Our Factory Expansion in Guadalajara, Mexico

Next time you’re in Zapopan, Mexico (famous for tequila and mariachi music!), we invite you to reach out to the Sanwa factory team. They’ve been calling the outskirts of Guadalajara home since 2014, and just underwent part one of an expansion project to offer even more in-mold labeling and painting services to our customers.

With over 40 employees, this factory supports many of our North American projects. From small batch orders to larger productions, Sanwa Mexico helps turn plastic-based visions into reality.

sanwa warehouse mexico — Injection molding machines in our Mexico factory. One injection mold is about 2.8 tons, or 1,270 pounds.

Expansion Plan: Part I

The first phase of our expansion project was completed in December 2023. This included the addition of two painting lines that allow us to offer a spray painting process on-site. This means that along with in-mold labeling services, the factory can now offer injection molded parts and paint them as well — all in house and on-site at a single location.

This expansion will help to cut down on shipping and production times, and allow us to more fully be a one-stop-shop producer for our customers. When manufacturing, painting, packaging and shipping can all be done at one location, our customers reap the benefits: a single point of contact, faster production times, quality control, flexibility and more. Plus, we’re able to bring our expertise from over 40 years in operation to this North American location.

New work acquired for production in our expanded painting facility will begin in summer and fall of 2024.

sanwa painting mexico — In the painting room, parts are placed on the arm and rotated into the painting area.

sanwa paint storage room — Our paint storage room was specially-designed with a venting system for safety, since paint is combustible.

sanwa air shower — Before entering the paint room, everyone must take an air shower to remove dust and small particles.

An IMMEX Company

Sanwa Mexico is an IMMEX company, meaning we’re able to import materials duty-free, produce parts in our factory, and then export those parts within a specific time frame to maximize benefits and cost-savings. In this way, we’re able to pass the savings along to our customers, and also ensure timelines are promptly met.

Our location near Guadalajara (the seventh largest city in Mexico), opens up many doors when it comes to attracting the best talent and accessing the best delivery methods. We are near one of the busiest sea ports in Mexico, and are able to bring the quality and production standards we’ve established in Japan closer to our North American customers.

whirlpool sanwa — A molded part comes off the line and is inspected for quality and consistency.

Other Factory Certificates & Benefits

We offer Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) document creation from this location. This defines the approval process for new or updated parts, and verifies that we understand all of our customers’ design specifications. It also establishes that we are capable of providing consistent production at the quoted production rate (aka, meeting timelines).

Sanwa Mexico also currently holds an ISO-9001 certificate, which is a world-wide recognized quality-management standard. We are also in the process of obtaining ISO 14001, a certification that reflects our commitment to operating in a manner that minimally impacts the environment.

Lastly, we’re in the process of being IATF 16949:2016 certified at Sanwa Mexico, which shows that quality and commitment to improvement truly are at the heart of our operations. This internationally-recognized standard is central to the automotive industry and includes some of the world’s largest car manufacturers.

sanwa mexico factory shipping — Here are some final parts, ready to ship and get out the door to our customers.

What’s on the Horizon for Sanwa Mexico?

Next up, we will be expanding our factory’s operations in 2024 and 2025 with new 150-450 ton injection machines. This equipment will further our capabilities in North America, improve production timelines, and give our customers even more options when it comes to bringing their designs to life.

Get in Touch

The team at our Mexico location speaks Spanish, English and Japanese. We invite you to contact us and learn about the possibilities from our North American location. Whether you have questions about price quotes, shipping, prototyping or production minimums, we’re here to help you bring your product to the market in a stand-out way.