Silicon Valley-Based Electronics Manufacturer

Opens 30,000-sq-ft Rosarito Beach Facility

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---Victron Inc., a Fremont-based manufacturer of electronics for Fortune 500 companies, on Thursday held the grand opening of its new Rosarito facility.

Victron’s 30,000-sq-ft facility will offer printed circuit board assembly, in-circuit testing and other electronic products and services for medical, industrial and other original equipment manufacturing customers.

More than 15 foreign-owned manufacturers now have facilities in Rosarito. That includes Sharp, which produces more than one million large flat-screen televisions in the city each year, said Rosarito Mayor Hugo Torres, who gave welcoming remarks Thursday.

“I want to thank you for deciding to come to Rosarito and helping us create jobs and create revenue,” Torres said Thursday in remarks to Victron executives and others.

Todd Lovejoy, Victron’s chief operating officer, said strong and ongoing company growth led to the opening of the new facility.

Rosarito was selected because it has an excellent work force, proximity to the border and a city government that is very supportive, Lovejoy said. He said the process of opening the $1 million Rosarito facility took only four months.

 “Mayor Torres has done a phenomenal job of welcoming us here,” he said.

Lovejoy, who is familiar with Rosarito because he visits often and first surfed here 25 years ago, said it also is an extremely safe city in which to do business. “We don’t feel like there is any problem at all and our customers all feel comfortable here,” he said.

Victron in Rosarito initially will employ 17 people, a number that will grow to 58 in a year, Lovejoy said. The initial investment will reach about $2 million. 

 Rosarito Opens $150,000 Skate Park

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---This city on Saturday opened a $150,000 skate park in Colonio Benito Juarez to provide additional positive activities for young people.

The park, funded half by the city and half by the Federal Ministry of Social Development, has a variety of platforms and ramps that can be used by skateboarders, skaters and bicyclists of various skill levels. There is no usage charge.

"This park is part of our overall efforts to provide positive activities, sports and recreation for city youth,” said Mayor Hugo Torres, who presided at the opening.

Local skaters also presented a signed plaque in appreciation of city efforts. The park had been discussed previously before being completed by the current city administration.

 The event was attended by Alfredo Quintero, Secretary of Administration and Finance; Cautencio Lamb, CEO of Plan Libertador, Jorge Crosthwaite, Director of Social Development.

Also, Arturo Gonzalez, Director of the Promotion of Urban Development, Andrew Luna, director of the Institute of Municipal Sports and Juana Leticia González, Director of DIF

Rosarito also has begun construction on its first Boys & Girls Club, for which funding still is being collected.

‘Up With People’ Members Help With Rosarito Clean-Up

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---A team from the international youth group Up With People visited Rosarito this month for a clean-up project in the Morelos section of Rosarito.

Students from eight countries worked with the city’s department of Integral Family Development (DIF) and its graffiti unit to paint and repair vandalized walls of the daycare and library in the area.

"We greatly appreciate the work and message of these young people as they represent a great example for everyone," said DIF director Juana Leticia González.

Sofia Alvarado, a native of Costa Rica and a spokeswoman for Up With People, said that such activities are conducted throughout the world. Students who visited Rosarito are part of a 90-member group offering earthquake assistance in Mexicali.

They are Lei Huang and Joan Zhang, China; Francois de Courual, Canada; Sean Roach, United States; Rodeleine Tellinden and Aurelie de Hevilus, Belgium; Lin Flo, Norway;  Darkeen Geissmann, Liechtenstein; and Cecilia Dantas, Brasil.

Up With People is a nonprofit student organization founded in 1965 in the United States . Members travel the globe bringing entertainment to raise funds for humanitarian aid and work by themselves in the communities they visit.

     Since its inception, 21,000 students have brought assistance and entertainment to 42 countries. (Accompanying photo shows Up With People students with DIF staff members in Rosarito)