The aerospace manufacturing industry continues to take off in Mexico. Mid-stream suppliers are correctly identifying the benefits of Mexico's developing workforce and advantageous trade agreements.
"Chromalloy intends to grow its Guaymas workforce from 85 to 250 people."
Chromalloy TRAC becomes the latest international supplier to refocus its commitment to manufacturing in Mexico. This past month the global provider of gas turbine engine parts and service broke ground on a new, expanded facility in Guaymas, Mexico. Chromalloy executives are bullish on Mexico, and Sonora Governor Guillermo Padres Elías credited The Offshore Group (TOG) founders Roberto Gomez del Campo, Felix Tonella Luken and Luis Felipe Seldner Tonella for their role in the evolution of Mexico's aerospace industry.
A legacy of aerospace performance
Chromalloy is a leading gas turbine engine solutions provider and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) with operations in 17 countries around the world. The company develops high-tech coatings, performs authorized repairs and reconditioning, and provides parts and services for a host of military, aviation and land-based clients. In addition to the facility scheduled for expansion in Guaymas, Chromalloy maintains a turbine engine repair facility in Mexicali, Mexico.
Expansion of manufacturing, engineering and high-tech support in Sonora
Chromalloy is doubling down on its presence in Sonora. Chromalloy President Carlo Luzzatto said the company "is building on our capacity in Guaymas with a new facility and additional production space and equipment to support turbine system manufacturers."
The campus in development is located adjacent to an existing 17,000 square-foot facility in the Roca Fuerte Industrial Park in Guaymas. The new plant, slated to provide 36,000 square feet, will more than double existing capacity. With all that new space, Chromalloy intends to grow its Guaymas workforce from 85 to as many as 250 people.
More is a good thing for Mexico
Company officials anticipate construction of the new facility to wrap up later this year. Operations are scheduled to begin early in 2016, and Luzzatto said the plant will provide precision machining and process solutions for next-generation aircraft engines and industrial turbines used by power generators. Once the new facility is operational, Chromalloy stated it will produce approximately 68,000 gas turbine components each year.
The new plant will produce roughly 68,000 gas turbine components.Chromalloy TRAC's re-envisioned manufacturing campus in Sonora is indicative of the larger, global interest in Mexico's expanding aerospace capacity. In addition to nearshore solutions partners like TOG, Governor Padres credited investments like the Technological University of Guaymas for the country's growing opportunities in high-tech, lean manufacturing processes. Mexico's emerging technical workforce is poised to supply industry certified, expandable industrial parks - like TRAC's facility in Guaymas - with the human resource capital that aerospace companies are looking for.
And Mexico is happy for the attention. After the groundbreaking in Guaymas, Governor Padres thanked Chromalloy executives for extending a trusting hand and empowering Sonoran aerospace workers to grow alongside the global industry. He noted the general state of economic expansion the manufacturing communities in Guaymas and Empalme represent, coupled with the creation of new jobs, only stands to increase foreign interest and investment in Mexico.
From what we're seeing across a variety of highly technical manufacturing sectors, we couldn't agree more.
Thinking about manufacturing in Mexico? Download this ebook and start moving your due diligence forward.
