Insur: Developing Quality, Customized Infrastructure

Q: What is CONSTRUCTORA INSUR’s (INSUR) added value for the automotive sector?

A: This year, we are celebrating our 37th anniversary. Throughout this time, we have evolved alongside the industrial sector. The industry works differently now than 30 years ago, mostly due to manufacturing processes that have evolved and that require specific infrastructure.

We are a privately owned company so decisions can be taken quickly, allowing us to adapt fast. Some clients have mentioned that they prefer companies with a structure such as ours that offers flexibility and adaptability for any kind of project. All of our previous experience helps us to embrace new challenges.

Q: What is the role of the automotive and manufacturing sectors within INSUR’s portfolio?

A: Automotive represents between 25 and 30 percent of our portfolio. In 2020, the health sector grew considerably but we maintain our participation in the automotive sector. The same thing happened two years ago with the food and beverages sector and five years ago with aerospace but automotive never ceased to be important for INSUR.

The company was created in Mexico City and our first expansion led us to Queretaro thanks to the industrial boom in the region around 18 years ago. Today, we are in an expansion stage.

For instance, we are building a facility in Tepic, Nayarit for Dräxlmaier. We have built facilities in Nuevo Leon, San Luis Potosí and a few in State of Mexico, among other states. We cover almost all states but most of our activity is in central Mexico and the Bajio region.

Q: What are INSUR’s milestones in the automotive sector?

A: We have worked with a variety of clients and every single one of them has played an important role in our portfolio. That being said, some of our best-known clients include Narmco Gruop, Kirkchoff Automotive, Dräxlmaier, RonalGroup, Aceway and BorgWarner. These projects have been really important for us due to the high-quality requirements the companies presented.

Working with these companies has also taught us a great deal. We learned how to adapt to their needs and learned from their own manufacturing philosophies for instance transferring lean manufacturing concepts into lean construction processes, optimizing resources and adapting our processes to the company’s reality.

Q: What is your perspective regarding sustainability in the auto sector, particularly referring to carbon footprint traceability?

A: Sustainability is a must these days. There are different associations that focus on this, one of them is the LEED certification, which is a guarantee that all the construction processes are environmentally friendly, and there are different LEED Certifications, such as LEED ZERO which focuses on the balance of the carbon emissions. This certification is granted to the project, not the company itself.

We have built facilities that are LEED-certified. These kinds of certificates can help to diminish our clients’ environmental impact. That being said, all our projects include an environmental impact study. The environmental trend has already been widely adopted in Europe and the US but it is just ramping up in Mexico. In some projects involving LEED certificates, often companies brought project managers in to assess the processes. That is where our adaptability and flexibility are essential.

Q: What allows INSUR to take part in advanced, special projects?

A: Industry 4.0 requires special infrastructure. Robots and machinery require special foundations so they are not thrown out of calibration. Clients give us really specific requirements to build the foundations under controlled environments and following other requirements.

This is more than a trend as Industry 4.0 will continue to grow. Construction materials are evolving accordingly, thanks to the really specific conditions companies need for manufacturing processes. That being said, construction processes remain fundamentally unaltered.

Q: How did the pandemic influence INSUR’s strategies?

A: We never stopped our operations despite the pandemic. Some of our clients were not labeled as essential, which led to reduce some of our regular activities and constructions. However, our clients in essential sectors helped us brave the crisis.

On the operational side, we learned how to adapt to digital channels to keep a lineal and constant communication with our international customers. It was a learning period for us. All companies needed to focus on the well-being of their people while adapting to a fast-changing environment. INSUR was a pioneer in incorporating health protocols at construction sites since workers need to maintain social distancing while doing their job. We learned and developed these strategies in a matter of months. Mexicans are creative in nature and that really helped us to improve our processes.

Q: What are INSUR’s strategies for the automotive sector?

A: We are confident in our readiness to support the automotive sector. This industry is at the forefront of new trends and technologies. Whenever a company brings a new process to the country, it requires special infrastructure. We are ready to adapt to their needs thanks to our experience in the sector. Even though these projects are one of a kind, our accumulated knowledge helps us to deliver what the customer needs. Very few companies can truly adapt quickly to such strict industry requirements.

CONSTRUCTORA INSUR is a construction company with 37 years of experience in the development of industrial plants, warehouses and commercial buildings. The company has a national footprint with strong operations in the Bajio area.