DejaVu: Vehicle Production Stopped

Just a year after lockdowns, production plants entered a new shutdown period due to chip shortages. The circumstance has been influencing the sector since the beginning of the year. Honda and Toyota are the most recent OEMs to cut production.

In other matters, Volkswagen celebrates 13 million vehicles manufactured at its Puebla production plant. Meanwhile, Foxconn is considering Mexico as an alternative for its first EV plant.

In this week's featured interviews, we introduce the head of Automotive Marketplace at Mercado Libre, Jorge Dávila. Also, the CEO of Alian Plastics explains how smart manufacturing capabilities have made the company a diversified Tier 2 plastics supplier.

Additionally, we are honored to introduce our series of analyses as part of Mexico Automotive Review’s first digital edition.

Ready? This is the Week in Automotive!

Toyota, Honda Cut North American Production Amid Supply Chain Woes

Toyota Motor and Honda Motor announced new production halts in North America due to supply chain issues. Toyota will cut production in Kentucky, West Virginia and Mexico, while Honda will halt production at most US and Canadian plants. The latter company had previously announced production cuts in Mexico.

MAR21 - Sales Go Digital; Mobility More Integrated

Digital channels are the new normal. As the pandemic accelerated e-commerce, materializing the leap that was expected to take years, the automotive industry embraced the challenge of digital sales through diverse strategies, from partnerships with large e-commerce players and banks to extensive training programs focused on the online sales channel. Take a look at one of our analysis for Mexico Automotive Review first edition 2021

Mercado Libre: Transparency, Immediacy Key Elements of Digital Sales

Eighty percent of people do research in digital marketplaces before purchasing a vehicle. Mercado Libre's Head of the Automotive Marketplace Jorge Dávila shares key focus areas for automakers to consider when embracing digital channels.

Alian Plastics: Smart Manufacturing to Attract New Customers

Felipe Villarreal, CEO of Alian Plastics, shares his experience on the role smart manufacturing has played in the development of a successful Tier 2 company now working with Audi, BMW and Tesla, among others.

Bocar: Anticipating Customer Needs to Sustain Growth

Learn about the legacy of one of the most successful Mexican suppliers in the market with more than 60 years of experience in aluminum high pressure die casting and semi-permanent mold components.

DiDi to Collaborate With C5 for Safer Travel

DiDi just signed a collaboration agreement with the Ministry of Security of the State of Mexico to connect with the state’s Control, Command, Communication, Computing and Quality Center (C5) within the framework of the company’s initiative “DiDi Mujer,” which was designed to offer better protection for women who use this platform.

Volkswagen México Celebrates 13 Million Vehicles Manufactured

Volkswagen México has set a new production record at its Puebla plant, which recently welcomed Taos, the German brand's new model. “The talent, commitment and passion of our team have made it possible for Volkswagen Mexico to maintain its growth trajectory with the production of 13 million cars,” said Steffen Reiche, President of Volkswagen México.

Mexico: Alternative for Foxconn's First EV Plant

Foxconn will decide this year between Mexico and Wisconsin to set up its first electric vehicle plant, President of Hon Hai Precision Industry, Foxconn's flagship unit, Young Liu, said during a press conference on Tuesday. Liu said the availability and affordability of skilled labor and engineering talent will be among the decisive factors.

Volkswagen Follows Tesla's Steps and Announces Its Own GigaFactories.

The company announced plans to build half of a dozen battery cell plants in Europe while expanding charging infrastructure for electric vehicles globally, accelerating efforts to overtake Tesla and speed up mass adoption of battery-powered cars.