To reinforce Meritor’s commitment to the Mexican market and extend product availability, the company is working on relocating its distribution center in Monterrey, which will begin operations next year.
“We are aiming for the best availability and the highest level of service for our customers, which is why we will centralize the movement of Meritor parts in a single logistics distribution center with the same technology as Cummins in San Luis Potosí,” revealed Leandro Carballo, Aftermarket Director of Cummins-Meritor for LATAM to T21.
The new location will consolidate the parts currently stored at the Ciénega de Flores plant in Nuevo León, as well as accommodate parts from the current aftermarket distribution center.
Carballo added that the new distribution center will be larger than its Cummins counterpart and is projected to start operations during the first semester of 2025.
“We are leveraging Cummins’ technology and knowledge, investing in Monterrey to expand our production at the Ciénega plant, and working to provide better service to our aftermarket customers, enabling future growth in the Mexican market and other Latin American markets,” detailed Carballo.
It is important to note that following Cummins’ acquisition of Meritor, the division is strengthening synergy to have a portfolio of products available for carriers and original equipment manufacturers; from engine and transmission parts to Cummins-Meritor products such as front axles, rear axles, brakes, driveshafts, trailer axles, trailer suspensions, self-inflating tire systems, and spare parts.
“We are striving to offer better service and support to customers who have chosen our products when purchasing their units. The idea is to provide a quality product as soon as possible to keep their businesses moving. The challenge is to ensure that our customers have product availability in the aftermarket,” detailed the executive.
In this regard, Federico García, Sales, Service, and Marketing Director for Mexico and Latin America at Meritor, highlighted in an interview that uptime is the most important factor. Understanding this, the company has a team that is directly serving vehicle manufacturers, both in the aftermarket and in original equipment.
“We are also attentive to the needs of our dealers and, of course, the fleets, because everyone should feel supported at all points of the requirement, from when the truck is born until it is on the road,” detailed García.
Considering the growth of the national fleet but aware of its aging, the brand has an inventory ranging from parts for new vehicles to units that are 30 years old and still in circulation.
Carballo explained that to serve customers, they have an extensive distribution network that can support all types of vehicles.
It is worth noting that to serve fleets, in addition to the necessary parts for maintenance, the brand has focused on training in both the service and spare parts areas. “We have a continuous training program that can be in-person, online, and we have platforms for distributors and customers to be self-taught,” affirmed García.
To all the aforementioned, sustainability and environmental care objectives are added. “We are making significant investments in technology development, whether for hydrogen, natural gas, or diesel engines. And we are headed towards the Destination Zero goal, which aims to move towards zero emissions,” indicated Carballo.
