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The United States has garnered a reputation as the largest foreign investor in Colombia and Valle del Cauca. The history of this region has largely been linked to the presence of multinational companies that have helped develop more efficient production lines and diversify its corporate fabric. These companies have contributed to the development and prosperity of the region.
Valle del Cauca is a Colombian region known as the “cradle of multinational companies” and for boasting the most diverse corporate fabric, since it has been receiving foreign investment since the 1940s. Currently, more than 200 foreign capital companies from the Americas, Europe and Asia are operating there, some of which have manufacturing plants dating from 80 years ago. Their relevance to the economy of the region is demonstrated by the fact that they contribute more than 40% of its exports and 20% of its GDP.
Among the companies already established in the region, the US stands out as the main investor accounting for 20% of all the multinationals present in Valle del Cauca. It is the country that has invested the most in this region of the Colombian pacific with operations in tech, pharma, food and beverages, just to mention the most outstanding sectors. The US is also the biggest investor in Colombia with around 450 companies established in the country according to data from AmCham Colombia.
According to estimations by Invest Pacific (The Investment Promotion Agency of Valle del Cauca) more than 75 American companies have invested in this Colombian region, with investment amounts as high as $890 USD. They are also estimated to have created more than 10.500 jobs across different municipalities, including Bolívar, Buenaventura, Buga, Cali, Calima, Candelaria, Guacarí, Palmira, Restrepo y Yumbo; and municipalities north of the Cauca River such as Caloto, Puerto Tejada, and Santander de Quilichao.
All these American companies have made the most of the immense infrastructure and connectivity, corporate fabric, qualified and available talent, competitive costs, and logistics efficiency opportunities Valle del Cauca has to offer. These companies have been able to set up both manufacturing and export operations, since Valle del Cauca is conveniently close to the Buenaventura Port and it is a multimodal platform.
Valle del Cauca has also been fertile grounds for bilingual BPO contact centers, as well as American companies that develop software. These companies are currently outsourcing to large global-sized stakeholders. Fruit production and export agribusiness companies can also be found there, since the region, is a major agricultural force that holds 35,3% of the total national production. This sector has been a driving force in formalizing farming at a large scale, which benefits rural communities.
One of the oldest and most important American companies in Valle del Cauca is Ingredion, a global leader in industrial ingredients. Ingredion has two plants in Colombia, one of which is located in Cali, capital city of Valle del Cauca, where they produce corn-based ingredients. They currently employ 571 Colombians, 83% of whom are based in Cali.
Of note are also other companies that are currently thriving in the region: Kimberly Clark’s new production line, located north of the Cauca River; Vistex, an agritech company; Virtual Guard, a surveillance software company, and Moove It, a software development company with brand-new offices located in the region’s capital city.
Most recently, TasKus, an American multinational company specializing in digital corporate services and digital CX solutions for the main global innovators, has begun its third year of business in their Cali offices, aptly named “the Arena”. This company is committed to fostering bilingualism in the region in order to drive up job opportunities.
Other companies in the long list of American companies in the region include GoodYear, Pricesmart, Abbott, Clarios, Green Fruit Avocados, Johnson & Johnson, Aptar, Cargill, Sitel, Alorica, Mondelez, DirecTV and Emergent Cold.
The 200 year-long history of the bilateral relations between Colombia and the United States are a testimony of the many opportunities that regions such as Valle del Cauca have to offer to all American companies.
Invest Pacific and its partner ProColombia provide support for foreign capital companies seeking to expand operations in this area of the Colombian Pacific.
If you wish to explore investment opportunities in this region in southwestern of Colombia, please contact Invest Pacific at: https://investpacific.org/en/
