Nefab Inaugurates Advanced Engineering Center in Guadalajara

Nefab’s inauguration of a 3,000m² engineering center in Guadalajara addresses the logistical requirements of Mexico’s high-tech manufacturing and digital infrastructure sectors. By localizing the development process, from simulation-based testing to prototyping, the facility enables faster deployment of sensitive equipment like semiconductors and server racks. This investment reinforces Western Mexico’s role as a logistical hub for high-value global supply chains requiring specialized technical validation.


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Sweden-based industrial packaging and logistics provider Nefab has inaugurated a new facility in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The expansion establishes an advanced engineering center focused on design, testing, and prototyping to support high-tech manufacturing and digital infrastructure sectors in Western Mexico.

According to Nefab, the 3,000m² facility integrates the entire development cycle, from initial packaging design to production, within a single campus. Unlike traditional production sites, the Guadalajara center features specialized capabilities to simulate real-world transport conditions. These validation processes allow engineers to test packaging performance for high-value equipment before it enters global supply chains. “Guadalajara has emerged as a critical technological and manufacturing hub in Mexico,” stated Eric Wickman, Regional Director for Latin America, Nefab. 

According to Wickman, as investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and data center infrastructure increase, packaging requirements become more complex. This makes expanding Nefab’s local engineering capabilities key to supporting clients with faster development cycles and specialized solutions.

The expansion targets industries with sensitive, high-value supply chains, including semiconductors, electronics, healthcare, automotive, and digital infrastructure. Specifically, the center provides the technical validation necessary for transporting complex hardware, such as server racks and electronic components, which are susceptible to damage during transit. “Advanced testing allows us to recreate the stress products experience throughout global logistical routes. This level of validation is fundamental for protecting complex technologies,” noted Guilherme Ueda, Manager of Engineering and Innovation for Latin America, Nefab.

The new facility is expected to create 60 jobs across engineering, technical, and production roles within its first year of operation. This development follows Nefab’s 2025 investment in a thin-gauge thermoformed packaging operation, which integrated internal design and recycling capabilities for reusable systems. 

Industry Specific Applications

The Guadalajara facility serves as a hub for specialized sectors, particularly the electric vehicle (EV) and Lithium-ion Battery (LiB) industries. Ari Lezo, Head of LiB and Automotive, Nefab Mexico, noted in an interview with MBN that Mexico’s integration into the North American EV corridor has heightened requirements for packaging that is compliant, traceable, and low-carbon.

To manage the international regulations governing LiB transport, Lezo explained to MBN that Nefab utilizes a global network of over 250 engineers to develop UN-certified designs. In Mexico, the company applies its GreenCalc tool to identify CO2 and financial savings during the design phase, reporting an average 31% carbon footprint reduction for its clients. "We combine this global expertise with local engineering to select the right materials and apply proven design fundamentals," Lezo explained, noting that the goal is to meet regulatory requirements without overengineering.

In previous interviews, Lezo had detailed that the new facility integrates a closed-loop recycling model, which involves collecting, shredding, and re-sheeting used plastic packaging to produce new trays and components. According to him, this model is designed to be scalable across Nefab's other Mexican sites, including Leon, Monterrey, Chihuahua, and Juarez. The company aims to support industrial circularity and reduce reliance on virgin materials across Mexico's manufacturing clusters.

Jalisco Increases High-Tech Manufacturing Exports 

On Jan. 15, 2026, MBN reported that Jalisco posted a historic surge in exports during 3Q25, reaching US$13.84 billion, fueled largely by the electronics and high-technology industries. Exports jumped 89.1% year over year in the July–September period, far outpacing the national growth rate of 9.2%. From January through September, Jalisco accumulated US$32.55 billion in exports, a 52.3% increase compared with a 6.1% rise nationwide.

High-technology exports rose 174% year over year, while the plastics and rubber industry grew 30% and the food industry posted a 6% increase, Mauro Garza, Jalisco’s Strategic Coordinator for Economic Development and Growth, said. He added that Jalisco leads the country in innovation, patent generation, and new company registrations with the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS). “Nefab’s continuous investment in the region reflects both Jalisco’s industrial growth, as well as the increasing need for specialized and tailor-made packaging solutions,” Wickman told MBN, stressing that Nefab’s continuous investment reflects both Jalisco’s industrial momentum and the increasing demand for tailor-made packaging, building on the thermoforming and recycling plant the company inaugurated in the city in 2025.