An Irish plastics company and a United States medical technology company opened new plants in northern Mexico this week.
Ireland’s Mergon Group announced that it had opened phase 1 of a 15 million euro (US $15.8 million) investment near Saltillo, Coahuila, while Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) inaugurated a US $38.6 million manufacturing facility in Tijuana, Baja California.
Mergon, which makes plastic components for companies such as BMW, Rivian and Xerox, said in a statement Thursday that it expects to create 150 new jobs in the first year of operations at its new facility in Ramos Arzipe, a municipality that borders Saltillo to the north.
“Over the last decade Mergon has become a key design and manufacturing partner for light weight air management systems and clear vision systems to electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers in the US. These companies are forecasting strong growth over the coming years and Mergon is helping them achieve their vision,” the company said.
“The establishment of Mergon Mexico is a strong indicator of future growth for Mergon’s North American operations. A major influence in the selection of Coahuila State was the support of the Federal and local Coahuila State Government, as well as Coahuila’s highly skilled workforce and proximity to key customers,” Mergon said.
It added that its new “purpose-built plant” will allow it “to realize its ambitious growth plans, focusing on the automotive and industrial sectors.”
“I am very excited about the opportunities that Mergon Mexico offers us,” said Mergon CEO Pat Beirne. “We have ambitious plans to grow our North American business, and this is an integral step in achieving that.”
BD, a New Jersey-based company, said in a statement that federal and state government officials attended the opening of its new facility in the Baja California border city on Wednesday.
The plant “will produce devices and technologies that help improve medication safety within health care settings,” the company said.
“The new 15,775-square-meter facility is expected to add 500 new jobs over the next two years. Phase I of the facility will create 75 jobs that will be responsible for manufacturing automated dispensing cabinets that health care professionals use to dispense medications to patients. The devices will be exported to countries in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia.”
Julio Duclos, BD’s top executive in Mexico, noted that the plant in Tijuana is the company’s 12th manufacturing facility in Mexico.
The new factory “is a testament to our commitment to Mexico and the strong relationship we’ve built in communities across the country over the past 65 years,” he said.
“The 17,000 BD employees in Mexico are focused on producing high-quality medical devices that are used by health care providers and patients around the world. We look forward to continuing to grow in Mexico.”
Although there are security concerns in some parts of northern Mexico, the region is attractive to manufacturers due to its proximity to the United States and affordable labor costs, among other factors.
Billionaire businessman Carlos Slim predicted last month that the Mexican economy will boom in coming years as more and more foreign companies set up shop here.
Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, visited Nuevo León earlier this year and is believed to be considering a municipality in the metropolitan area of Monterrey as the location for a new Tesla plant.
Mexico News Daily
