—Outstanding performance of Grupo Salinas companies in every economic sector in which it participates—
—In terms of social action, the company raised Ps.63 million together with individual donors to build more than 400 homes for earthquake victims—
—Esperanza Azteca youth orchestra network contributed to forming better citizens through 88 orchestras with the participation of more than 17,000 low-income children—
—El Juguetón, the largest toy donation initiative in the world, generated more than 16 million smiles on less fortunate children—
—In support of the environment, Un Nuevo Bosque organized more than 120,000 volunteers who planted 1.2 million trees throughout the country—
MEXICO CITY, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grupo Salinas (www.gruposalinas.com), a group of dynamic, fast-growing and technologically advanced companies deeply committed to the modernization of the countries where they operate and founded by entrepreneur Ricardo Salinas (www.ricardosalinas.com), announced today that during 2017 its companies performed strongly in all of its business units with world-class goods and services that met the needs of millions of consumers in the retail, financial, media and telecommunications sectors in Mexico, the United States, Central, and South America.
Grupo Elektra continued with the strong dynamism of its commercial business —which translated into 15% growth in merchandise sales during the first nine months of the year— with strategies that focus on generating optimal shopping experiences for consumers, offering the most competitive terms in the market. As of this year, sales have an additional impulse with the opening of new stores with larger formats, offering a greater variety of merchandise and services. In addition, taking advantage of its infrastructure and advanced platform, Tiendas Elektra successfully initiated online operations through www.elektra.com.mx to offer the best omnichannel shopping experience.
Banco Azteca celebrated 15 years of promoting economic development and financial inclusion in Mexico through 11 million deposit accounts and a similar number of credit accounts, significant figures for a country with 32 million families. Its close to 40,000 employees and 1,735 branches make up the second-largest branch network in Mexico, generating closeness to consumers and a superior market position.
Italika sold more than 563,000 motorcycles in 2017 in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Peru. Thanks to its offer of accessible, reliable, and fuel-efficient transportation, Italika provides savings to its users and contributes to a better environment. The sales growth this year translates into a 70% market share in Mexico.
TV Azteca continued with solid revenue performance, with double-digit growth as of September 2017, and started the successful operations of adn40, a 24-hour news network; and a+, an important network of regional channels. In addition, it developed a solid strategy to strengthen its capital structure, extending maturity profiles and reducing exposure to debt in foreign currency.
Totalplay, with the fastest internet service in Latin America, continued to firmly strengthen its position in the Mexican market.
To the important creation of economic value, Grupo Salinas added the generation of social value with results in the wellbeing of its more than 80,000 employees in seven countries of the Americas.
During the year, six Movimiento Azteca (www.movimientoazteca.org) fundraising and awareness campaigns were also carried out —through television campaigns, direct donation was promoted to civil associations with noble causes, from ambulances for the Mexican Red Cross, to chair-beds in waiting rooms of public hospitals. Within these Movimientos Azteca, the 100th campaign collected Ps.63 million with which more than 400 homes are being built for victims of the September earthquakes through assisted self-construction projects in communities of the states of Mexico, Puebla, Morelos, Chiapas and Oaxaca.
For 20 years, Fundación Azteca (www.fundacionazteca.org) has accomplished great achievements through numerous initiatives. One of them, Esperanza Azteca (www.esperanzaazteca.com), a program that since 2009 promotes values such as discipline, excellence and teamwork through music, integrated a network of 88 youth orchestras and choirs throughout the country, which benefits more than 17,000 children with limited resources. They performed concerts with great musicians such as Valery Gergiev, Paquito de Rivera and Armando Manzanero; as well as with the Prieto Quartet and Helena Durán, among others.
Through El Juguetón (www.azteca7.com/jugueton)—the largest toy donation campaign in the world— in 2017 more than 16 million presents were received and distributed to needy children on Three Kings’ Day. For the past 22 years of the program, more than 205 million toys have been distributed, which generates joy and smiles in a growing number of families.
