Metals distributor Samuel building new facility in Mexico

Metals distributor and industrial products maker Samuel, Son & Co. Ltd. is expanding into a new automotive processing facility in Querétaro, Mexico.

Construction of the new 140,000-square-foot (13,000-square-meter) facility is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2021, with full production ramped up in January 2022.

In a news release, Oakville, Ont.-based Samuel said the new building will be equipped with a state-of-the-art slitter and related processing capabilities. “This new operation, along with an existing automotive facility in Monterrey, positions [us] as a leading metals processor to global automotive brands and their supply chain partners operating in Mexico,” the release said.

“Over the last five years, Samuel has invested more than $150 million to extend the capacity and capabilities we offer to automotive OEMs and Tier One suppliers across North America,” said Luis Ponte, Samuel’s vice president of automotive. “The automotive industry is rapidly expanding in Central Mexico, and we’re looking forward to being a part of it. Our investment in Querétaro will allow us to deliver a new level of support for the many expanding global automotive programs based in the region.”

Samuel operates an integrated network of automotive-focused metal processing centers across North America. Additional automotive-focused investments recently made by the company include the acquisition of a second location in California for its additive manufacturing division, Burloak Technologies; the expansion of its plant in Brantford, Ont.; and the opening of a greenfield automotive operation in Columbia, Tenn.