(QCOSTARICA Via Charlotte Business Journal ) David Dalton is so pleased with the success of his circuit board factory in Costa Rica, he decided to bring some of the Tico culture to Charlotte, including Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera.
Dalton, CEO of Mooresville-based General Microcircuits Inc., invited President Solís to town as a part of his whirlwind, four-day tour of the U.S.
On Wednesday night, Solís said Dalton may have a future as a diplomat for his persuasive ways. Solís spoke at a dinner arranged by Dalton at the Charlotte City Club.
Dalton established the Costa Rican factory five years ago when the expense and inconvenience of manufacturing in Asia forced him to look elsewhere. Now the plant has about 115 employees, and it plans to add another 20 or so in the coming months.
“We add one employee in Mooresville and four in Costa Rica” when time comes to increase production, Dalton says. The Mooresville facility remains the proving grounds for new projects at the General Microcircuits, he says. Large-scale production happens in Costa Rica.
California billionaire David Murdock, who’s developing the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis, also announced that Costa Rica is participating in a collaboration to advance research on food science. The agreement will allow the training of Costa Rican scientists at N.C. State University’s operations at the Cabarrus County facility.
President Solís also speaks today at a World Affairs Council of Charlotte luncheon. It’s a part of the organization’s Presidents Series.
Things you learn when the president of a Central American country comes to town:
- Costa Rica has no military. It was abolished in 1949. A lot of Costa Rica’s GDP is going to education. President Solís says his country spends about 8 percent of its revenue on education. The approach is working; the literacy rate in Costa Rica is 96 percent. As for Costa Rica’s national defense, the country depends on the “world justice system” to protect its sovereignty, Solís told the 75 or so at the dinner last night.
- Costa Ricans call themselves “ticos” or “ticas.” It’s derived from Costa Ricans’ tendency to add the ending “-tico” to words.
- CR coffee is very tasty. Solís and his delegation brought some with them, and it was served at last night’s dinner. Very good.
