经济学人286:墨西哥边境工厂 兵临城下

　　Business
商业报道
Mexico's maquiladoras
墨西哥边境工厂
Big maq attack
兵临城下
A 50-year-old export industry that provides millions of jobs has to reinvent itself quickly to stay competitive
维持了半个世纪的出口产业提供了数以万计的就业岗位，现今他们不得不迅速改造以保持足够的竞争力
ELECTRONICS are like drugs.
电子产品就像毒品一样利润巨大，
You can buy them for 1 and sell them for 40, says Jordi Muoz, a 27-year-old Mexican entrepreneur.
1美元买入的廉价货你可以40美元高价卖出。 27岁的墨西哥企业主祖狄穆诺兹如此说道。
People in Tijuana, where he makes small, insectlike drones for civilian¹ use, would probably prefer he used a different metaphor²: the city is trying to put its narcotic³ reputation behind it.
穆诺兹在提华纳创办了一家制造民用小型遥控飞机的工厂，在那里人们或许更喜欢与之不同的说辞：这座城市正试图甩掉这个蒙蔽性的名头。
2_副本.jpgBut Mr Muoz feels free to say what he likes, because he has found the holy grail for exporters in northern Mexico. He has brought inventive flair⁴, not just deft⁵ fingerwork, to the process of making things .
但是穆诺兹觉得自己想说什么就说什么，因为他为墨西哥北部的出口公司找到了圣杯：不仅仅是加工制造，而是如何制造。
Mr Muoz's drone-producing plant is a maquiladora, a factory that enjoys special tax breaks.
穆诺兹的遥控飞机厂是一家能够享受税额优惠的美墨联营工厂。
When Mexico set up the first maquiladoras half a century ago, they were sweatshops that simply bolted or stitched together imported parts, then exported the assembled product north across the border to the United States.
半世纪前，墨西哥首家美墨联营工厂还是血汗工厂，简单的组装、焊接零部件，再将那些装配产品出口美国。
America got cheap goods;Mexico got jobs and export revenues.
如此一来，美国廉价商品，墨西哥则增加了就业岗位、增加了出口收入。
Now, with competition growing from other low-cost locations, and with the government cutting some of their tax breaks, the maquiladoras are having to step up their efforts to become innovative⁶.
现在，来自其他生产成本低廉国家的竞争日益加剧，政府逐渐减少税额优惠，墨西哥境内的美墨联营工厂不得不努力创新。
On October 18th the lower house of Mexico's Congress approved President Enrique Pea Nieto's proposal to sweep away a range of deductions⁷ and allowances that the maquiladoras enjoy.
10月18日，墨西哥国会众议院批准了总统裴纳尼托的提案，该提案取消了美墨联营工厂享受的一系列减税及补贴的权利。
In general, Mexicocollects less tax than other middle-income countries, and the government is striving to raise more revenues to improve its lamentable⁸ public services.
总之，比起其他中等收入国家，墨西哥税率更低，政府正试图增加财政收入，用于改善其落后的公共设施。
But the maquiladoras already face stiff competition from other countries offering juicy tax breaks to manufacturers: KPMG, an accounting⁹ firm, last year rated Mexico worse than five of its main rivals in terms of tax competitiveness.
但是，其他国家正制造商提供诱人的税额优惠，美墨联营工厂已经面临着激烈竞争。毕马威会计事务所称，去年墨西哥在税额优惠方面已经落后于其五个主要竞争对手。
Accountants at another firm, Deloitte, reckon the reforms, if passed by the upper house in the coming days, will raise the maquiladoras' effective income-tax rate from 17.5% to at least 30%.
会计事务所会计师认为，如果上院同意了该项提案，美墨联营工厂实际税率将从17.5%涨至至少30%。
Over the years the maquiladoras have already lost much basic work, such as stitching together fabrics¹⁰, to cheaper places in Asia, like Bangladesh.
多年以来，联营工厂已经损失了不少基本工作，如服装生产已经转向了亚洲成本更低的国家。
But more recently, rising pay in Chinese factories has madeMexico look an attractive location once more.
但是，最近中国工资水平上升让墨西哥再度焕发生机。
According to the maquiladoras' industry association, their exports and foreign investment each grew by more than 50% between 2009 and 2012, to 196 billion and 7.4 billion respectively.
