Scottish firms are being urged to look to Mexico for new business opportunities, with the north-east seen as particularly fertile territory for likely candidates to pick up work.
The call to take part in major projects in the North American nation comes from Judith Macgregor, the UK ambassador in Mexico.
There are already strong oil and gas links between the north-east and Mexico, boosted by a visit by its president, Felipe Calderon, to Aberdeen last year but Mrs Macgregor and her embassy staff believe many more companies from the region could play a major role in the country’s energy industry.
Opportunities to work in Mexico are increasing, thanks to recent legal reform giving national oil firm Pemex more autonomy to have contracts with both domestic and foreign companies.
Mrs Macgregor said unfavourable headlines about Mexico during the past year should not put Scottish firms off, adding: “Swine flu and occasional drug-related violence paint a negative image that simply doesn’t do justice to this modern, vibrant country.
“The real story behind the headlines is that Mexico offers British companies some incredible opportunities.
“With a market of 107million consumers, huge biodiversity and abundant natural resources, it is a country with a lot going for it.”
She said Mexico had fared better than other so-called emerging markets and most of the G8 economies during the global recession, adding: “Some analysts predict Mexico will be the world’s fifth largest economy by 2040 and fourth by 2050.
“Mexico is often viewed as a tough nut to crack, even for the seasoned exporter, but doing business there is no more difficult than in other emerging markets and in many cases much easier.
“There has never been a better time to consider Mexico as a place to do business.”
North-east firms already active in the country include Aberdeen-based Whittaker Engineering, which designs and manufactures a range of specialist products for the offshore oil and gas industry.
Managing director Ken Whittaker said: “The Gulf of Mexico is one of the biggest oil fields in the world and we have had business there on and off over the past decade or so.
“This has intensified in the past four years as our customers are getting busier.”
Last year, the company decided to set up its first overseas facility in the Mexican town of Ciudad del Carmen in the Campeche region.
Mr Whittaker said: “Mexico is an ideal location for us.
“It has a large population and a skilled workforce.
“Having a local presence allows us to serve our Mexican customers better and makes it easier for us to pursue new opportunities that arise.”