MEXICO CITY - Despite Mexico's continuing economic crisis, some processors south of the border are preparing expansion plans for better times. One such firm is Puebla plastics film extruder and bag converter Excel Nobleza SA de CV, which expects to construct a plant to replace its 26,900-square-foot unit in Tehuac n, near the city of Puebla.
The company has acquired a 107,600-square-foot site on the outskirts of Tehuac n for a new 37,700-square-foot plant, but does not intend to begin construction for at least six months, according to Excel Nobleza's chief executive, Miguel Angel Herrero.
Herrero, who runs the family-owned company in partnership with his brother, now operates four polyethylene film extruding lines.
These include one Italian-built line from Luigi Bandera SpA, one Brazilian-made Carnevalli line and two from Mexico's small machinery producer, Beutelspacher SA de CV.
In addition, the existing plant runs three Brazilian-made Ciola extruding lines used for polypropylene film and a separate Beutelspacher film laminating line, Herrero said at the recent Plastics Extrusion Congress held in Mexico City, sponsored by independent consulting company Instituto Mexicano del Plastico Industrial.
Excel, which operates an Illig thermoforming line used mainly for making blister packaging, also installed new Brazilian Rami printing equipment last year.
The firm expects to move into its new plant by 1997. The move will enable Excel to reorganize production and to allow for expansion.
It will cost several million dollars.
Excel recorded 1994 sales of US$6 million, but as a result of the Mexican peso devaluation crisis last December, has seen domestic sales reduced by more than a third.
The Puebla company began in 1976 as a blow molder of PVC bottles for the edible oil market, but was bought out four years later by Mexican glass and plastics group Vitro SA.
Additionally, Herrero is a partner with one of Mexico's large supermarket chains, Comercial Mexicana, in a film extruding and bag converting company, Plasti-Pack del Sureste SA de CV, which is also located in Tehuacn.