By Dinorah Becerril
Grupo Kostal, the German multinational automotive company, has laid the cornerstone of its fourth plant in Mexico in Querétaro. It represents an investment of over 2.097 billion pesos, and should generate 750 new jobs. The planned 41,000 square meter complex will be the company’s first power electronics plant in North America.
President and CEO of Kostal North America, Harry Asher, explained that this investment will allow the company to efficiently serve the production operations of customers in North America. It is also a response to the rapidly growing market for the supply of power electronics solutions, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their consumers.
“Kostal will be a key player in the future of mobility as vehicles become more connected to the grid with a systems approach to sustainability with integrated energy solutions for consumers,” Asher said.
Kostal Automobil Elektrik’s Chief Security Officer for America, Tino Naumann, specified that this new state-of-the-art plant will manufacture power electronic components for the electric vehicle market. Phase one will be completed in 2023, and will manufacture on board chargers (OBC), as well as different electronic components to serve this growing market. The facility will feature advanced technologies and provide a clean environment for production.
The new electronics plant will be located in the FINSA III Industrial Park, Carretera San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, km. 23, Santa Rosa Jáuregui Delegation. Naumann emphasized that this will be a pillar in the beginning of another success story for Kostal and Querétaro. German Ambassador to Mexico Wolfgang Dold noted that in Mexico there are more than 2,000 companies with German capital, of which almost 400 are in the Bajío region. Of these, 192 are in Querétaro.
Kostal’s plants will be an essential component in the transition towards electro-mobility, which started almost half a century ago. The company is among the pioneering German companies in Mexico. Ambassador Dold highlighted that German companies are actively participating in the transition of the automotive sector, a pillar of both Germany’s and Mexico’s economies.
