Tijuana, Baja California, MEXICO, April 17, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Last week, Co-Production International (CPI) hosted twenty-eight students from the Fermanian School of Business at Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) for a manufacturing in Mexico seminar and tour. The seminar was held at the California-based ICON Aircraft facility in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. The tour focused on giving the university students a first-hand look at high tech manufacturing processes taking place in Mexico and at ICON's facility, augmenting their studies with real-world insights.

"As the students learn about the complex nature of international business in terms of language, cultural, legal, transportation, and many other barriers, it was great to see how CPI acts as a partner of companies to make the process of engaging in international business easier. As Tijuana is a very close neighbor to San Diego, visiting CPI was a great way for students to learn about an actual option for businesses they may work with in the future," said Lauren Chafin, the International Trip Coordinator for PLNU, the San Diego based university.

CPI's Denisse Martinez, Director of Marketing and Business Development, and Alejandra Portugal, Project Coordinator, gave the students an overview of Mexico's key manufacturing sectors, how international companies get started in Mexico, and a crash course on the maquiladora shelter program that allows manufacturers to get up and running quickly. The students keyed in on the shelter company services, something they hadn't heard of before, noting how shelter company providers like CPI support manufacturers from the beginning evaluation and site selection stages, to setting up and ultimately administering the facility.

"Another takeaway for students was that just because it is lower cost to manufacture in Mexico does not mean that it is lower quality – we were all very impressed with the facilities, quality, and work of CPI and your partner ICON. CPI provided a great review of the shelter program and work of assisting international companies to manufacture in Mexico. Not only was the staff a pleasure to work with and learn from, we really appreciated how CPI is about more than the bottom line. CPI values their employees and treats them well," commented Chafin.

The students were accompanied by Chafin, Robert Gailey, the Director of the Center for International Development, and Randal Schober, Professor in the Fermanian School of Business at PLNU. After the presentation by Martinez and Portugal, the students were treated to a tour by two engineers at ICON's Tijuana facility. ICON Aircraft manufactures composite airframe structures for it's A5 aircraft. ICON opened its Tijuana facility in 2016, joining the ranks of over 82 high-tech aerospace manufacturers including Gulfstream, Lockheed Martin, Eaton, and UTC Aerospace systems. Tijuana boasts the highest concentration of aerospace and defense manufacturing operations in Mexico.

"The PLNU students were inquisitive and enthusiastic. They had a lot of questions about Alejandra's and my role at CPI, how we got into the industry. You could see their eyes light up at the possibilities for employment in international trade and manufacturing. California, and especially the border region, have decades-long community and business ties. They saw a future in the strength and collaboration between US manufacturers and the high-tech industries making products in Mexico," said Martinez.

SOURCE Co-Production International