BajaNomad

News from Exportadora de Sal, S.A. de C.V. And Guerrero Negro

mtgoat666 - 1-9-2025 at 11:15 PM

What’s going on at Exportadora de Sal, S.A. de C.V.?

https://oem.com.mx/elsudcaliforniano/local/exportadora-de-sa...

Sounds like they are not selling, and have almost a year of product in storage. Staff hours cut.

Doesn't sound very positive for the GN economy…

David K - 1-10-2025 at 09:00 AM

Didn't you hear?
The Mexican government, now in control of the salt company, raised the price of the salt beyond the customer's budget.
At least that's how I read it.

wilderone - 1-10-2025 at 09:00 AM

"The state president indicated that between 5 and 6 million tons of salt are stagnant, "our company has not wanted to waste money, we prefer to keep the salt that does not spoil and look for new markets that pay the price of salt, it is above 20 dollars a ton.”

Worldwide, the price of industrial salt per metric ton is 23 to 24 dollars. The Government of Mexico seeks to sell it at 26 dollars per ton, which has stopped sales and left ESSA workers in uncertainty.

Currently, workers are no longer being compensated for working overtime, which was the highest income in their contract."

Good luck with that.

David K - 1-10-2025 at 11:52 AM

Thanks for that info, Cindi!

Skipjack Joe - 1-11-2025 at 04:07 PM

$20 for a ton of salt? Doesn't seem to be worth the work.

mtgoat666 - 1-12-2025 at 12:00 AM

https://www.razon.com.mx/opinion/2024/04/30/no-saben-que-hac...

Sounds like ESSA has a lot of deferred maintenance, and may have fallen apart. Salt is hard on equipment, must take a lot of maintenance to keep the equipment running.
A years worth of production in inventory.
And oldest customer japan found a new cheaper provider in australia.

JDCanuck - 1-12-2025 at 12:17 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Didn't you hear?
The Mexican government, now in control of the salt company, raised the price of the salt beyond the customer's budget.
At least that's how I read it.


Can't blame the Mexican government for being unwilling to sell at a loss just to keep the customer happy. In the midst of anticipated trade wars this article might shine some light on how complicated the present trade agreements are and who really benefits the most from them:

https://www.co-production.net/mexico-manufacturing-news/usmc...

[Edited on 1-12-2025 by JDCanuck]

Tioloco - 1-12-2025 at 06:32 AM

Curious as to how many people are employed there from GN?

Don Jorge - 1-12-2025 at 08:29 AM

From the original posted article, "Esta situación pone en riesgo la economía de poco más de mil familias que dependen de los empleos que genera la Exportadora de Sal, S.A. de C.V. de manera directa e indirecta."

Over a 1000 local families directly or indirectly dependent on the biz for their livelihoods.

The article indicates it is less than a years production in inventory, not really that much for producers of any non perishable commodity.

Ask any grain grower. They will tell you more storage is more better. It is always part of any marketing plan to be able to store lots of non perishables to weather the inevitable market variances.

It seems a lack of capital funding by the government to properly run such an operation is the real problem. A minimum amount of cash on hand to run the biz year to year including deferred sales would be prudent as would a regular maintenance program on the capital investment.

Good luck to the folks of Guerrero Negro. I always liked that town and its seemingly middle class affluence. I hope the government can figure out what it takes to run a for profit business.

JDCanuck - 1-12-2025 at 11:05 AM

That last sentence says it all, Don Jorge. But perhaps it's just better if they transfer it back to private interests? Government run or heavily subsidized industries have a history of not surviving when confronted with those that must modernize and invest to stay in business.
It does tho seem like an opportunity for some enterprising individual to build a secondary market and higher paid jobs from a centralized source of abundant raw material and a grateful work force. Any ideas? What do the present customers do with the salt they buy? Food processing maybe? And speaking of food, I am really missing the excellent Baja cuisine now that I'm back in the land of hamburgers and fries. The refried beans we have up here are junk and the fresh fruit availability is almost entirely absent.


[Edited on 1-12-2025 by JDCanuck]

surfhat - 1-12-2025 at 02:02 PM

Industrial salts are not fit for human consumption. Nothing new, I know.

Anyone know if any of the GN salt ends up on a dinner table? Maybe from the very top of those huge mountains of salt piled up on the way out to the whale boats?

The salt does make for a very nice roadbed out to the whaleboats. Could this industrial salt be used elsewhere for roadwork? I know little, obviously. A Saltworks tour should be considered one of these days.

wilderone - 1-12-2025 at 02:13 PM

Yes, GN salt is packaged for sale for table salt. More than one retailer of Baja salt.

Bwana_John - 1-12-2025 at 02:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by surfhat  
Industrial salts are not fit for human consumption. Nothing new, I know.

Anyone know if any of the GN salt ends up on a dinner table? Maybe from the very top of those huge mountains of salt piled up on the way out to the whale boats?

The salt does make for a very nice roadbed out to the whaleboats. Could this industrial salt be used elsewhere for roadwork? I know little, obviously. A Saltworks tour should be considered one of these days.



I believe the Japanese (Mitsubishi) used the salt (NaCl) to produce HCl (Hydrochloric acid) for industrial purposes.

cupcake - 1-12-2025 at 03:07 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Tioloco  
Curious as to how many people are employed there from GN?


Quote: Originally posted by Don Jorge  

Over a 1000 local families directly or indirectly dependent on the biz for their livelihoods.


I walked through the 'company town' at GN in mid-2024. It seemed to be alive with most, if not all, houses occupied. It is a fairly extensive area. Presumably all these occupants are still employed at the Salt Works?

rts551 - 1-14-2025 at 11:10 AM

As far as I am aware the salt works have always been owned 51% Mexican government and 49% Mitsubishi.

Don Jorge - 1-14-2025 at 02:39 PM

Quote: Originally posted by rts551  
As far as I am aware the salt works have always been owned 51% Mexican government and 49% Mitsubishi.

From the OPs original linked article:

"PASÓ A MANOS DE LA NACIÓN
Con un total de mil 500 millones de pesos, el presidente de la República, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, formalizó el 24 de febrero de 2024, la compra del 49 por ciento de las acciones de Exportadora de Sal S.A. de C.V. (ESSA) a la empresa japonesa Mitsubishi Corporation, asumiendo la gestión total de la empresa, el 51% de las acciones ya era propiedad del gobierno mexicano."

In February 2024 the Mexican government bought Mitsubishi's remaining 49%, giving Mexico 100% ownership.

My 2 cents: Labor and Transportation costs have increased and aging equipment is long overdue for replacement. Markets have become more competitive and export demand has eroded as USA domestic salt supplies are adequate in normal snow event years. I'm guessing Mitsubishi was more than happy to get out now.

41% of all salt used in the USA is for rock salt, NaCl, for use on roads in the winter time. 2023 road salt use was estimated at 41 million tons.

Again, good luck to Guerrero Negro.

JDCanuck - 1-18-2025 at 12:56 PM

With all that excess salt sitting around, seems like a great place to initiate the newer Sodium Ion battery manufacture thats been growing so rapidly in China for EV use in cheaper EVs and also solar storage batteries. Time for Mexico to modernize their manufacturing a bit more.

mtgoat666 - 3-3-2025 at 07:56 AM

Latest news: ESSA still not selling much salt, and workers talking about striking due to lack of OT hours/pay.

If govt cant run ESSA successfully, will they sell it? And to who?

But maybe things will turn around… https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/empresas/exportadora-sal-afi...

[Edited on 3-3-2025 by mtgoat666]