months or sometimes
years, the administrative, personnel, import/export and
accounting systems are established and the shelter is no
longer needed. Wholly Owned Subsidiary: This alternative
takes the most time, energy and capital to start-up, but
if the commitment is long term or the number of direct
line workers exceeds 100, it is usually the most cost
effective. Fully burdened labor costs in Tijuana range
from $1.00 to $3.50 depending on skills required.
Different industries and shelter operators will
experience different cost structures, but it is
generally agreed that it is not worth setting up a
shelter or subsidiary for less than 15 direct laborers –
the start-up costs and overheads associated with
management, import/export and transportation in Mexico
are not worth the savings attained with such a small
direct labor force. As the size of the operation grows,
the wholly owned subsidiary becomes the most
economically attractive way to enter into Mexico. The
difficulty of starting a subsidiary has been steadily
decreasing as the Mexican government and institutions
have matured. There is now a Maquila window at SECOFI
(Secretary of Commerce and industry) where many of
initial permits can be applied for with just one stop.
Location Decision
The location decision for industrial facilities takes on
a special significance in Mexico. In a macro sense,
cities on the border offer different rewards and
problems than interior cities. The border offers easy
access and greater infrastructure but higher labor and
land costs. The interior can be a real bargain for labor
and land but at the price of difficult transportation,
infrastructure and communications. The right choice
depends on U.S. market locations, personnel skills
requirements, freight volume, and U.S. based management
intensity. In the micro sense, location within a Mexican
market can be even more critical. Proper location can
reduce labor costs as much as 25% and, more importantly,
reduce labor turnover by as much as 75%. The key
variables are proximity to worker housing and industrial
density. Workers who can walk to work will accept lower
wages to avoid a commute. They also exhibit greater
loyalty to a job that allows them more time with
families. Other significant issues of plant location are
permit status, zoning, and infrastructure availability.
Not every property marketed in Mexico for industrial use
has industrial zoning and not every property can be
approved for a Maquila permit by SECOFI and SEDESOL.*
Reliable infrastructure availability is location
sensitive as well. Most facilities in Mexico are
constructed on a build to suit basis due to the lack of
bank financing for real estate development. Construction
time is generally 4-7 months depending on the season.
The construction period allows time for the permit
process and infrastructure hook-up. Construction costs
for a typical 30,000 square foot shell warehouse range
around $15 dollars per foot. Rents in Tijuana range from
$0.30-$0.40 per foot on a shell basis. The quality of
construction has improved dramatically in Mexico in
recent years. U.S. style concrete tilt-up buildings are
now available in the major Mexican markets. Prices
remain reasonable at levels slightly below comparable
U.S. space. Maquila Properties Lomelin keeps abreast of
all available commercial real estate and can find the
best alternatives based on your site selection criteria.
Once the best sites are selected, Maquila Properties
will negotiate the most favorable terms and lowest total
occupancy cost and flexibility.
Labor
This is the reason companies come to Mexico. Wages are
low in dollar terms. The regular work week is 48 hours.
Productivity is high if management learns how to
effectively deal with the Mexican laborer. It must be
recognized that Mexicans come from a very different
cultural background, the types of incentives used in the
U.S. may not be motivating to the typical Mexican
laborer. Mexican family life continues until a
relatively advanced age. Many households include members
from three or four generations. Respect for elders
carries to the workplace. Stratification of the
different classes of society is still strong. Titles and
position are more important in Mexican society than in
the U.S. Subordinates are not used to being delegated
authority. The use of qualified, experienced Mexican
management is of great help in learning the proper
management tools for effective management of our very
different neighbors. There are proffessional recruiting
companies that can help you find just the right
management.
Labor Laws
Mexican Law establishes the minimum wage as well as
fringe benefits. Wage scales are adjusted periodically
and vary by region. The rate is based on a 48 hour work
week. In addition to the seven legal holidays, the
worker is entitled to a week vacation paid at a vacation
pay rate of 25% more than his normal pay. After each of
the first five years of service, an additional 2 days
paid vacation must be granted for each year. A Christmas
bonus of 15 days pay must be paid on or before December
20. Overtime pay is twice the regular rate, and cannot
be more than 9 hours per week. Work on Sundays or
holidays are paid at a rate at least 25% higher than the
normal wage. A profit sharing program amounting to at
least 10% of pretax profits must accrue to all employees
of 1 year or more. Payroll taxes include INFONAVIT, a
housing tax and mandatory employer contribution to a
retirement plan equal to 5% of the payroll, education
tax of 1%, and Social Security tax that varies between
occupations. The Social Security tax averages around 15%
and covers hospitalization, medical care, surgery,
unemployment and old age compensation. There is also a
Baja California state tax on incomes. The total burden
is approximately 35% but call your Mexican accountant
for the latest rates in this dynamic system.
Taxes
Mexican tax is constantly changing. The latest changes
are associated with the 1994 tax treaty between the US
and Mexico Periods of hyper-inflation have strained the
governments ability to formulate equitable rules. A
recent method of accelerated cost recovery allows a
company to depreciate 51% of the value of an asset in
its first year of use. This asset can no longer be
depreciated after the use of this deduction. This, along
with a five year carry forward of losses allows
companies to shield profits very effectively. Careful
tax planning with a top-notch Mexican accountant will
pay for itself many times in the course of your Mexican
investment. Here are some of the most important Mexican
tax considerations: Asset Tax. The latest in a series of
taxes designed to reduce tax evasion is the 1989 2%
Asset tax. This is a minimum alternative tax that comes
into play when a company pays less than 2% of its asset
value in income tax. This tax does not apply in the
first two years of operation and is not currently
creditable under the U.S. foreign tax credit. The value
of assets includes the liabilities associated with the
assets. Income Tax. Corporate income tax is progressive
up to a maximum of 34%. I.V.A. (Value Added Tax). A
value added tax is imposed on all sales and imports in
Mexico. This tax amounts to 10% of normal sales or
imports. Exports are not taxed. A Maquila can be
credited with the IVA that they have paid to Mexican
suppliers when they export. An important aspect of the
Maquila Program is that this allows the Foreign owned
company to avoid the IVA tax upon importation of raw
materials and machinery imported temporarily. The Future
The positive factors of the NAFTA for the Maquiladora
industry include a lowering of costs of Mexican sourced
products, reduction in transportation costs, a broader
range of financial and insurance options, and easier
access to the Mexican consumer markets











