ThyssenKrupp Materials de Mexico, is expanding the current blanking operations of its Lagermex brand, a unit of ThyssenKrupp Materials NA (TKMNA), in Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico with a USD 20M investment that will add nearly 5,100m2 and a new, state-of-the-art aluminium and carbon steel blanking line. TKMNA expects to complete the expansion project and begin production in the fourth quarter of 2015.
“This expansion is important to our business as it positions us as the first Mexico-based facility to offer both aluminium and advanced high-strength steel configured blanking capabilities for our customers”, said Christian Dohr, president and CEO, TKMNA. “Once complete, it will also benefit the Silao community, adding 35 full-time positions to the facility.”
Photo courtesy of ThyssenKrupp Materials NA
The expansion centres around a new Schuler blanking line with the ability to process both aluminium and carbon steel, addressing the automotive industry’s needs in using aluminium in place of other materials for specific automotive applications. Additionally, the line will process carbon steel for exposed and unexposed automotive applications, including high-strength steel up to 1,500 MPa of TS. The new blanking line and expanded facility will increase the processing capacity of the Silao plant by nearly 70%, to 270,000t per year.
The expansion recently broke ground on a newly acquired 3.7-acre piece of land adjacent to the existing facility.