据联营工厂产业协会称，2009至2012年，墨西哥的出口及国外投资增长速度都超过了50%；其中，出口、国外投资分别增至1960亿美元、74亿美元。
Employment, having fallen sharply in the wake of the global financial crisis, rebounded¹¹ by 25% to just over 2m, slightly above the average for 2007-08.
此前，在全球经融危机的大背景下，墨西哥的就业率大幅下滑；现在，就业率上升了25%，失业人口仅超过200万，这一数值仅比2007-2008年的平均水平略高。
Carmakers, in particular, have been investing heavily in Mexico in response to a recovery in sales across the border in theUnited States.
随着美国汽车销量的增长，汽车制造商在墨西哥大举投资。
The lure¹² of cheaper shores
廉价诱惑
However, the tax rise risks prompting a fresh wave of departures to cheaper shores:
然而，税率的增长恐怕会引起制造商新一轮的转移浪潮：
even impoverishedHaitiis now touting¹³ itself as a hub for low-cost assembly.
即便是贫困的海地现在都已低成本制造吸引投资。
So the maquiladoras are having to up their game, moving into more sophisticated types of manufacturing and doing more product design.
因此，美墨联营工厂必须升级换代，转向制造更为精密的产品，设计更多的产品。
On the first score, there has been some progress: much of the stitching done inTijuanathese days is not of T-shirts but of finicky medical devices such as stents, made of fine pig tissue.
他们的首次尝试也取得了一定的成绩：如今的提华纳变革的不是服装加工，而是精密的医疗设备，比如由优质猪肉组织制作的支撑管。
The aim of Mr Muoz's company and others like it is to go a step further and to get involved in design and development.
像穆诺兹这样的工厂正进一步转型，逐步走向设计与开发。
If they succeed, they stand to gain some of the investment that American manufacturers are expected to make, as they shift work closer to home in reaction to rising costs in China.
如果能够成功，他们一定能够获得美国制造商正在考虑的投资项目，中国生产成本的增长使得那些制造商转移到离美国更近的国家。
Otherwise, those firms may instead be tempted¹⁴ to put their new plants in American states such as Nevadaand New Mexico.
另外，那些制造商或许会被美国国内某些州，如内华达、新墨西哥抢走。
These may not be able to match Mexican labour costs, but they have a better-educated workforce¹⁵ and are offering attractive tax rates and utility costs.
上述各州或许劳动力成本不如墨西哥低廉，但是那里有受过更好教育的劳动力，并提供足够诱人的税率及通用费用。
Aerospace¹⁶ and defence companies are among those thought likely to nearshore some of the manufacturing currently sent to China.
宇航及防务公司同样在考虑迁回当前在中国的制造工厂，
The maquiladora zone nearTijuanaalready has more than 50 firms in these industries, and it is here that the efforts to become more innovative are most visible.
提华纳附近地方的美墨联营工厂区有超过50个此类工厂，这是这种地方其创新的愿望最为强烈。
The Tijuanaplant of Zodiac Aerospace, a French company, makes aircraft interiors.
位于提华纳的法国佐迪亚克航宇公司专门生产航空器内部构件：
Downstairs, nimble-fingered women glue window-frames onto interior panels, and technicians operate machines that cut, stamp and weld metal parts.
车间里，动作麻利的女工们将窗框粘贴到航空器的内墙板上，技工则操纵机器切割、冲压、焊接金属部件；
But upstairs, young engineers are hunched¹⁷ over computers. One is designing from scratch a netting system for planes' overhead lockers¹⁸, to stop luggage shifting during flights.
而在研究室，年轻的工程师都在电脑上埋头研发，一名工程师刚开始为航空器的头部储物柜设计网络系统以免行李在航行过程中飘移，
He has proudly attached a note saying Made inMexico on his screen.
他还骄傲的将一个写着墨西哥制造的标贴贴在自己的电脑上。
His boss, Raul Perez, says that product design is the next logical step for his firm—and for Mexican manufacturing in general. It hasn't been easy, he admits.
