The trade show annually brings together businesses fromCalifornia and Mexico seeking to benefit from the tradepossibilities opened up by NAFTA. It's Southern California'slargest and most prestigious exposition promoting trade between thetwo countries.

"We feel this trade show represents an unparalleled opportunityfor businesses in Southern California, and San Diego in particular,to benefit from their proximity to Mexico," says Scott Andrews,executive vice president of First National Bank, a sponsor of theevent.

New NAFTA rules that began last year require Maquiladoras toobtain components and materials used in production from one of thethree NAFTA countries — Canada, Mexico and the US — or pay dutieson the materials entering Mexico and finished products exported tothe NAFTA countries, he says. Some 60% of Maquiladora suppliers arefrom non-NAFTA countries, so Mexican manufacturers are now lookingfor new suppliers from the US and Canada.