Winning the OEM Supplier Race Through Technology, Talent

Q: What measures has GMD Stamping taken to recover from the pandemic?

A: During the pandemic, we had to pause operations for almost a year but we started several projects in late 2020 and 2021. During the crisis, we also retained all our personnel. As a stamping company, our work is highly technical and finding experts can be challenging, so we chose to retain our personnel. In the first half of 2022, our sales grew 2.5 times. Despite the crisis and the pandemic, we carried out all our projects and achieved our sales objectives. 

Q: What are the plans for your plant located in San Luis Potosi?

A: Our goal is to triple the size of our plant and we have the land to do so. We are only using 30% of the available space, which is almost at full capacity. We also want to purchase new machinery to ensure that we are prepared to meet the needs of our clients, including urgent requests.

Q: What are GMD Stamping’s major collaborations with OEMs in San Luis Potosi and Mexico? 

A: We have been working with the purchasing teams of major OEMs, such as GM and BMW. We might soon begin a collaboration with Nissan, with which we are now in the final validation stage. This is a lengthy process because we plan to build parts that Nissan now imports from a Chinese company. 

We are also negotiating with Stellantis, which is interested in relocating production of parts it now buys in Italy. We are competitive and typically have all the technologies that the customer is looking for. With BMW, we are discussing becoming an option in case its current supplier cannot handle the required volumes. We have also approached Continental. OEMs will only choose a company if it is better than its current supplier. They will not choose a local company just to follow the nearshoring trend.

Q: How is GMD Stamping adding value to the electric vehicle market?

A: We manufacture seat parts through our partner, Faurecia, with which we sell seats to Tesla and other companies. We do not have any plans to change the type of product we make as electrification has not had a significant impact on us. When there is change, we will adapt but we do not have any specific R&D plan for electric vehicles in Mexico. 

Q: How has GMD Stamping approached the development and attraction of talent in Mexico?

A: Our company requires highly skilled personnel to operate sophisticated machinery, which is different from other industries that focus on assembly. Since we began operations in 2016, we have sought to attract specialized talent in machinery installation and maintenance, as well as in quality systems. However, we have encountered difficulties in finding personnel with specific experience in our unique machines and dies. Therefore, we have chosen to train our personnel and seek individuals with talent and a proactive attitude, rather than hiring someone with experience in our specific operations. We seek individuals who are willing to learn and have potential to grow within the company. In addition, we offer attractive salaries and a competitive benefits package to attract and retain our highly skilled personnel. 

We believe the key to success is to offer employees growth prospects, a good work environment and the opportunity to develop both technical and administrative skills in each department. We have identified critical positions in our company and focus on developing and retaining our personnel to ensure the long-term success of the company.

Q: What are GMD Stamping’s major goals in the short term?

A: We are an excellent option for stamping and we aim to expand and diversify our capabilities in the manufacturing and assembly of all types of parts. Our goal is to incorporate new technologies into our plant to enhance our operations. With a proven track record of delivering high-quality products on time, we are confident that we are a top choice for customers.

GMD Group provides stamping/metal forming of high-value technical parts through its production sites in France, Morocco, Slovakia, China and Mexico.