Inteva is one of the few technology design centers in Ciudad Juárez

With a presence that dates back 13 years, Inteva is a prominent company in Ciudad Juárez: it is a design center that does not manufacture products, but creates technology. He develops designs for automotive door lock systems, having more than 100 patents made by Ciudad Juárez engineers. In an exclusive interview with Víctor Suárez, general manager of Inteva, he shared the details of this company.

From Delphi to Inteva

Inteva was originally a division of Delphi, although its legacy goes back a long way. According to Suárez, the company has operated for 100 years, going through different owners, until the corporate was sold and its new owners took advantage of the engineering talent of the city.

"When the Inteva corporate acquired this Delphi operation, it also recognized that this technical center was already consolidated and, despite the fact that there is no manufacturing, it was decided to continue with these operations," he explained.

Inteva engineering talent

One of the notable aspects of the maquiladora industry is the possibility of working in sister plants in other parts of the world. Suárez reported that some engineers from the plant located in the town work in other plants, such as those in China, the United States and France.

However, for Suárez, rather than exporting engineers, the responsibility of the company is the totality of the company designs that other plants manufacture, such as the two in Matamoros, two in China, one in Korea and one in Romania.

Mexican technological innovation

For Suárez, Mexican engineering is creative, since it allows them to go beyond the standard and has allowed them to compete in the automotive industry. "We are the number one supplier of locks, by number," he detailed.

This, he added, allows them to use engineering concepts efficiently that are well received in the world market.

“As a country, we have a high capacity for innovation. But not all companies make the decision to design here in the country. In terms of execution, we have a medium level, and not due to lack of capacity ”, he added.

One element that Suárez highlighted is that, due to the free trade agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada, the country has stood out for production, not engineering. In this sense, more design centers are required for the manager.

An advantage that Suárez saw for design centers in Mexico is the cost of labor, compared to other countries, in addition to the creativity of Mexican engineers, which has not been sufficiently exploited.

“The interaction we have in other regions of the world shows great teamwork. Our organization contemplates different levels of development (concept, validation and production). They are different branches of engineering. All must work together to achieve the goal. This is another advantage that we have as a country ”, he stressed.

Areas of opportunity for design centers in Mexico

One aspect that Suárez stressed was that Mexican industry has opted for established branches of manufacturing. “Investing in technology is a risk. Putting money into activity before starting to make a profit is something that has stopped major design centers. But people with that capital can obtain benefits if they are encouraged, taking into account the talent that we have, "he said.

Inteva locks: the shift to the future

As for Inteva locks, they are found on all types of vehicles: from the economy to the most luxurious. Notably, even in economical vehicles, Inteva designs ensure the safety of drivers.

Likewise, the new technologies that electric vehicles involve, according to Suárez, require that safety and functionality change and adjust to changes. “Mechanical systems have been relied on for many years, and the move to electrical systems means that we provide locks that are on par with the rest of the car's technology,” he said. 

Profile of the engineer recently graduated from Inteva

One notable aspect that Suárez highlighted is that, although the engineers arrive at Inteva with good theoretical bases, they still require preparation for more advanced aspects. To bridge this knowledge gap, the company maintains an open collaboration with universities so that students can learn and acquire skills, so that when they finish their degree it is easier for them to work at Inteva.

Regarding the soft skills aspect, the manager considers that they are crucial to choose the students who carry out their internships at Inteva. “A selection criterion that we have to hire them or not is the soft ability, more than the hard ones. This is because the technical part, in general, is good, but continuous growth, innovation and teamwork (our advantages) are derived from soft skills than hard ones. When a student or engineer wants to grow and learn, it is due more to that training that, in my opinion, is not taught by school, but rather something that is more personal, "he concluded.