The Beginners' Guide To Manufacturing A Wire Harness In Mexico

By Morris Raymond

If you are in an industry that relies on machinery, maintenance of this equipment is no small task. The machinery relies on refined internal mechanisms, but maintenance can be fairly straight-forward thanks to wire harnesses. The wire harness has brought about a revolution for industries needing a tidy solution to what can be a maddening chaos of cables & wires. When you think about a wire harness, though, Mexico isn't usually the first place that comes to mind.

Located south of the United States, Mexico has made its impact in the manufacturing world. They're only second to Canada (our northern neighbor) in energy trade with the U.S., have established regional distinctions within the country based on product manufacturing over the last two decades, and unlike other Latin American countries, Mexico has seen a large rise in their manufacturing sector since 1980.

Manufacturers stateside have benefited from having Mexico as a partner because it has allowed them to expand their geographic reach to customers in need of products. The proximity has been pivotal in allaying customer concerns regarding budget or production dates.

But having an international manufacturing partner can have drawbacks, and if a company isn't careful to avoid certain pitfalls, the ability to be successful will be negatively impacted.

Here is a basic guide to wire harness manufacturing in Mexico:

Language Barriers - Working with Mexico means a need to communicate in Spanish. Even if the representative operating between the stateside-based manufacturer & its Mexico-based facility can readily communicate, it is imperative that a difference in language doesn't become a major problem. This is especially important when it comes to industry terminology.

Pre-Approval of Specs & Requesting Samples - It is vital that all specifications are approved at all points in the process just to be sure everyone is on the same page (e.g., weights & measurements in either metric or imperial increments). Also, as often as possible, it is key to obtain production samples in case there is a need to address any issues.

Parent Company in the States - It's important that a company seeking wire harness builds works with a manufacturer whose parent-company is based in the U.S.. This helps ensure that the builds have been done under the same guidelines & compliance regulations required in the U.S.. Considering the billions of dollars that U.S. companies have invested into the development of Mexico's manufacturing sectors, this usually isn't too big an obstacle.

Budget - Manufacturing budgets can sometimes forget to factor in the cost that may come with shipping materials either back to the ordering customer for approval or if there is a need for a final product to go elsewhere. Mexico is close, but poor budget management can still be a cause for delays.

Production Dates - Manufacturers that establish facilities in Mexico do so because there is greater proximity to customers. Two of Mexico's most prominent regions in this endeavor are the Border Region & Central Mexico ("el bajio"). This actually leads to a quicker turnaround of materials being delivered on-time or even ahead of schedule.

Remember that f you're working with a well-established harness & assemblies manufacturer based in the United States with a facility based in Mexico, the wire harness that Mexico can produce will be of incredible value, excellent quality, and will meet all of your necessary build requisite standards.

Contact LoDan Electronics, Inc. for high-quality, cost-effective wire harnesses in the U.S., Mexico, and Asia.

Article Source:  The Beginners' Guide To Manufacturing A Wire Harness In Mexico