In 2026 they will start operating in Escuintla Supertex, a Colombian group of textiles and clothing. The information was confirmed to Free press Alejandro Guillén, Spectrum industrial business manager and who works with Synergy Industrial Park, confirming that the first phase has already begun for the following year.
Guillén indicated that there will be a land of 10 thousand square meters of roof and that, during the initial stage, about a thousand jobs will be generated. This company will be dedicated to making high -level sportswear, he said.
SuperTex It operates in Colombia and El Salvador, with two factories in each countryand specializes in the manufacture of clothing for international sportswear brands.
Although the contracts of the brands for which it will be manufactured from Guatemala are confidential, according to their website, some of their customers globally are Adidas, Arena, New Balance, Nike, Patagonia, Tommy Hilfiger, Under Armor, Zumba, Victoria ‘S Secret, The North Faceamong others. “SuperTex Group has the production and distribution license of the Arena brand in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Its presence in the market includes 30 stores in Colombia, three in Peru and an electronic commerce platform” indicates its LinkedIn profile.
Supply to the US market.
Synergy Industrial Park is located at kilometer 53, in Escuintla, where the company will be located. According to Guillén, It is a strategic point with connections to Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and for internal distribution in the country. It is a project designed with international standards to be able to attend local and international companies in the best possible way, he said.
The reason to enter Guatemala, said Guillén, It is the phenomenon of Nearshoringwhich consists of approaching the main market that you want to provide through settlement in a country with better location. Guillén explained that the company that will enter Guatemala It intends to supply the United States market.
According to Antonio Romero, former Minister of Investment and Competition of the Ministry of Economy (Mineco), Guatemala is receiving investments in the costume and textile sector. It is a sector that is already very well positioned in Guatemala as an investment destination, where increasingly intensive investments, Romero said, who added that the country has become a competitive region, especially in the production of costumes and textiles that even reach the North American market.
Jobs from industrial parks
For 2023, Yazaki operations begana company that produces light auto parts in Guatemala. The first phase began with an investment of US $ 10 million and generated 200 jobs, with the intention of expanding. Yazaki is located within the Public Economic Development Zone (ZDEEP) Isthmus, also known as Industrial Park.
According to the free zone of industry and commerce (Zolic), the investment generated in the country from 2019 to 2024 amounts to US $ 564.8 million and currently 31 companies operate in these parks, located in different sectors of the country.
Romero details that the Public Economic Development Zones have generated around 124 direct jobs, 433 indirect jobs by developers and 1 thousand 358 direct jobs by Users of the ZDEEP. In addition, he assured that in the five free zones, during 2024, 3 thousand 132 jobs were generated.
Freddy Palma, general director of the Puerta del Istmo free zone, said they started in 2020 with four approved areas throughout the country and currently have 16 authorized areas. Of these, five are already in operation and the other 11 are in the process of construction. We have grown greatly, which we have contributed to having those conditions that Guatemala needs to be able to install companies that are looking for us as that strategic place to be able to market with Guatemala.
According to Palma, the remaining industrial parks could be ready at the beginning of 2026. We believe that between 2025 and 2026 we could generate another 10 thousand jobs, said Palma, who clarified that this depends on the companies that enter the new parks. Currently, he says that around 2,500 permanent jobs have been generated in the five ZDEEP.
In addition, Palma said they have alliances with the Intecap to seek the necessary human capital to cover the available positions. According to him, employment generation helps reduce migration, since opportunities are created in the country. According to information provided by Zolic, there is a planned growth of two development zones per year.
Where will these industrial parks find?
Palma said that to enable industrial parks, an average of between 15 and 16 months is required. Therefore, the director of Puerta del Istmo said that for 2026 the new industrial parks would come into operation.
Palma reported that among the most interested sectors in entering the ZdeEP THE AUTOMOTIZ ARE FOUND, especially AUTOPARTES. At least seven companies are evaluating Guatemala as an option for their investmentsadded Palma, who added that the other two mostly interested sectors are textiles and costumes, as well as that of logistics companies.
In addition, he mentioned other sectors such as the pharmacist and the metallurgical. The issue of steel is also approaching, specifically by political and tariff barriers that other countries are imposing on this type of products, which positions Guatemala as an option to install production plants and distribution centers.
Of the five parks that are already in operation, one is located on the border of Guatemala with Mexico, specifically in Ayutla. Other parks are located in the CA-9 and in the San José port.
Palma shared that the new industrial parks will be in two specific areas: in the Atlantic region, by Puerto Barrios, Izabal; and on the Pacific Route, near the Quetzal port and others in the direction of the San José port.
Due to administration changes in the United States, the possible increase in tariffs has led some companies from different industries to rethink the entrance to countries such as Guatemala, Guillén explained. However, he assured that the initiatives from the United States are still in the process of being completed and that, therefore, it is very early to make decisions. Let’s see how the theme evolves, Guillén ended.