ZC Rubber details plans for Mexico tire factory

Hangzhou, China – Zhongce Rubber Group (ZC Rubber) has detailed plans for a previously signalled project to establish a tire plant in Mexico.

The Hangzhou-based tire maker is to establish a manufacturing facility in Saltillo, with a potential size of up to 600,000 square metres, ZC Rubber announced 8 Feb.

The site will also house a North American warehouse centre to support regional distribution and cost efficiency, the statement added.

The company said the positioning of the factory was “strategic”, being located 250km from the US-Mexico border.

“If the plan progresses, construction of this advanced facility is estimated to be completed within approximately 12 months,” ZC Rubber added.

The factory will employ ZC Rubber’s ‘future factory’ concept, in addition to focusing “sustainability, energy efficiency, high automation and overall operational efficiency.”

ZC Rubber did not provide details about the capacity or the tire types to be produced at the Mexican facility.

“Our plan to open a tire factory in Mexico demonstrates our commitment to meeting the growing demand for high-quality tires in the region,” said Henry Shen, vice president of ZC Rubber.

“While we explore this opportunity, we remain focused on our customers’ needs and operational efficiency by setting up a complete local distribution network,” he added.

With the planned expansion, ZC Rubber said it expected to reach a “significant milestone” in its global expansion strategy.

ZC Rubber operates 11 tire production plants, including an overseas factory in Rayong, Thailand and 10 domestic facilities in China.

The tire group has also started construction work on another overseas facility in Indonesia, as part of its global expansion plans. (ERJ report)