ThyssenKrupp Materials NA, Inc. Expands Silao Facility to Become First Mexico-Based Aluminum and Carbon Steel Configured Blanking Facility
Expansion to be Complete and Operational by Summer of 2015
ThyssenKrupp Materials de Mexico S.A. de C.V., for its Lagermex brand, a unit of ThyssenKrupp Materials NA, Inc. (TKMNA) is expanding its current blanking operations in Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico with a $20 million USD investment that will add nearly 55,000 square feet (5,100 square meters) and a new, state-of-the-art aluminum and carbon steel blanking line. TKMNA expects to complete the expansion project and begin production in the fourth quarter of 2015.
“This expansion is important to our business as it positions us as the first Mexico-based facility to offer both aluminum and advanced high-strength steel configured blanking capabilities for our customers,” said Christian Dohr, President and CEO, TKMNA. “Once complete, it will also benefit the Silao community, adding 35 full-time positions to the facility.”
The expansion centers around a new Schuler blanking line with the ability to process both aluminum and carbon steel, addressing the automotive industry’s needs in using aluminum in place of other materials for specific automotive applications. Additionally, the line will process carbon steel for exposed and unexposed automotive applications, including high-strength steel up to 1,500 MPa of TS. The new blanking line and expanded facility will increase the processing capacity of the Silao plant by nearly 70 percent, to 270,000 metric tons per year.
“Mexico is a key area for investment and opportunity for our business, especially as it relates to the country’s growing automotive manufacturing presence,” said Joachim Limberg, Chief Executive Officer, Business Area Material Services of ThyssenKrupp AG. “The ability to process both aluminum and carbon steel blanks on the same line will allow us to react and provide solutions to the materials and service demands of our customers much more quickly.”
The expansion recently broke ground on a newly-acquired 3.7 acre piece of land adjacent to the existing facility.
“Securing the land provided us with a great opportunity to not only expand our facility and introduce this unique capability to Mexico, but also provides options for future use as we continue to grow and expand our service offerings,”said Olaf Voss, President, ThyssenKrupp Materials de Mexico.
The Silao facility currently offers steel blanking and warehousing services for aluminum and steel products in the automotive and aerospace industries. TKMNA also has warehousing and material processing locations in Saltillo and Puebla, Mexico, totaling more than 380 employees at their three Mexico locations, combined.
Andrew Teachout
ThyssenKrupp Materials NA, Inc.
1 (248) 767-6198
andrew.teachout@thyssenkrupp.com
About ThyssenKrupp Materials NA, Inc.
ThyssenKrupp Materials NA, Inc., a company of the Material Services business area, is a leading North American provider of production materials and integrated service solutions. The company is staffed by over 3,000 employees and operates in more than 90 North American locations. For additional information about ThyssenKrupp Materials NA, visit www.tkmna.com.
ThyssenKrupp AG is a diversified technology and materials group based in Essen, Germany. It has 160,000 employees in over 80 countries working with passion and expertise to develop solutions for sustainable progress. In fiscal year 2013/2014 ThyssenKrupp generated global sales of €41 billion. In North America, ThyssenKrupp subsidiaries employed more than 20,500 people and generated sales of more than €9 billion. For additional information about ThyssenKrupp North America, Inc., visit www.thyssenkrupp.com.
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