Plantel Azteca (www.plantelfundacionazteca.com) provided tuition-free middle and high school education, with values and technical excellence to 2,100 students with outstanding academic performance and limited resources. In 20 years, more than 11,000 students have graduated from Plantel Azteca, promoting equal opportunities and improving quality of life through education.
Through these and many other programs, Grupo Salinas supported the well-being of thousands of families in Mexico, the United States, Peru, Guatemala and El Salvador.
Grupo Salinas also promoted the activities of Kybernus (www.kybernus.org), an initiative that seeks to form political and social leaders, through a culture based on values, to contribute to achieving the goals that the country requires and generate a better future for everybody. The program currently has 2,000 participants throughout the country.
The La Ciudad de las Ideas festival was sponsored (www.ciudaddelasideas.com), where the theme Beyond X brought together dozens of brilliant minds of international stature in the city of Puebla to present breakthrough concepts to thousands of attendees. Grupo Salinas also supported Caminos de la Libertad (www.caminosdelalibertad.com), which through essay contests and other activities provoked reflection on the value of freedom. In addition to awards for relevant essays, the “A Life for Freedom” honor was awarded to Dora de Ampuero, a prominent Ecuadorian economist.
Given that cultural exchanges strengthen the community, transcending any physical border, the exhibition "Another Promised Land: Anita Brenner's Mexico," presented at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, includes ninety works of art loaned by Ricardo Salinas, through Arte & Cultura Grupo Salinas.
Grupo Salinas also promoted the reforestation program Un Nuevo Bosque, which brought together more than 120,000 volunteers to plant 1.2 million trees throughout the country, recovering 1,147 hectares of forest. In 15 years, the program has organized 2.3 million people, who have planted more than 6.3 million trees.
The youth drawing contest ¡Que Viva la Selva Lacandona! was held to raise awareness about the environment in Mexico. The competition received numerous entries and forty winners of the thirteenth edition traveled to the state of Chiapas to learn firsthand about Mexico's biological diversity. The Lacandona rainforest is home to endemic species that are in danger of extinction.
At the same time, Grupo Salinas’s companies develop processes that optimize the efficiency of resources in daily activities and use environmentally-friendly energy. The consumption of renewable energy in the Group was more than 100 Gigawatt-hours (GWh) during the year, which represented 37% of the total consumed by these companies, and this proportion is gradually being increased.
Grupo Salinas has contributed to the welfare of the communities in which it operates for over 110 years and is positioned to continue with outstanding performance with activities of economic, social and environmental value, which will generate further progress and boost the quality of life for millions of families in 2018.
About Grupo Salinas
Grupo Salinas (www.gruposalinas.com) is a group of dynamic, fast growing, and technologically advanced companies focused on creating: economic value through market innovation and goods and services that improve standards of living; social value, to create social capabilities to improve the communities’ conditions; and environmental value, by reducing the negative impact related to its business activities. Created by Mexican entrepreneur Ricardo B. Salinas (www.ricardosalinas.com), Grupo Salinas operates as a management development and decision forum for the top leaders of member companies. These companies include: TV Azteca (www.TVazteca.com; www.irtvazteca.com) Azteca America (us.azteca.com), Grupo Elektra (www.grupoelektra.com.mx), Banco Azteca (www.bancoazteca.com.mx), Advance America (www.advanceamerica.net), Afore Azteca (www.aforeazteca.com.mx), Seguros Azteca (www.segurosazteca.com.mx), Punto Casa de Bolsa (www.puntocasadebolsa.mx), Totalplay (www.totalplay.com.mx) and Totalplay Empresarial (http://totalplayempresarial.com.mx). TV Azteca and Grupo Elektra trade shares on the Mexican Stock Market and are part of its Sustainability Index. Each of the Grupo Salinas companies operates independently, with its own management, board of directors and shareholders. Grupo Salinas has no equity holdings. The group of companies shares a common vision, values and strategies for achieving rapid growth, superior results and world-class performance.
Press Relations:
Luciano Pascoe, +52 (55) 1720 1313 ext. 36553, lpascoe@gruposalinas.com.mx
Daniel McCosh, +52 (55) 1720-0059, dmccosh@gruposalinas.com