Chinese tire firm announces more investment in Guanajuato

March 20, 2024

Guanajuato Gov. Diego Sinhue Rodriguez meeting with officials at Sailun Jinyu Group this week — Guanajuato state's Governor Diego Sinhue Rodríguez, center, in the grey suit, sealed the deal with Chinese tire manufacturers Sailun Jinyu Group at their headquarters in Qingdao, China. (Diego Sinhue Rodríguez/X)

Editor’s note: The original version of this article incorrectly stated that total investment in the state of Guanajuato was US $427 million, rather than referring to the company’s investment in the state.

Chinese tire manufacturer Sailun Jinyu Group will invest 7.2 billion pesos (US $427 million) in building a new plant in Irapuato, Guanajuato, according to Governor Diego Sinhue Rodríguez Vallejo.

In a March 17 statement on the X social media platform, the governor said the company’s new investment will create 1,400 competitive jobs, including high-level positions.

Guanajuato state Governor Diego Rodriquez at Yusei Holdings in Japan — Gov. Rodríguez, center, has been on a tour of Asia this month, drumming up foreign investment in his state. Here, he met with officials at Japan’s Yusei Holdings, which fabricates precision plastic injection molds. Officials agreed to invest US $83.9 million in the state, Rodríguez said. (Diego Sinhue Rodriguez/X)

The company announced in December plans to open its first North American plant in Guanajuato with an investment amounting to US $240 million, together with Mexico’s largest tire distributor, Tire Direct. The plant was reported to be planned for the city of León and it is unclear whether the tire company will move ahead with construction of two plants, or is dedicating the entire investment to the Irapuato plant.

Sailun operates tire manufacturing plants in the Chinese cities of Qingdao, Dongying and Shenyang and also in Vietnam.

Globally, Sailun distributes its products across more than 180 countries. In 2023, the company, headquartered in Qingdao, became the first Chinese tire maker to join the United Nations Global Compact.

In the León metropolitan area, Sailun competes with global brands such as Michelin and Pirelli. Last month, Pirelli celebrated the manufacturing of their 50-millionth tire, while Michelin celebrated their 10-millionth tire in December 2023.

According to Mexican industry magazine Cluster Industrial, by 2025, the state of Guanajuato will produce more than 16.5 million tires each year, positioning it as Mexico’s leading state in tire production.

With reports from SPD Noticias and Cluster Industrial