MEXICO CITY-Private equity firm The Carlyle Group is looking to tap the Mexican market by acquiring a majority stake in bilingual call center services provider Hispanic Teleservices Corp.
The stake was acquired from J.P. Morgan Partners L.L.C. and Citigroup Venture Capital International. Terms of the investment were not disclosed.
Carlyle said several factors led to the investment, including increased integration of the U.S. and Mexican economies via NAFTA and Mexico’s young, well-educated and inexpensive labor force. HTC, which is based in Houston, serves the U.S. Hispanic market from call centers in Monterrey and Guadalajara, Mexico’s second- and third-largest cities.
“As the U.S. Hispanic market continues to swell and flex its economic muscle, U.S. companies will pay increasing attention to their distinct customer service needs,” said Joaquin Avila, managing director of Carlyle’s Mexico operations. “HTC is perfectly positioned to capitalize on that trend.”
