Lastly, ME runs the National Committee for Productivity and Technological Innovation (Comité Nacional de Productividad e Innovación Tecnológica—COMPITE), which provides SME consulting and training services. The objective of the program is to help SME to be more competitive by increasing productivity and improving quality. COMPITE consultants use best-practice business development and management models to improve the management of firms. Between 2001 and 2006, COMPITE supported close to 50,000 firms, which had to pay part of the cost of the services.
Services SME Hours Participants SME with ISO 9000 certifications
Table 6 COMPITE: Main Results 2001-2006 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 12,949 13,226 14,192 12,512 16,901 6,585 8,550 10,184 9,168 13,746 82,804 76,003 204,450 238,912 291,097 42,005 35,394 62,876 57,195 65,881
307
238
277
227
257
2006 1,338 778 28,426 14,390
Total 71,118 49,011 921,692 277,741
195
1,501
* Data from 2001 to June 2006. Source: Secretaría de Economía (2007c)
Bancomext Banco Nacional de Comercio Exterior (Bancomext) is the country’s export-import development bank. Bancomext supports the participation of Mexican firms in global markets, providing financing, training and technical assistance. Bancomext targets SMEs with export sales of up to US$20 million per year. The bank’s major support mechanism is direct medium and long-term credit to exporting firms. In addition, the bank offers direct and Internet-based information services about foreign markets and exporting procedures and requirements for Mexican firms. The bank also promotes the participation of Mexican SMEs in international trade fairs to promote foreign investment in Mexico. Table 7 Bancomext: Main Results 2001-2006 Resources mobilized (million USD) Firms benefited Year Insurance and Loans Total SME Total guarantees 4,893 619 5,512 1,628 1,716 2001 5,442 1,551 6,993 1,807 1,866 2002 5,435 742 6,177 1,202 1,257 2003 4,986 437 5,423 751 826 2004 5,254 138 5,392 533 584 2005 4,865 87 4,952 N/A N/A 2006 30,875 3,574 34,449 5,921 6,249 Total Source: Bancomext (2006a and 2006b)
Bancomext has two main programs: Crediexporta and the Technical Assistance Program (Programa de Asistencia Técnica—PAT). Crediexporta is Bancomext’s most important financing program mainly targeted to SMEs. The program has five different modalities: (i) 7