When Du Pont Entered Mexico (1902–1928)

During the nineteenth century, Du Pont de Nemours expanded its activities throughout the United States mostly by supplying black powder, dynamite, and smokeless powder to the American government. ¹ The company started to sell its products abroad at the beginning of the twentieth century, especially to the Canadian and Mexican governments. ² By 1910, the company operated a joint venture in Canada with Nobel Industries ³ and owned a nitrate field in Chile that provided it with raw material. ⁴ During World War I, it supplied the British and the French with gunpowder and other explosives. ⁵ After the war, Du Pont entered into negotiations in pursuit of various international investment opportunities in China, Cuba, Chile, and Japan. ⁶ Concerning Mexico, the company received a variety of investment propositions, but, initially, none of them captured the company’s attention.