他的老板劳尔佩雷斯称下一步公司便会着眼于产品设计，佩雷斯坦承对于墨西哥制造业来说这并不容易。
Mexican universities and colleges tend to produce engineers expert in industrial process rather than products; they are good at making production lines more efficient, but not at inventing what goes on them.
墨西哥的高等院校更倾向于培养工业工序方面的工程师，而不是产品设计工程师，这样培养出来的学生更擅长让生产线更高效运作，而不会产品设计。
So Zodiac, which used to train recruits in-house, now sends its staff into universities to teach, and helps design courses that will produce engineers suitable for his industry.
因此，过去Zodiac企业内部培训新人，现今则派遣员工到大学里，指导、帮助学校进行课程设计以利于培养需要的工程师。
Even more than other industries, aerospace needs skilled and versatile¹⁹ workers.
即便是在其他企业，宇航公司同样需要技术出众、复合型员工。
Honeywell, one of the biggest aerospace firms in the region, employs 350 people in the design, engineering and testing of aircraft components²⁰ inMexicali, the capital of Tijuana's home state of Baja California.
霍尼韦尔公司，提华纳地区最大的宇航公司之一，在墨西卡利招聘了飞机部件设计、工厂、测试工作人员共计350人。
But on a recent visit, its boss, David Cote, told reporters the talent pool lagged other potential aerospace hubs such as eastern Europe.
但是，霍尼韦尔公司老板告诉记者这批人中有来自其他航空准发达地区，诸如东欧。
He said Mexiconeeded more multi-skilled engineers able to work in mechanics, electronics and software.
他说，墨西哥需要有更多能够在机械、点子、软件方面都能胜任的复合型工程师
Another drawback for the maquiladoras is that they have not developed local suppliers:
联营工厂的另一短板是他们没有成熟的本地供应商：
less than 5% of their inputs²¹ are sourced within Mexico.
他们的投入仅有不到5%是来自墨西哥。
Aerospace is a particularly demanding field because safety standards require a high degree of certification for all the parts that go into an aircraft; and suppliers making components for defence equipment are subject to strict security requirements.
航空业的要求特别高，因为安全标准规定航空器上的每一个另见都有极高的安全保证，为防护设备制造部件的供应商同样严格执行安全标准。
To become a plausible²² aerospace cluster, and attract more investment from the world's top manufacturers, the maquiladoras around Tijuananeed to bolster²³ the local supply chain, as well as produce more engineers capable of product design.
要想成为看上去可信的宇航基地，吸引更多来自世界顶级制造商的投资，提华纳周边的联营工厂需要支持本地的供应链，培养更多产品设计工程师。
For decades, low costs have made the maquiladoras one of the two main pillars ofMexico's exports, second only to oil.
过去的几十年里，生产成本低廉让联营工厂成为墨西哥仅次于石油的第二支柱。
From now on, creativity will be a better way of beating the competition than cost.
从现在起，比起低成本，创造力将会成为击败竞争对手的更有力武器。
1.provide to 为...提供
What help file do you want to provide to your users?
您想给您的用户提供什么帮助文件？
What kind of information do production managers and foremen provide to their boss.
生产经理和领班向他们的老板提供何种信息。
2.civilian use 民用
The cost of building uavs is falling, making them more attractive for civilian use.
建造无人机的成本正在下降，因此建造这些飞机来进行民用显得更具吸引力。
This, it was claimed, would be a true test of whether iran was only interested in enriching uranium for civilian use.
对此，有人声称，将会是对伊朗的一次真正的考验，来试探它对”铀浓缩“感兴趣是否仅仅为了民用。
3.step up 走上；增加
It plans to step up its protests.
他们计划加紧他们的抗议活动。
American police will step up training and vetting²⁴ of their counterparts.
美国警方将加快对墨西哥警察的核查和培训。
4.a range of 一系列的
He also faces a range of corruption²⁵ charges.
他还面临着一系列贪腐指控。
You'll often find a range of grapes in the very old world.
在这些古老的国家你常常会发现各种各样的葡萄种类。

