The MAT Foundry Group Ltd. plans to expand production at its foundry in Ecatepec, Mexico, adding 30,000 metric tons/year (33,000 tpy) of capacity for automotive brake parts. The existing plant, a MincerHD foundry near Mexico City, produces rotors, drums, hubs, and planetary gears for heavy truck, trailer, and commercial and passenger vehicle markets.
The expansion will include a DISAmatic molding line, induction melting for ductile and gray iron, automated pouring, and casting finishing capabilities. According to MAT Foundry Group, the expansion will allow the plant to supply castings to automotive buyers in Mexico and the U.S.
No investment cost has been announced for the project, which is already in progress.
Commissioning and initial production are scheduled for mid-2017. Foundry Solutions & Design, Alpharetta, GA, contributed advanced planning and engineering service for the project.
Once the current phase of expansion is completed, a second expansion has been planned that would double the new capacity. No schedule has been provided for that second phase of the development.
According to MAT Foundry Group president Thomas Krosnar: “With this expansion of capacity and enhanced capabilities at the significantly extended Mexican facility, MAT Foundry Group will become a true global partner to all OEM and Tier One customers,” he commented.
MAT Foundry Group is headquartered at Poole, England, and oversees seven foundries and eight machining facilities in Europe, Asia, and Central America. These operations have an estimated 350,000 metric tons/year of total capacity for cast iron parts, for passenger, heavy-duty, and performance vehicles. It also supplies automotive OEM and aftermarket customers with engineering research and product development capabilities.
The larger organization, MAT Holdings Inc., is headquartered in Long Grove, IL, and consists of numerous businesses manufacturing automotive engine, suspension, and braking products, and numerous other industrial parts.
Mexico continues to draw new investment for automotive casting capacity, including recent projects by Borg-Warner, Brembo, Federal-Mogul, General Motors, and Nemak, among others. Recently, Waupaca Foundry indicated it plans to establish a foundry operation in Mexico within three years.