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f you have never thought about operating your business in El Salvador, the reasons why you should may surprise you.
        In the past 10 years, El Salvador has transformed itself into one of the most stable economies and plural democracies in the Americas.
        El Salvador enjoys an economic regulatory framework allowing free enterprise and foreign investment to assume leading roles in the country's development. There are no government controls on interest rates, foreign exchange or the repatriation of capital or profits.
        El Salvador offers foreign investors a competitive platform for conducting worldwide business with access to first-rate infrastructure and business services.
        Primary industrial and service-oriented sectors include agribusiness, manufacture, electronics, textiles and apparel, call centers and tourism.
        In agribusiness the priority areas include the production and processing of vegetables, fruits, ornamental plants, flowers and marine industries. El Salvador's tropical climate makes it an excellent environment for a variety of agricultural products.
        Call centers seeking to operate in El Salvador can take advantage of the country's fully privatized telecommunications sector.
        Multinational corporations already operating in El Salvador include AT&T, France Telecom, Telefonica of Spain and Sweden`s Millicon.
        Also, multinational electronic corporations such as GMT and AVX Corporation have already set up successful assembly operations in El Salvador, directly benefiting from the country's modern technology, automation systems and skilled technical labor force.
        More than 250 textile and apparel companies, including many of the industry's top brands, already call El Salvador home. The country offers a variety of services – including embroidery, industrial laundry, dyeing and finishing – which help Sara Lee Intimates, Levi`s, Liz Clairbone and other brands compete in today's crowded marketplace.
        International hotel chains like Marriott, Radisson, Inter-Continental, Holiday Inn and Comfort Inn attest to the tenacity and diligence of the Salvadorans who perform well in their jobs and demonstrate a high-quality service culture recognized all over the world.
        Successful manufacturing operations such as South African Breweries and International Paper are examples of specialization in manufacturing and assembly.
        Foreign investors often use the more than 15 Salvadoran free zones for manufacturing, assembly and other productive activities, but can also benefit from establishing distribution centers in these areas, as have multinational companies including Philips, Unilever and Bimbo.
        It's easy to do business in El Salvador. To know more about the country and to obtain information, you only need to contact the Investment Promotion Agency of El Salvador, PROESA.
        The investment opportunities are many; we invite you to come see why El Salvador works for your investment.

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highly pro-business government, political stability, investment-grade debt and a population eager to participate in the industrial development boom in Latin America are helping El Salvador emerge from the shadows of the larger players in the region.
        Free trade agreements with Mexico and other key markets in the Western Hemisphere and a competitive corporate tax rate of 25 percent are behind foreign direct investment of US$500 million in the past two years.
        Among recent projects under way in El Salvador is a $20-million expansion of Bayer AG's Bonima production facility in Ilopango – the largest pharmaceutical production facility in Latin America. The expansion brings Bayer's investment in the facility to $60 million.

        "Investments in machinery and equipment are exempt from duty, and you don't pay any import duty on raw materials," says Dr. Gerhard Wiech (inset, left), Bayer's regional manager, Central America & Caribbean. An incentive for exporting products outside of Central America also is in place, which is not the case in neighboring Central American countries, says Wiech.
        South African Brewery-Miller PLC (SAB Miller) invested in a soft drink bottling plant in late 2001 and plans to expand the facility to include canning operations. The plant is operated by Embotelladora Salvadorena (Embosalva), the largest producer and distributor of carbonated soft drinks in El Salvador.
        "Doing business in a truly dollarized economy is very important to any foreign investor, because he knows he won't be affected by [local currency] devaluation," says Jose Carlos Bonilla (inset, right), president of Embosalva, of the motivation behind such investments as SAB-Miller's. El Salvador has been fully U.S. dollarized since January 2001. "The fiscal policies in this country have been simplified substantially," he adds.