Monterey, NL. The manufacturer of rubber products by compression, transfer, injection and extrusion, Hultek, is about to build a new warehouse, which will include the three plants it has in the municipality of García, Nuevo León, with the aim of expanding its production capacity. operation, commented to The EconomistCarlos González, CEO of the company.
“Hultek manufactures molded and extruded rubber products, made to measure, we serve the automotive sector, household appliances and the electrical industry. We currently have three plants in García Nuevo León and we are celebrating 40 years in the industry”.
For this reason, as well as for the growth in production, they are about to build the new warehouse that will include the three plants, and it is scheduled to start in 2022, “it will give us the opportunity to accelerate training to concentrate the operation in a single plant and have fast delivery to meet the needs and requirements of customers”, he highlighted.
At the moment the investment topic cannot be revealed due to confidentiality agreements with the partners, Carlos González noted.
With this expansion, 50% of the operating space they currently have will be increased, machinery will be increased by 30% and in the first year they will have an increase of 50 to 70 direct jobs, plus some specialized positions in product engineering, development materials and mold design. They currently have a staff of 200 people.
One of the main challenges for the manufacturing industry globally, he said, is the rise in energy prices, which have affected the supply chain, in addition to the war in Ukraine.
“To face these challenges, we must look for a diversification of clients, and look for the development of new providers to have new alternatives. Likewise, the industry must focus on innovation to offer more products to the market”, stressed the manager.
For example, in Nuevo León, import substitution has been carried out in tooling, because companies that provide services in this area have been trained in the automotive and electrical appliance industries.
This will allow them to have the opportunity to seek new clients, since it has been observed that companies that are already established in Nuevo León, with a supplier base outside of Mexico, are looking for local suppliers or relocating their suppliers.
Ready to increase capacity
With the interruption of global supply chains, first due to the pandemic and now due to the war in Ukraine, the most affected industry was the automotive industry due to the shortage of chips, however, in the first months of the year there has been a gradual recovery, hence record export figures were recorded last February, he specified.
For example, he said that the automotive industry is one of the main exporters and household appliances have benefited from the start of the pandemic due to confinement, and consumer goods have been on the rise, he stressed.
“In Mexico, the manufacturing industry is ready and prepared to be able to increase its level of capacity towards large companies. If SMEs focus on innovation and industry 4.0, opportunities open up that should be taken advantage of,” said the manager.