I have previously written about the benefits received and obstacles faced by foreign investment; I have also discussed the almost nil incentives offered by state governments in Mexico. To this date, states in North Mexico have proved to be not only the most proactive and therefore greatest benefited by foreign investment, these states also have a larger and better infrastructure than Mexican Southern States, except for the State of Mexico and the Federal District. The reasons are obvious, but lay mainly in development capacity, education level of people and purchasing power - which could be a subject to be discussed some other time - not to mention geographical position.

On the other hand, private companies represent an incentive for foreign production. Governments must be closer to the Private Sector, because it is the Private Sector that will offer services to foreign investors.

Business groups which assets are located in Industrial Parks have been one of the sectors that have received the most benefits from markets opening and multinational companies´ expansion. This sector of real estate industry represents a strong incentive for foreign investors and therefore becomes one of the first and main job creation mechanisms. This is due to the fact that they are the first to create a suppliers chain for the foreign investor, providing also a place for operations.

Industrial parks and state governments must work together, for several reasons, to increase foreign investment; they both are as well the first "thermometer" of the environment lived by multinational companies upon starting operations in a foreign country.

Industrial parks are in some cases a factor even more important than incentives - rather poor - that a state may offer, because they eventually represent the main costs of a foreign company operating abroad.

I am also fully convinced that the role industrial parks play in employment, foreign direct investment, sustainable development and regional development is an essential and decisive factor for the establishment of new companies in Mexico. Unfortunately the lack of this type of real estate has forced many companies to look in other cities that already have supply chains and the required infrastructure usually offered by industrial parks. There are states that have a fast company- opening-system, which makes investors more confident and provide a quick response upon starting their operations, making it also easier to have a total interaction between government agencies and the private sector. It is clear enough to me that industrial parks corridors adjoining, for example, railways and highways are industrial detonators and development poles for the places where they are located. Maybe one of the best ways to start said development poles are precisely industrial parks which I am convinced are a very strong mechanism to attract investment and generate jobs.