The FINANCIAL -- In 2011 Walmart de México y Centroamérica plans to invest a record amount of $18.97 billion pesos, to increase its sales floor by 12.2% in Mexico, and 8.8% throughout the five countries where it operates in Central America.

In Mexico, the investment will be $14.09 billion pesos, with which it plans to build 365 new units, resulting in the creation of 20,000 permanent new jobs, and over 40,000 indirect ones in the construction industry.

Throughout the five countries where it operates in Central America, the investment will amount to $4.88 billion pesos, according to Walmart.

The announcement was made by Scot Rank, Chief Executive Officer for Walmart de México y Centroamérica, in meeting held on February 24 with Mexican President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, at the presidential residence.

"In 2011, Walmart de México y Centroamérica will invest a record amount in Mexico, some $14.09 billion pesos, slightly more than one million dollars. With this investment we will create over 20,000 new direct jobs and an additional 40,000 indirect ones tied to the construction sector. Never before have we invested such a large amount of resources in a single year, and it is proof of our commitment to and confidence in Mexico,” said Scot Rank, CEO for Walmart de México y Centroamérica.

Scot Rank pointed out that the benefits of this investment include the circulation of money to other sectors. “Many Mexicans with scarce resources pay very high prices for their food, clothing and household goods. With the investment we are announcing today, we can take products at affordable prices to more families, many of which live in remote areas of the country. Moreover, the construction of new stores means an opportunity for thousands of suppliers. Today we have over 20,000 suppliers in Mexico -60% of which are SMEs- from whom we purchased over $260 billion pesos in 2010. This figure will undoubtedly be higher in 2011 and with that we will assist Mexico’s industrial plant and its workers.”

Considering the investment scheduled for 2011, during Mr. Calderón’s administration Walmart de México y Centroamérica will have invested $57 billion pesos and created 69,000 direct permanent jobs.

In 2010 Walmart de México y Centroamérica opened 297 units, 267 in Mexico and 30 in Central America, with an investment of $13.1 billion pesos. This investment represented the creation of 14,214 jobs, and 490,000 m2 of additional sales floor.

Sales in 2010 totaled $334.51 billion pesos, 24.2% more than 2009. In 2010, the Company served 4.4 million customers per day.

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