Aerospace Full of Opportunities for Those Who Want Them

Q: How does MIMSA differentiate itself from other machining providers in the region? 

A: Our main competitive advantages are the quality and diversity of our services. By having clients in different sectors, we have built an extensive catalog for a great variety of services and we are working to make our value offering complete.

Our aerospace capabilities are still not as extensive as we would like and we are trying to grow them this year. It is a sector that is difficult to penetrate because it has many entry barriers and requirements, especially in Mexico. Not all companies have the same opportunities to meet the requirements the sector demands. Our greatest distinction is and will be our service. The aerospace sector is highly demanding and requires that its partners have the facility to respond quickly. It also requires that companies be committed because the margin for error is minuscule. We have been carefully complying with the sector’s requirements, from reviewing the material to training staff, which has helped us to stand out in the industry.

Q: You work with both manual and CNC equipment. How do you ensure the same level of quality across the board, especially in an industry as precise as aerospace?

A: Manual machinery continues to be one of our strengths but for the aerospace industry everything is manufactured with CNC machining. In all our operations, we track the material from the moment we receive it through the entire process. Once the piece is ready, it is inspected to guarantee that it meets all the requirements requested by the client.

Q: What are the development and investment opportunities in industrial machining? 

A: Almost all clients have different requirements; one never finishes working to offer a complete service portfolio. When a project arrives, we need to analyze if we have the capacity to do it. If we do not, we perform a feasibility analysis to determine whether it is a good investment that will help to develop new capabilities.

We started as a small company and we have come this far thanks to several expansion opportunities. It is a sector with numerous opportunities and foreign players are now looking at the Mexican market because local companies can now offer a complete service. At this moment, numerous packages are being relocated to Mexico, which has opened the door to more opportunities.

Q: What kind of support does this particular part of the industry require to reach its full potential?

A: Previously, governments were more open to subsidizing production equipment, training or software but that support is lacking now. There are many business opportunities but often they are not available to SMEs. Government support would be useful in easing the development cost of new parts. Processes have been improved but subsidies would truly support the industry.

Q: What benefits have you enjoyed as part of the Nuevo Leon aerospace cluster?

A: The Monterrey aero cluster and FEMIA have done a great job supporting the industry. We work with both and they have helped us to connect with other companies and find opportunities for growth. These associations have endorsed us and with their recommendation, we are able to gain the client’s trust. They have also helped us to develop training courses by guiding us on where the industry is going.

Q: What opportunities do you see for the state to become a true aerospace hub?

A: Large companies are arriving to Nuevo Leon and the integration of its supply chains can be a differentiator for the state. We are a very industrial state but in this sector, we do not see other states as competitors but as collaborators who are in the same boat. There is business for everyone.

Q: How do you ensure that there is diversity within the aerospace sector and that more women participate in this world?

A: It is a matter of capabilities. This is a very professional sector and a good market niche for women. Gender does not matter; knowledge matters and how committed you are to the industry. What is lacking is scheduling flexibility for women who need it, such as mothers, but this has improved with working from home practices.

Q: What are the company’s next projects?

A: We have many things in mind to continue growing. We are evaluating the acquisition of new machinery for aerospace projects and we plan to evaluate the possibility of increasing our installed capacity and expanding our facilities. We want to grow our number of employees.

We are also developing an international project alongside FEMIA to install offices at the Texas border, which we hope will allow us to begin manufacturing for the US.

MISMA is a family business with more than 40 years of experience in the manufacturing of metal-mechanic parts, through integrated processes such as CNC machining, EDM and Wire-EDM.