It has taken Carlos Slim Helú 47 ears of his life to build Grupo Carso. Although he has left most of the boards of his companies, currently serves as: Chairman of the Board of Directors of Impulsora del Desarrollo y el Empleo en América Latina, S.A.B. de C.V. (IDEAL); Chairman of Fundación Telmex, A.C.; Chairman of Fundación Carlos Slim Helú, A.C.; Chairman of the Executive Committee of Consejo Consultivo de Restauración del Centro Histórico; and Chairman of Fundación del Centro Histórico, A.C.
Although he continues to conduct business activities today, his primary focus is on the education, the health, and employment in Mexico and Latin America with the foundations he leads, thus his three sons, Carlos, Marco Antonio and Patrick Slim Domit, have taken over the reins of the businesses.
Carlos Slim is well known as reliable President for all his companies, for example, Grupo Carso doesn´t have corporate staff members, and every company is got their own structure looking for the efficiently.
They were founded in 1965 with the acquisition of the bottling company Jarritos del Sur and the establishment of several other companies such as Casa de Bolsa Inversora Bursátil, Inmobiliaria Carso, Constructora Carso, Promotora del Hogar, S.S.G. Inmobiliaria, Mina de Agregados Pétreos el Volcán, Bienes Raíces Mexicanos and Pedregales del Sur, as well as a buy-sell-lease company for construction equipment. Inmobiliaria Carso was incorporated in January 1966. Carso comes from the first syllable of the names Carlos and Soumaya, Mr. Slim's wife.
At the end of the 1960s, several pieces of property were bought in the southern part of Mexico City, totaling approximately 2 million square meters, and were expropriated in 1989.
In June 1976 Galas de México was acquired. In 1980 the corporation that is today Grupo Carso was officially incorporated in order to obtain the majority stake in Cigatam, in which Philip Morris was a 29% partner.
The beginning of the 1980s marked a very important period in the history of Grupo Carso, as it became a group of large companies. This was a critical period in the history of Mexico, with the debt crisis and the nationalization of the Mexican banking system in 1982, the year in which Carso made the decision to invest intensively and actively.
Between 1981 and 1986 several investments and acquisitions were made, among which was Cigatam, the first and most important due to its cash flow and because in 25 years it increased its market share by 1.5% on average each year, despite very strong competition. Other companies were: Hulera el Centenario, with 23%, and Bimex. Reynolds Aluminio y Aluminio, S.A. was also integrated during this period.
In August 1984 Seguros de México and 33% of an important block of shares was purchased for US$55 million. Casa de Bolsa Inversora Bursátil, Seguros de México and Fianzas La Guardiana came together to form Grupo Financiero Inbursa.
In 1985 Grupo Carso acquired control of Artes Gráficas Unidas, Fábricas de Papel Loreto y Peña Pobre, and the majority of Sanborns and its affiliate Dennys.
In 1986 Compañía Minera FRISCO and Empresas Nacobre were acquired, as well as their affiliates, control of the market leading tire company Euzkadi, and later, in 1993, the majority of General Tire. In 1991 Hoteles Calinda (today, OSTAR Grupo Hotelero) was acquired.
At the end of 1990, Grupo Carso, together with Southwestern Bell, France Telecom and several Mexican investors, won the bid to privatize Teléfonos de México. When Grupo Carso bought 5.8% of Telmex at its privatization, it already had 25 years of successful business experience; Southwestern Bell acquired 5% and an option for an additional 5%, France Telecom 5% and a group of Mexican investors an additional 4.6%. Including Cigatam, the Grupo Carso companies have been publicly traded since 1981 and their history can be reconstructed through public information.
Grupo Carso has partially or fully sold several companies, such as tissue paper producers, tire companies, several hotels, printing and packaging businesses, part of Cigatam, El Globo, Química Fluor and Porcelanite, among others.
The Group's companies currently generate more than 209,000 direct jobs and more than 500,000 indirect jobs.
Carso's growth has been possible due to the ongoing reinvestment of profits in its companies for the continued production of goods and services, which at the same time generates jobs for Mexicans. Grupo Carso focuses its growth and investments on the most dynamic sectors in the medium and long term, maintaining its flexibility and rapid decision-making.
Grupo Carso, S.A. de C.V. is a Mexican holding company that has proven its capacity to manage companies operating in highly competitive markets, both domestically and internationally.
T e l m e x
In 1990, Grupo Carso and other Mexican investors acquired 10.4% of the company’s stock, in partnership with SBC - 5% with an option for an additional 5% - and France Telecom 5%. Since 1990, Telmex has embraced a work culture where training, modernization, quality and customer service is a priority. Over the course of 20 years, Telmex has developed a world-class technology platform that has allowed it to optimize processes and strengthen the corporate culture, translating into improved levels of service and customer care. At Telmex, we focus our efforts on exceeding our clients’ expectations.
In 1991 Telmex was using electromechanical, analog and other obsolete equipment and technology in its operations, transportation, physical plant and maintenance, and had manual records and a 360-kilometer fiber optic network. Telmex has modernized and today has more than 115.7 kilometers of fiber optic installed throughout the country.
Telmex operates with the firm conviction to access the entire population to telecommunications, even though not having profit margins or subsidies; the Enterprise has the largest network of the country in this sector.
Public telephony has been a very important part in facilitating access for the population at large, with the number of public telephones rising from 69,025 in December 1990, to 661,030 in December 2010.
Since its privatization, Telmex aims to anticipate and meet all the telecommunication needs of its customers, offering the most advanced products and services with the highest quality standards and at the best prices. Telmex is the leader company in telecommunications in Mexico.
