Rehm Open House Celebrates 10 Years In Mexico

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT

Next week, Rehm Thermal Systems marks its 10th year in Guadalajara, Mexico, with a celebration that includes a demonstration area in its new building, and a recognition of the technology. Despite some challenges with economic situations between the U.S. and China, Rehm is moving forward and finding success.

Nolan Johnson: Hi, I’m Nolan Johnson here for I-Connect007. I’m talking with Luis Garcia, the head of the Rehm offices in Mexico. Luis, welcome.

Luis Garcia: Hi, Nolan. Thanks a lot for your time for giving me the opportunity.

Johnson: I know that Rehm is celebrating a 10-year anniversary in Mexico. Tell me about that.

Garcia: Around 11 years ago, I was hired, but I was hired as part of Rehm, USA. Then after a few months, Mr. Rehm says, “Okay I, want to open a facility in Mexico. I want to open a subsidiary to give better support to Mexico.” Then he gave me the task, to reach this goal to establish in Mexico and to find an office.

This was not easy in Mexico. It's not as fast as we would like, but we finally established the office. We started to grow the team, and we found a nice building for that time. 10 years ago, we opened our the officially Rheem office and then we established our office. We are growing at this point and this is what we want to celebrate.

Johnson: That's just fantastic. How large is your staff today?

Garcia: In Mexico right now, we are 8% and we are in the path to hire another two more on the team because it's important to get better support for our customers, better organization.

Johnson: And your install base is also on the grow in Mexico?

Garcia: Yes. Because we are strong on the reflow ovens and the vacuum technology has made us grow more in recent years. Because of this technology, mainly for the automotive industry it’s required, the vacuum machines. Rehm is strong in this field, and we are getting more machine style, and even we are starting to grow with other technologies like vapor face or dispensing.

Johnson: Lots of options then in Mexico. Which leads to the next question. What is the overall activity and health growth rate in Mexico in general? What are you seeing, Luis?

Garcia: It's a mix because we have now some hard times because of the situation between USA and China and Asia that has put on hold some projects in Mexico. But other projects are growing; where we have more relationship with projects for USA these are growing. But others are just on hold. But anyway, it looks very good. There are companies that are expanding here in Guadalajara, and in other sites in Mexico–in Juarez–and are preparing for the growing that is required on this new technologies for automotive or better servers for artificial intelligence. That is where we are facing and we want to be prepared.

Johnson: It does sound to me like you do have customers who are continuing to invest in their equipment and their capabilities in Mexico.

Garcia: Yes, some are delaying just the investment for months because they are waiting for improvement to see the reality of the USA situation about taxes and those topics. But many have a lot of plans to grow. As I told you, some are investing in new buildings as Rehm has done now.

Johnson: Ten years is a big deal in Mexico, and to have seen it from day one is a big deal. Luis, are there any celebrations planned?

Garcia: Yes, sure. Mr. Rehm decided one and a half year ago, that it's time to grow. Then, we were renting. He decided to buy our own building here in Mexico, in Guadalajara. Then we started to buy a new building to make the offices to get better demonstration area. It’s very nice to have a bigger spare parts. To celebrate the 10 years, we are at the same time opening this new building. Next week, on Wednesday and Thursday (July 2 and 3, 2025), we will have a celebration in Mexico.

We will have two days of technology. Mr. Rehm is coming to open this building and our experts for reflow, dispensing and condensation are coming to show our latest technology. Just now, we are receiving the last machines, the newest, to install them. For next week, we will have four machines to demonstrate the compatibility from Rheem.

Garcia: And then we will have a team here, as I told you very interesting topics about the reflow, about the dispensing and vacuum. But at the end of the first day, we will have a small party just to celebrate the 10 years of Mexico and to celebrate with our customers and friends that had been supporting Rehm. They are believing in Rehm and now Rehm believes in Mexico. That's the main goal on this building to have a better support to our customers, to have faster reactions with bigger spare parts and with more team in Mexico.

Johnson: Fantastic. Yes. And the commitment to buy a property says quite a bit about the overall commitment from Rehm to the Mexican market. Congratulations, Luis, and I look forward to another 10 years working with you in Mexico. Have a terrific celebration.

Garcia: Oh, thanks a lot for giving me the opportunity to reassure the people every customer is welcome to be here next July 2.

Johnson: I’m here with Luis Garcia from Rehm and the Mexican office. I'm Nolan Johnson. Thanks for listening.