Vietnamese automaker seeks Mexican supplier

The Vietnamese automaker, VinFast, is interested in Mexico to expand its operations in North America, after it will put into operation its first electric car manufacturing plant in the United States in 2024 and is looking for auto parts suppliers.

The Embassy of Mexico in Vietnam held a meeting with the Vice President of VinGroup and Global CEO of VinFast, Le Thi Thu Thuy, with the aim of attracting investment to Mexico, promoting the automotive sector and strengthening commercial exchanges.

According to information from the National Auto Parts Industry (INA), the vice president of VinGroup requested the support of the Mexican Embassy to strengthen its supply chain, a list of companies in Mexico and contact information with the potential to join the chain. VinFast auto parts supply company.

The Vietnamese company is interested in sourcing the following materials from producers in Mexico, mainly for its production plant in North Carolina”, he explained.

In the list of possible products to be purchased by the Vietnamese automaker are: harnesses, cables, seats and some brake components; lighting device; device for air conditioning; restriction components; raw material (steel, plastics, resins), as well as raw material for batteries.

To this end, VinGroup directors who lead 20 companies, including VinFast (vehicle manufacturer), as well as manufacturing, artificial intelligence, pharmaceutical and big data companies, among others, are considering sending a delegation to Mexico in the future.

They explained that the main interest is to strengthen the supply chain for its plant in North Carolina, for which they will study Mexico as a possibility to expand their operations and get closer to the Latin American market.

“It is one of the few Vietnamese companies with significant investments in other countries, especially in the automotive sector. VinFast recently acquired an automotive plant in North Carolina focused on the development of electric vehicles. At the meeting, it was pointed out that all the large global vehicle production companies were present in Mexico, including important companies from Asian countries, so VinFast could not be absent from the Mexican market,” said the INA, headed by Francisco González. .

In the middle of this year, the former official of the Ministry of Economy, Luz María de la Mora, said that Mexico is willing to become the “door” for Vietnamese products to enter North America and Latin America.

And it is that by being partners of the Comprehensive and Progressive Treaty of Trans-Pacific Association (TIPAT), both countries seek to strengthen ties and increase the commercial flow, which contributes to economic recovery.

The INA reported that the strengthening of ties with the VinGroup conglomerate could generate important investments in our country in the medium term and in the short term the export of more Mexican products to its plants in the United States and Vietnam.

In this sense, it asked its members for support so that, if they are interested in being part of this list of the Vietnamese company, they report to the industry.

lilia.gonzalez@eleconomista.mx