Telmex is a corporation constituted by Telefonos de Mexico, S.A.B.C.V, its subsidiary enterprises and partners that provide telecommunications services in Mexico. Its services coverage includes, among other things, the operation of the most extensive network of local and long distance services. It also provides services such as connectivity, internet access, collocations, lodging and interconnection services with other telecommunication operators.
Competitive companies
Telmex, is the only telecommunications company in México, has investment at all types of population needs to communicate within the country, given special effort at rural areas and Internet service to locations where is difficult access around the country.
Telmex, main business are fixed lines, it's got a main competitive business against other companies that are looking only at high class population, A and B. Telmex commitments provide communications services to all types of populations no matter their economy level, specially within levels such as C,D, E, as well given the pay as you go within the country, having 100% of the market.
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| Heading (Mexico) | September 2011 |
| Telephone lines in service (millions) | 15.1(1) |
| Digital telephone network, local and long distance | 100% |
| Optical fiber network (miles of kilometers) | 122,249 |
| Total number of internet access accounts (millions) | 7.89 |
| Infinitum accounts (ADSL) (millions) Increase from September 2009 – September 2011 |
7.8 9.0% |
| Personnel’s average level of schooling |
15 years |
| Decrease of tariffs in real terms (basket of basic goods index, December 1991 to September 2011) | 77.5% |
| (1) | Total telephone lines of TELMEX: 15 millions 127 thousand pesos. 1.4 millions of these lines will be provided by TELMEX Social. |
Investment
Since its privatization, Telmex has invested more than 38,000 million dollars only in Mexico.
| TELMEX inversions in industry | |
| % TELMEX inversions according to the total inversions in the telecommunications sector 1990-2010* | 52% |
| % TELMEX inversions according to the total investments in telephony 1990-2010* | +80% |
| * According to estimated TELMEX inversions in the F-20 of 2009; and information of the telecommunication sector, and estimation of Cofetel at the end of 2010. Source: TELMEX y Cofetel. | |
America Movil
On September 2000, Telmex did split both its mobile-phone business and most of its international capital investments in order to create the new enterprise América Móvil.
Among other gains envisaged, such a decision did weigh the benefits of having independent and competing firms with a business approach and financial flexibility in order to face both Telmex and América Móvil distinct strategies.
Since February 7, 2001 on, when América Móvil shares were officially listed in México, New York, and Madrid stock exchanges, the new firm ranked as the biggest mobile-phone company in Latin America and one of the biggest in the whole world.
On February 13, 2010, América Móvil did disclose its decision to negotiate an exchange offer with Carso Global Telecom shareholders in order to exchange their own shares for América Móvil ones.
Had this offer being accepted by Carso Global Telecom shareholders, América Móvill would indirectly gather 59.4% of Teléfonos de México outstanding stock, and 60.7% of Telmex Internacional shares.
The América Móvil and Carso Global Telecom disclosed operation is not a merger, rather a corporate restructuring through a share-interchange procedure, not including service integration neither operative fusion with Telmex in México, unlike the rest of Latin American countries where Telmex Internacional and América Móvil operate, where both service and operation integration it will be rather effective.
By combining these firms, América Móvil will be able to generate important synergies, developing an improved commercial effort and making a more efficient use of its own information networks, systems and processes, which will translate into full-integrated services for the benefit of its own customers.
On June 16, 2010, América Móvil did disclose concluding results of its own bid for Telmex Internacional and Carso Global Telecom, so resulting that América Móvil is now the owner of 93.56% and 99.44% of Telint and Telecom capital stock, respectively.
América Móvil currently operates in the following countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, United States, and Mexico.
América Móvil is a good example of value creation for investors. Since 1996, it was a pioneer and global innovator of cellular prepayment systems. In 1990, Radiomóvil Dipsa (today TELCEL) had 35 thousand customers, to September 2011, have 298 million of clients in Latin America.
América Móvil stands for the major unwired services provider in Latin America. In September 2011, it have 298 million of access in the continent, 241.5 millions are mobile-phone users, it have 29.3 millions of fixed lines, 14.6 millions of broad band access and 12.5 millions of Tv subscribers in the whole American hemisphere.
2007 brought an important event in the history of Telmex. On December 21st, the General Assembly of Shareholders adopted the strategic initiative to reorganize the corporate structure of Telmex in two independent companies. Telmex split its operations in Latin America, as well as the business of Seccion Amarilla (Yellow Pages). A new company called TELMEX International was created.
With this split it is expected to:
TELMEX International operates in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay, offering a full regional and local support structure to respond with preciseness and efficiency to the requirements of customers, also operates in the United States and Mexico through Seccion Amarilla (Yellow Pages).
On June 10th, 2008 began the listing of TELMEX International Exchanges in New York, Madrid and Mexico .
Ideal
The new challenge is to promote the development of Latin America and fight backwardness by training and developing human and physical capital with a company named IDEAL (Impulsora del Desarrollo y el Empleo en América Latina, or Promoter of Development and Employment in Latin America), which is primarily focused on developing physical capital; and two foundations, the first making profitable investments and the second, supporting training and development of human capital on a non-profit basis.
The Ten Principles of Grupo Carso.
Carlos Slim Helú summarizes what he considers to be the Group’s business principles in 10 points, which have been communicated to his relatives, colleagues, employees and work force.
Carlos Slim took some of these points from business lessons from his father, Julián Slim Haddad, who brought his son to work at a very young age and noted his unique interest in commerce.