Maylin Guerrero (Text & photo)

The presence of more than 400 international companies at the Cubaindustria 2014 convention and fair are today, an expression of their interest in continuing and expanding joint enterprises in Cuba.

Presented and discussed during the event were potential collaborative industrial projects with foreign investors, such as new technological alliances for the development of the recycling industry and production of transport equipment,

Such is the case with the Spanish company Cecauto, present on the island since 2004, which is proposing to construct factories for the assembly of 2,000-3,000 motors, 1,000 gear boxes and their replacement parts, annually.

Cecauto representative Lorenzo Herrera commented to Prensa Latina that the idea is to facilitate the development of Cuba’s automotive industry. The new Foreign Investment Law and Mariel Special Development Zone provide opportunities to produce much demanded automotive goods within the country, supplying raw materials and necessary equipment to the area to work towards substituting imports, a common objective for both Cuba and Cecauto, he stated.

Herrera commented that that the project is considered long term, as the prospects are great, and currently only in the investigation stage, although very ambitious and mutually beneficial. In Cuba, Cecauto has machinery to produce pressure hoses and automobile parts, with ample opportunities to expand under the new Foreign Investment Law.

Also in attendance at Cubaindustria 2014 is PDVSA Industrial, a conglomerate of key economic importance with 16,000 employees, leader in the Venezuelan oil industry and involved in five other sectors: heavy and light manufacturing; infrastructure construction; plus the chemical and shipbuilding industries.

Described by its director, Juan Carlos Carballo, as the heart and lungs of the vast nation, the company is among PDVSA’s non-oil subsidiaries, which promote the strategic development of the country. Its objective is to create an industrial network in areas associated with PDVSA’s chain of production, establishing complete economic and technological sovereignty and respecting the principle of state ownership of the means of production to meet the people’s social needs.

Carballo highlighted the Construpatria company - responsible for supplying all materials for Venezuela’s Great Housing Mission - as an outstanding example of a PDVSA non-oil subsidiary. He also stated that PDVSA Industrial was attending Cubaindustria 2014 since it is the best forum to promote the enterprise’s work, sell its products, and strengthen ties with Cuba.

Carballo continued commenting on the existence of a joint enterprise, Guardian of ALBA, as well as a University of Computer Science technology entity; and Rejuvensa which works with the Raw Materials Recovery Union to recycle scrap metal, as well as other joint ventures with China, Bulgaria, and Venezuela’s private sector.