Dayco starts ‘full scale’ production of automotive belts at Mexico plant

San Luis Potosi, Mexico – US engine product and drive systems supplier Dayco has started ‘full scale’ production at its new manufacturing site in San Luis Potosi.

The site, the construction of which was announced at the end of 2022, produces original equipment-quality drive belts, Dayco announced 4 March.

Equipped with “state-of-the-art machinery”, the facility can produce up to 4.2 million Dayco’s EPDM-based Poly-V belts.

The unit also enables the group to expand its production capability to include electric power steering belts and timing belts for light duty OE applications.

The facility, which officially started production in January, expands Dayco’s presence in North America, said CEO Craig Frohock.

The strategic location of the facility, he added, brings “the benefits of Mexico’s free trade agreements”.

The belt manufacturing facility, Frohock noted, “opened flawlessly and in record time, after breaking ground in November 2022.”

By August 2023 the building was already erected and during September the freshly recruited production team undertook training in Argentina.

The team were ready for the first prototypes to be produced at the end of November 2023.

With works progressing ahead of schedule, the first production belts began being manufactured in January 2024.