CALPULALPAN, TLAXCALA – The automotive transport sector in Mexico is experiencing a period of reduced activity. The economic slowdown, increased operating costs, and reduced exports are beginning to impact fleets, with car carriers idled and more cautious investment decisions by transport companies, acknowledged Xavier Augonnet, General Director for Mexico at Lohr .
“The economy is very slow, we know that. The decisions of the American president, the wars, the increased price of diesel, the significant drop in exports from Mexico… there is a market contraction,” the executive stated.
The impact is already being felt in the sector’s daily operations. According to Augonnet, some fleets dedicated to automotive transport have reduced activity, particularly those linked to exports to the United States .
“All our clients come through here, but they are all experiencing significant slowdowns in activity, with their businesses at a standstill,” he commented.
Despite this, the French company maintains its growth plans in the country and seeks to strengthen its participation in the national market, where it currently concentrates around 10% of the segment .
The company’s strategy aims to develop more robust local operations, both in manufacturing and in after-sales services and maintenance , with the goal of directly serving Mexican carriers from its plant in Calpulalpan, Tlaxcala.
“It doesn’t make sense for customers to buy a unit in the United States and then have to import it themselves. We’re here, we have operations, we have a repair center, and we’re going to develop more services,” Augonnet emphasized.
The executive explained that a year ago the company only worked with two clients in Mexico and now operates with eight, while the goal is to continue expanding its presence in the national market.
“I was hired to develop the Mexican market. I hope that tomorrow we will have 12 or 15 clients. The point is to capture the market,” he said.
Lohr ‘s investment in Mexico is also part of a broader regional strategy. François Lhomme, president of the Lohr Group, stated that the operation in Tlaxcala serves as the company’s industrial base for North America.
“Mexico is strategic for Lohr because it represents our industrial base for all of North America,” he stated.
From this facility, the company seeks to serve not only the Mexican market, but also the United States, Canada, and later other South American countries .
“We want to use this industrial base to serve all other countries up to Brazil,” Lhomme added.
Currently, the plant maintains around 200 employees, although the company expects to continue expanding capabilities and personnel in the coming years as the regional market develops.
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