Companies to watch: industry leaders expect dynamic growth in 2005

Latin Trade, Jan, 2005

EQUANT

Latin American multinationals will increasingly rely on communications as an engine of growth in 2005. An effective network infrastructure is critical to reaching new prospects worldwide, while meeting customers' demands for 24/7 service, according to Francisco Navarro, vice-president Sales & Marketing, Equant Latin America.

"Effective, seamless and secure business communications are a key enabler of strategic advantage for today's large multinational corporations," says Navarro, whose company is a leader in delivering outsourced solutions to multinationals throughout the region. "Well-managed communications systems are also critical for lowering operating costs and meeting essential business continuity and regulatory compliance issues."

Equant's fully managed solutions encompass optimization of network for application support, security, telephony, mobility messaging and infrastructure management, providing a key strategic asset for large corporations. They are adapted to each customer's unique requirements and can easily be extended to a global level.

The key benefits for Latin American customers in banking, manufacturing, services and many other industries, include a reduced total cost of ownership and a greater ability to focus on their core businesses.

Equant has unmatched network coverage among global telecom providers in Latin America and the Caribbean with more than 160 network points of presence (POPs) in 31 countries. Equant maintains a Class A hosting facility in Sao Paulo and a global customer service center in Rio de Janeiro.

Major customers in the region include Burns Philip (Argentina), Cementos Bio-Bio y Correos de Chile, (Chile), Carvajal (Colombia), Merck (Mexico), and CVG (Venezuela). Equant also supports leading Latin financial companies such as Banco Itau, Citibank, Banco de Credito, BANESCO and Banco Canarias.

Equant's 450 Latin America regional team is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, with sales offices in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. Equant also benefits from the full support of France Telecom, its strategic shareholder. For more information, visit www.equant.com.

INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the world's largest and most global hotel company, is continuing its expansion strategy in Latin America. In Brazil, IHG is opening the Crowne Plaza Curitiba and the Holiday Inn Express Santa Felicidade in Curitiba, in one of the country's fastest growing cities. Other new IHG properties include the Holiday Inn Salvador Bahia, and the Holiday Inn Select Belem.

"Brazil continues to demonstrate positive results for our mid-market hotel group, making it an ideal location for continued expansion of the Holiday Inn properties," says Alvaro Diago, area president of InterContinental Hotels Group Latin America.

IHG's properties in Brazil include the Holiday Inn Select Jaragua and the Holiday Inn Parque Anhembi; both opened in 2004 in Sao Paulo. The Holiday Inn Parque Anhembi is the third largest IHG property in the Americas and the fifth largest Holiday Inn in the world. Recently, IHG opened the Holiday Inn Express Santa Fe in Santa Fe, Argentina, and the Holiday Inn Express Santiago, in Santiago, Chile. IHG also plans to develop the InterContinental Playa Bonita Resort in Panama, complementing its resort properties in Mexico and the Caribbean.

One of IHG's landmark properties, The Crowne Plaza Buenos Aires-Panamericano in Buenos Aires was recently honored for its multi-million dollar renovation. In the Caribbean, the Holiday Inn SunSpree Aruba and Holiday Inn Jamaica are undergoing comprehensive renovations.

IHG has been serving Latin America for over 58 years and is represented in nearly every key market in Central and South America, making it one of the leading mid-market hotel companies in Latin America. IHG's portfolio includes InterContinental[R] Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza[R] Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn[R] Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express[R], Staybridge Suites[R], Candlewood Suites[R] and Hotel Indigo. For more information, visit www.ihgplc.com.

SEABOARD MARINE

In 2005, Seaboard Marine, Ltd. is expecting increased demand for its ocean transportation services between the United States and the Caribbean Basin, Central and South America.

Reasons for the company's optimism range include the potential passing of DR-CAFTA (Dominican Republic, Central America Free Trade Agreement), the existing Chilean Free Trade Agreement as well as the pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. Another factor is the weak dollar, which is creating a strong demand for U.S. products in international markets. Rebuilding efforts from the recent hurricanes in the Caribbean are also fueling north-south trade.

With a fleet of more than 30 vessels, Miami-based Seaboard Marine is well equipped to handle all types of cargo, including oversized project and wearing apparel cargoes for the 807/9802 program. Seaboard Marine is the largest volume tenant at the Port of Miami and operates as a non-union entity in a 75-acre private terminal, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To protect cargo, Seaboard Marine has installed the most advanced, state-of-the-art, motion sensitive security system in the United States, which will be monitored by U.S. Customs 24 hours a day. Seaboard also owns a port in Houston (Jacintoport) and has operations in New Orleans. For more information, visit www.seaboardmarine.com.