How To Find A Quality Manufacturing Company In Mexico (Or Anywhere Else For That Matter)
For nearly 50 years, Intran has been one of Mexico’s leading suppliers of automotive fuel system components. Our expertise in this business – with its extraordinary safety demands – has helped our company become a quality leader in the industry. Intran supplies fuel system parts and components to several tier-one auto suppliers, as well as OEMs.
The key to our success has been to emphasize manufacturing quality at every step. However, there’s more than emphasis that goes into quality. Here’s a list of attributes we feel are important to maintaining quality, and we suggest that any US or Canadian company thinking about contracting a manufacturer in Mexico review our list. (By the way, get even more info about why Mexico is the best location for manufacturing in this article.)
Experience Matters
Have you ever noticed how the longest-running restaurants consistently deliver great food and service? The same applies to manufacturing. Intran is now into our fifth decade of producing OEM quality parts and components. When contracting a Mexican manufacturer to build you parts or components, there’s a lot to be said for the cumulative experience of everyone in the facility.
Continuing Investment In Facilities
Technology moves fast. What was top-of-the-line in 1985 would be unusable today. That’s why Intran invests in the newest and most efficient equipment available so customers receive the very best product. Here’s what Intran uses today:
- Automatic CNC machinery
- A brazing furnace
- Tube bending machinery
- Wire bending machinery
- End forming machinery
- Vacuum impregnation equipment
- Straightening and tube cutting equipment
- 3D Image Measurement Systems
What’s more, it’s important to distinguish between “leading edge” and “bleeding edge” technology. The latest and greatest technology isn’t always as cost-effective as technology that’s a generation older. When vetting manufacturing partners, it’s good to ask about both recent investments and the cost-effectiveness of those investments.
Continuing Investment In People
Just as the best manufacturers invest in equipment, the best manufacturers also invest in people. Mexico has more construction, engineering, and manufacturing degrees per capita than the US (and most other countries in the world, for that matter). And many of those graduates bring their talents and ideas to Intran, allowing us to maintain the innovative quality we’re known for. (More about investing in our people in this article.)
Partnerships Matter
Image via Omaha.com and the Associated Press.
They say a person is known by the company he keeps, and that’s true for manufacturers as well. A manufacturer that only works with companies you’ve never heard of probably isn’t going to be a great partner. Instead, look for a manufacturing company that has a good roster of current and past clients.
At Intran, here are some of the high-quality companies we’re working with (or worked with in the past):
- TI Automotive
- Freightliner
- John Deere
- UCI-Fram
- Delphi
- Nissan, Volkswagen, Chrysler, and more
Working with companies like these is proof that our company is reliable and capable. When contracting a Mexican company to manufacturer parts or components, you should expect a good resume.
Quality Certifications Matter
Intran is ISO/TS 16949 Certified, which means our company meets or exceeds quality standards required by the global automotive industry. The certification was developed by the International Automotive Task Force to foster improvement between the supply chain and customers. In fact, for most leading OEM manufacturers, this certification is mandatory to continue operating.
Intran is also ISO 9001-2008 certified, which means we meet customer expectations and satisfaction while displaying continuous improvement. (Learn more about ISO certification here.)
Each industry has its own set of standards, and it’s important to work with manufacturers who meet or exceed them. Manufacturers who haven’t worked to certify to these standards either don’t understand their importance, don’t do enough business in that industry to justify meeting the standard, or have decided to produce sub-par quality products as a way to save money.
Environmental, Labor, And Intellectual Property Standards Matter
Last but not least, we come to perhaps the most important factors to look for in a manufacturing company:
Does the manufacturer guard intellectual property? There are two aspects to consider:
- Does the local legal system support IP? If the manufacturer is in Mexico, the USA, or Canada, then the answer is yes. All three North American countries have strong legal protections for intellectual property. If the manufacturer is in China? Not so much.
- Does the manufacturer have an official process for managing IP? Many companies implement a specific process for handling IP. If a manufacturer doesn’t have a process, they might not be able to safeguard the information.
Does the manufacturer adhere to proper labor and environmental standards? Worker’s rights and welfare are important, as is the environment. Without diminishing this importance or framing these issues purely as business concerns (they are not), it’s important to note that manufacturers who don’t protect workers or the environment can cause embarrassing problems for their clients.
Poor treatment of workers or the environment at an affiliated manufacturer can lead to bad publicity. The best example might be Apple’s relationship with its Chinese manufacturing partner Foxconn, which has been the subject of numerous news stories.
Again, worker’s rights and the environment are important. It’s a good idea for any company vetting a manufacturing partner to tour the facility, talk to staff at different levels, and review the manufacturer’s history.