TR Fastenings (TR) took part in a British trade mission to Mexico this summer, as part of a group of businesses representing the UK’s automotive industry.
The trip, hosted by Santander and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), was organised to champion British automotive expertise to Mexican businesses and allow the trade delegates to establish key connections in the region. Mexico is a fast-growing hub for automotive manufacturers and tier 1 suppliers, with 3 million cars produced every year, compared to 1 million in the UK.
For the first part of the trip, TR and the other trade delegates visited Santander’s Mexico Head office, hosted by Santander UK’s Barrie Kilfeather and Mauricio Munguia. The visitors were given exclusive presentations on the Mexican automotive market, detailing new developments, issues facing the industry, supply chain requirements and production trends. The talks were given by Santander Mexico, the SMMT, the UK Department for International Trade (DIT) and local law firm Sanchez Devanny.
“This trip allowed us to lay the foundations for expansion”
The group then attended Automechanika Mexico City, Mexico and Central America’s most prominent automotive trade show, which is attended by key domestic and international manufacturers and suppliers.
The trip also included a visit to the British Chamber of Commerce in Mexico, a number of site visits to automotive companies and a series of 1-2-1 meetings which had been arranged for each company. These visits allowed TR and the other firms to educate these businesses about their expertise and capabilities and forge potential business relationships. The DIT is keen for British and other international companies to invest in Mexico and is keen to help them to expand and set down roots in the area, so the meetings were engineered to kick-start this process.
“To be included in this trade mission was a great privilege, one that we thank Santander and the SMMT for,” said Chris Black, TR’s global director of automotive business development. “It was fascinating to learn more about the automotive landscape in Mexico and to be given the opportunity to forge new connections in the region. With our base in Houston and 3PLs in Mexico itself, we are in a fantastic position to service and cater for Mexican businesses, and this is an area of our global operations we are very keen to nurture and expand. This trip allowed us to lay the foundations for that expansion, and start fruitful conversations for the major players in the Mexican automotive community.”
Barrie Kilfeather, Senior International Director at Santander Corporate & Commercial Banking, added: “With the automotive industry developing at a rapid pace across the globe, it’s vital for British businesses in the sector to seek out and maximise all opportunities to expand their contact base and to look overseas for growth opportunities. The Mexican market is a particularly exciting environment at the moment, so this trade mission gave TR Fastenings and the other businesses in the group an excellent platform from which to make connections and forge meaningful relationships in the region.”