Advocating for a revised industrial policy for a manufacturing company in Latin America

A growing manufacturing company in a Latin American country faced intense competition from subsidized imports, which threatened local production and thousands of high-quality jobs. The company needed to advocate for an amended national industrial policy to provide stronger local production incentives while countering pressure from powerful competitors seeking to open the market to cheaper, subsidized goods. The challenge was to craft a persuasive case that not only defended the company’s interests but also highlighted the broader economic and social value of maintaining robust local manufacturing capabilities.

• Developed a data-driven case for policy revision, commissioning independent economic impact studies and product testing to demonstrate the benefits of stronger local production incentives.
• Designed and executed a communications plan to highlight the human impact of the company’s investments, focusing on the job creation and community development tied to its local manufacturing operations.
• Built strong relationships with key members of the technical team responsible for industrial policy development, positioning the company as a reasonable and trustworthy partner in the policy debate.
• Engaged a broad ecosystem of local private sector stakeholders, as well as state and national elected officials, to rally support for the company’s position and counterbalance the political pressure from competitors.

Our strategic narrative and stakeholder engagement efforts significantly raised the company’s profile, positioning it as a leader in high-quality investment and job creation. The company garnered strong political support across multiple government administrations and secured the backing needed to amend the industrial policy. As a result, the local production incentive law was revised, not only defending the company’s market position but also opening opportunities for tens of millions in additional annual sales. The revised policy strengthened the company’s competitive edge, bolstered local manufacturing, maintained local jobs, strengthened the community, and safeguarded the long-term sustainability of its operations.