OPmobility’s presence in Mexico reflects nearly 30 years of uninterrupted growth, deeply rooted in the automotive landscape of a country which has become one of the world’s most strategic industrial hubs. As the third largest country in terms of the Group’s revenue, today, Mexico accounts for 11.2% of the Group’s turnover, with 13 plants and more than 4,300 associates who work across all the Group’s entities and areas of expertise. From bumpers and fuel tanks to lighting and complex modules incorporating multiple components for vehicle fronts (grilles, headlight brackets, cooling systems, etc.), every Business Group is represented and every site is proof of the Group’s industrial excellence across the entire value chain in this region. A presence closer to our customers “The first OPmobility plant in Mexico was opened in 1998,” recalls Pablo Farina, Country Director Mexico for the Exterior & Lighting Business Group. “New plants were then built for all Business Groups. Mexico’s key strength is its considerable expertise in automotive manufacturing. Engineers are highly qualified and experienced, while production costs are certainly more competitive than in other countries in the region, such as Canada and the United States.” OPmobility works both with major international manufacturers which have been operating in Mexico for decades and with new players. “We have a strong industrial presence and the locations of our plants align with the geographic distribution of our customers,” Pablo Farina continues. This is particularly important when it comes to adapting to these new players and their disruptive approach, in comparison to the traditional automotive industry. Previously, it used to take between 2 and 3 years to develop a new program, following a structured and defined framework, step by step. Today, vehicle development takes place within much shorter timeframes and in a more agile way. This requires a high level of responsiveness and solutions which are delivered within a much tighter timeframe. The discipline of Just-In-Sequence manufacturing This is a “customer-centric” approach in the most literal sense of the term, as perfectly illustrated by the Exterior & Lighting Business Group in San Luis Potosí. Spanning 25,000 m2 and producing more than 430,000 car body parts in 2025, it is OPmobility’s largest site in Mexico and the second largest worldwide. Working closely with customers, the plant produces front and rear bumpers, spoilers, and exterior trim parts on a Just-In-Sequence (JIS)(1) basis. “We must keep pace with customers, demonstrating a thorough understanding of their schedule,” explains Luis Antonio Pérez, San Luis Potosí Plant Director. “We receive a customer order, then we have 3 hours to manufacture the part and deliver it to the assembly station. But it’s not just about delivering the right part at the right time. We must deliver the right component, as part of the planned sequence, with the required quality and at the exact moment the customer needs it. If we make a sequencing error, we shut down the production line… There is no buffer inventory, no margin for error.” This expertise is underpinned by advanced digitalized production: screens display real-time data on each line’s efficiency, scrap rates, and downtime. Vision machine systems and error-detection systems guide operators in assembling components (cameras, radars, sensors, wiring harnesses) to prevent human error. “Digitalization gives us the visibility and the accuracy we need to make the right decisions, while automation ensures consistency in our processes,” Luis Antonio Pérez adds. 30 YEARS OF GROWTH and industrial excellence “It’s not just about delivering the right part at the right time. We must deliver the right component, as part of the planned sequence, with the required quality and at the exact moment the customer needs it.” LUIS ANTONIO PÉREZ, San Luis Potosí Plant Director 18 OPMOBILITY ON THE MOVE
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