1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 metaphor   

n.隐喻，暗喻

参考例句：

• Using metaphor,we say that computers have senses and a memory.打个比方，我们可以说计算机有感觉和记忆力。
• In poetry the rose is often a metaphor for love.玫瑰在诗中通常作为爱的象征。

3 narcotic   

n.麻醉药，镇静剂；adj.麻醉的，催眠的

参考例句：

• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。
• No medical worker is allowed to prescribe any narcotic drug for herself.医务人员不得为自己开处方使用麻醉药品。

4 flair   

n.天赋，本领，才华；洞察力

参考例句：

• His business skill complements her flair for design.他的经营技巧和她的设计才能相辅相成。
• He had a natural flair for business.他有做生意的天分。

5 deft   

adj.灵巧的，熟练的（a deft hand 能手）

参考例句：

• The pianist has deft fingers.钢琴家有灵巧的双手。
• This bird,sharp of eye and deft of beak,can accurately peck the flying insects in the air.这只鸟眼疾嘴快，能准确地把空中的飞虫啄住。

6 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

7 deductions   

扣除( deduction的名词复数 )； 结论； 扣除的量； 推演

参考例句：

• Many of the older officers trusted agents sightings more than cryptanalysts'deductions. 许多年纪比较大的军官往往相信特务的发现，而不怎么相信密码分析员的推断。
• You know how you rush at things,jump to conclusions without proper deductions. 你知道你处理问题是多么仓促，毫无合适的演绎就仓促下结论。

8 lamentable   

adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的

参考例句：

• This lamentable state of affairs lasted until 1947.这一令人遗憾的事态一直持续至1947年。
• His practice of inebriation was lamentable.他的酗酒常闹得别人束手无策。

9 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

10 fabrics   

织物( fabric的名词复数 )； 布； 构造； （建筑物的）结构（如墙、地面、屋顶）：质地

参考例句：

• cotton fabrics and synthetics 棉织物与合成织物
• The fabrics are merchandised through a network of dealers. 通过经销网点销售纺织品。

11 rebounded   

弹回( rebound的过去式和过去分词 )； 反弹； 产生反作用； 未能奏效

参考例句：

• The ball rebounded from the goalpost and Owen headed it in. 球从门柱弹回，欧文头球将球攻进。
• The ball rebounded from his racket into the net. 球从他的球拍上弹回网中。

12 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

13 touting   

v.兜售( tout的现在分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• He's been touting his novel around publishers for years. 他几年来一直到处找出版商兜售自己的小说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Technology industry leaders are touting cars as a hot area for growth. 科技产业领袖吹捧为增长热点地区的汽车。 来自互联网

14 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

15 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

16 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

17 hunched   

（常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的

参考例句：

• He sat with his shoulders hunched up. 他耸起双肩坐着。
• Stephen hunched down to light a cigarette. 斯蒂芬弓着身子点燃一支烟。

18 lockers   

n.寄物柜( locker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I care about more lockers for the teachers. 我关心教师要有更多的储物柜。 来自辞典例句
• Passengers are requested to stow their hand-baggage in the lockers above the seats. 旅客须将随身携带的行李放入座位上方的贮藏柜里。 来自辞典例句

19 versatile   

adj.通用的，万用的；多才多艺的，多方面的

参考例句：

• A versatile person is often good at a number of different things.多才多艺的人通常擅长许多种不同的事情。
• He had been one of the game's most versatile athletes.他是这项运动中技术最全面的运动员之一。

20 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

21 inputs   

n.输入( input的名词复数 )；投入；输入端；输入的数据v.把…输入电脑( input的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Uncheck the inputs checked for optimization in the previous stage. 不测试那些已经测试过的优化了的以前步骤的inputs.（变量参数）。 来自互联网
• Just in case, save in a file the inputs obtained at the previous stage. 以防万一，保存以前步骤获得的inputs（变量参数值）到一个文件中去。 来自互联网

22 plausible   

adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的

参考例句：

• His story sounded plausible.他说的那番话似乎是真实的。
• Her story sounded perfectly plausible.她的说辞听起来言之有理。

23 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

24 vetting   

n.数据检查[核对，核实]v.审查（某人过去的记录、资格等）( vet的现在分词 )；调查；检查；诊疗

参考例句：

• Scripts had to be submitted to Ministry of Information officials for vetting. 必须把脚本提交给信息部官员审查。 来自互联网
• Their purpose in clicking deeper into a site is one of vetting. 他们深入点击网站的目的是一种诊疗。 来自互联网

25 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。