Meritor Automotive Expands Wheel Manufacturing Facility in Mexico – Brief Article
Meritor Automotive Inc., said it will expand its wheel assembly plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. The expansion will support Meritor Automotive’s Light Vehicle Systems (LVS) growing automotive markets in the Americas, especially Mexico, the company added.
The current facility has 95,000 square feet of production and employs 95 people. When the expansion is complete the plant will employ over 150 people on three shifts, Meritor said. The new facility will allow for the production of larger, heavier, and full-face wheels and include a stamping line, rim line, machine cells for both discs and rims, and a wheel assembly area, it added.
“This expansion strongly illustrates a commitment to our customers and to our operation at San Luis Potosi,” said Sidney Del Gaudio, general manager, LVS Wheels. “First, it is continuing evidence that Meritor is determined that its markets in the Americas will continue to prosper. And second, it demonstrates our growing presence in Mexico and our long-term strategy to build partnerships with OEMs at their manufacturing sites around the world.”
Current demand mandated that the Mexico plant be renovated for higher production, Meritor said. Capacity is expected to reach two million wheels per year for light trucks and SUV’s, it added. The plant’s current major OEM contract is with Daimler Chrysler. San Luis Potosi currently supplies full-face cladded steel wheels for the new Dodge Ram and other customers, it said.
Meritor said it concentrates its wheel manufacturing in two plants, one in Limerira, Brazil and the other in San Luis Potosi. The Limerira plant employs 1,012 people, it said.
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