Mayan Train Contractor Now Hiring

Portuguese engineering company Mota Engil, leader of the Lumat consortium in charge of building the first segment of the Mayan Train, has announced a round of new hirings for key positions within the construction process. The company will be hiring locally in the state of Tabasco. The first segment of the Mayan Train begins in Palenque, Chiapas. It then crosses the state of Tabasco to conclude in Escarcega, Campeche.

Ready for More? Here’s the Week in Infrastructure!

SICT, Quintana Roo Announce Three Highway Projects

SICT, the government of Quintana Roo and the municipal government of Benito Juarez announced a plan to develop three highways via a public-private partnership, aiming to improve the state’s vehicular infrastructure. “The agreement between the three entities will establish the development of joint strategies, instruments and actions for the construction of the Nichupté vehicular bridge, the modernization of Boulevard Luis Donaldo Colosio and its junction with the airport, as well as the extension of Avenue Chac Mool and its connection with other means of road communication,” reads SICT’s press release.

Mexico City Inhabitants Debate Impact of Gentrification

The gentrification debate is back on the agenda for CDMX inhabitants. Last week, a tweet posted by Becca Sherman sparked controversy and revived a conversation around rising housing prices and its effect on the local population. Sherman lives in CDMX while working remotely in the US and therefore earns significantly more than many natives. This allows her and people in similar positions to afford a relatively luxurious lifestyle. CDMX is one of the Latin American cities with the highest rental prices, ranking fourth after Santiago de Chile, Montevideo and Buenos Aires. During the last few years, apartment rents have increased significantly. Between 2020 and 2021 alone, apartment rent prices increased by 30 percent.

Ternium to Invest US$1 Billion in Nuevo Leon

In an effort to grow its product portfolio, Ternium will invest US$1 billion in its Peaqueria, Nuevo Leon plant. The new investment program seeks to serve the automotive, renewable energy, construction, agriculture and home appliances industries. The investment will enable the expansion of Ternium’s production capacity for advanced high-strength and ultra-high-strength steels toward the first half of 2024. The project includes the development of a new cold rolling mill, a hot-dip galvanizing line, a push-pull pickling line and new finishing lines. The steel company operates in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, the US and Central America, although Mexico is its most relevant market.

New Generation of Buses to Arrive in Mexico

Swedish heavy-vehicle OEM Scania, in collaboration with Mexican body manufacturer Beccar, announced that the Volt and E-Urviabus will arrive in the Mexican market in 2022. The E-Urviabus will be Scania’s first 100-percent electric bus and the first to have its body built in Mexico. Unlike other e-buses available in the country, Scania and Beccar partnered to develop a specific product for the Mexican market, given the country’s particular conditions and specific needs. The Scania Volt is a fully-electric, 19-ton, 11-meter chassis vehicle with a low floor designed for large cities. It can carry 90 to 110 passengers. It is pluggable and its 10 batteries, which charge 330kW per hour, provide an autonomy between 250 and 300km.