Auto supplier Mitchell Plastics Ltd. has started construction of its first molding facility in Mexico, expanding its presence in the country.
The new plant in Querétaro will have both injection molding and painting and employ 350 people once it hits full capacity. Initial shipments from the 155,000-square-foot site will begin in spring 2014.
Mitchell, based in Kitchener, Ontario, has supplied parts to Mexico for several years from its existing operations in the U.S. and Canada, but having a presence in the country will add to its ability to provide parts for various automakers, said Peter Gibb, vice president of sales and marketing, in a Sept. 25 telephone interview.
Mitchell Plastics specializes in interior parts, with an ability to provide complex assemblies that combine both functional parts, such as air vents, with decorative trim. It has 18 paint lines throughout its facilities along with capabilities in vacuum formed foil trim.
Its main production is at two sites in Ontario —in Kitchener and Waterloo — along with molding in Huntsville, Ala. Earlier this year, it acquired a controlling interest in the joint venture DA Inc. in Charlestown, Ind., Gibb said. The Indiana site now operates under the Mitchell Plastics name.
