FAWN Mexico: A 20-Year Success Story in Chihuahua's Manufacturing Landscape
By Alejandra Méndez
March 26, 2024
FAWN Mexico, established in Chihuahua more than two decades ago, has grown from a modest operation with just a few machines to a $40 million-a-year company. This evolution is a result of the joint effort between the U.S. corporation, based in Maryland, and the Mexican workforce and capital, and testimony of a synergy that has made it possible to overcome challenges and take advantage of opportunities at a global level.
"We started with four or five machines; now we have molding, painting, decorations, and assembly machinery and equipment," says Jorge Holguín, Operations Manager at FAWN Mexico. Under his management, the company has experienced exponential growth for the last 19 years, multiplying its value and expanding its production capacities.
This
growth reflects the increased installed capacity, with 30 injection molding
machines ranging from 40 to 650 tons and seven painting lines (some of them
automated with robots), and the diversification of its customer and service
portfolio. While it primarily supplies the automotive industry with
complex-textured plastic components, it also has customers in sectors such as
home appliances and medical devices.
The interviewee points out that FAWN Mexico's commitment to quality and customer satisfaction focuses on continuous improvement and compliance with environmental standards. "We are committed to providing products and services that continuously exceed our customers requirements and improving the performance of the quality management system," highlighting the importance of working with partners and suppliers to achieve these goals.
The plant's geographical location offers significant advantages in terms of logistics and access to raw materials, facilitating not only the export to key markets such as the United States, South Africa, Poland, and China but also the import of essential inputs for its production. "We have local and foreign suppliers that are here in the city," Holguín says, emphasizing globalization as a value rather than a challenge.
Despite setbacks, such as the pandemic and competition with China, FAWN Mexico has adapted and found growth opportunities. The company has seen an increase in customer demand and is looking for alternatives to China, which presents an excellent opportunity for expansion. "We are being contacted by new and existing customers who tell us 'I'm leaving China,'" shares the person in charge of the operation, who is satisfied that some operations that had been established in the Asian country, have not only returned but now the effect is the other way around.
FAWN Mexico is noted for its productive capacity and economic growth and its focus on staff and community development. With low staff turnover and a dedicated team of long-term employees, the company emphasizes the importance of continuous training and the well-being of its workers. "We are continually training our staff. The older they are, the more in-depth training we can give them," says Holguín, underscoring the value of experience and knowledge in the industry.
FAWN Mexico represents a good case of what nearshoring represents for many companies in the country, with scenarios to generate sustained growth. For manufacturers in the plastics industry, it has been critical to focus on quality, the environment, and customer satisfaction. Coupled with its strategic geographic location (373 km from the Ciudad Juárez-El Paso border crossing) and a committed team, the company is well-positioned to continue taking advantage of the growing flow of investments in the region.