Sharp Doubling Investment in Mexico Plant

Sharp Corp. of Japan is doubling its investment in a television and vacuum cleaner assembly plant in Rosarito, Mexico, to $60 million, while two of its suppliers together are investing $40 million in new facilities, Mexican officials said. The appliance manufacturer previously said it would open a plant in October about 20 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border to assemble 1 million TVs and 1.5 million vacuum cleaners a year. Officials say the consumer electronics giant will also make refrigerators and computers there. Sharp will hire more than 1,000 workers over the next two years and invest more than twice the $27 million initially planned. Officials said Showa Plastics, which makes some of the plastic components used in Sharp consumer electronics goods, plans to set up a $20-million plant in Rosarito. Kyosha Co., a supplier of circuit cards, is expected to invest $20 million there.