Holding Minero Bridges the Gaps in Mining's Supply Chain

Q: How did Holding Minero get started in the mining sector?

A: Holding Minero is the second stage of a project under Grupo Mazón Salazar, a family enterprise based in Sonora that decided to get involved in mining services. We saw an opportunity in the regional value chain, where companies needed services that were not available or they had to rely on just one option. Some of these services were integral to the industry. The project started six years ago. We searched for potential strategic partners or collaborations with companies outside of Mexico that were looking for representation or distribution. We never limited our scope and worked with very different companies to tailor our approach. We started with very different companies, and the only commonality was that they were partnered with Grupo Mazón Salazar.

We quickly established a good reputation and decided to launch an umbrella entity for other companies. With that, Holding Minero was born. The holding company allows for centralized human resources. Now, we have successfully developed the right structure and experience to start projects or diversify our offer. Holding Minero does not offer a particular service, but instead creates access to a group of companies that can provide what is needed in terms of services. These companies are in the process of trying to enter the Mexican market. Under the holding company, we work with businesses that are specialized in explosives, Mountar, previously known as Bailac, is a company that focuses on industrial tires, and we work with other companies such as Soluciones Ambientales, AP drilling, Russian truck company BelAZ, lubrication company Whitmore, forged ground engaging tools (GET) company Berkeley Forge and ProFuels.

Q: What led Mountar to enter the Mexican market?

A: We noticed there were few companies specializing in industrial and OTR tires in the northwestern part of Mexico, especially those used in big operations by Grupo México around Peñasquito. We visited Chile and were introduced to Bailac, now called Mountar. We recognized that on-site repairs and tire maintenance was a big opportunity. We decided to work with a Mexican team to apply the Chilean tire model. Bailac’s specialty was the on-site repair of tire equipment as well as damage repair at plants. In the past, this type of maintenance was not available in Mexico. Today, there is more demand. On-site repair saves time.

Q: What problem does Mountar solve for mining companies and what other challenges have you overcome for the industry?

A: The idea when creating Mountar was to reach more clients by providing lower costs and improve efficiency. Mining companies will always be willing to use services if it improves their operation. In the past Bailac, had not established itself in Mexico. People wanted to have the service but there were no alternatives. We went to Chile to look for improvements, and ended up working with Bailac. The next step is to maintain our focus and attract partners in the same areas of maintenance and factories. It would be good to have companies in the areas of exploration and drilling as well. This is another specialty. Every company has its own expertise that they are trying to sell. Mountar was particularly useful when we worked with our collaborators at Grupo México. We took part of a tender regarding dust suppressors and received the task to solve an issue. It was necessary to save water during the dust elimination process. We searched for services abroad, but in the end, we developed an emulsion irrigation system, which is an asphalt base used for roads. We are now offering this product in four open pit mines in Sonora. The mines are owned by Grupo México, Fresnillo and Autlan. We are also in the process of developing a product for underground mines.

Q: What other services have you have started to develop?

A: We have started working on changing Mountar’s image. The company was called Bailac before and has vast experience providing tire equipment. This will still be one of the services that Mountar will provide, among others. We thought having too many names and logos to deal with would prove to be confusing for other companies, so we created a company that incorporated all sorts of maintenance for mining equipment, factories and various other services. These services come with a post-sales benefit and include combined know-how from our associates.

Our added value is based on sustainability. We establish permanent ties when dealing with clients. More than having a problem/solution relationship, we become a strategic partner. The service is specialized, focused on areas where we have experience and with an emphasis on reliability. Innovation and higher efficiency are always the goal and this is reflected in the methods we apply.

Holding Minero, part of Grupo Mazón Salazar, is an umbrella company that aims to improve the availability of services in the mining supply chain. It focuses on bringing optimal solutions from abroad to Mexico.