As reported by Mexican Business, Chinese automotive supplier Anhui Zhongding Sealing Parts has started construction of a new plant in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. With this investment, the company is strengthening its industrial footprint in North America and responding to the growing regionalization of global supply chains in the automotive and supplier industries.
The new production facility is being built in the Amexhe Industrial Park in Apaseo el Grande and will cover a total area of around 60,000 square meters. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2026, with production start-up planned for the first quarter of 2027. The initial phase of the project includes approximately 37,000 square meters of built-up area.
The project is of particular relevance to the metalworking industry and adjacent sectors such as foundry operations, sealing technologies, and component manufacturing. The new plant will complement Zhongding’s existing operations in Mexico, which are run by its subsidiary Tristone. Tristone already operates production facilities in Chihuahua and Delicias, manufacturing automotive components for international OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers.
The investment comes amid a strategic realignment of global automotive supply chains. OEMs and suppliers are increasingly shifting toward regional production networks in order to reduce logistics risks, shorten delivery times, and better comply with regulatory requirements. In this context, Guanajuato has established itself as one of Mexico’s most important industrial and automotive hubs, hosting several vehicle assembly plants as well as a dense network of Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers, including companies from the foundry and metal-processing sectors.
According to the company, the new facility is intended to strengthen Zhongding’s production and service network across the Americas. By adding capacity close to its customers, the group aims to respond more flexibly to demand while improving the stability and resilience of its supply chain—an increasingly important factor for energy- and material-intensive industries such as the foundry sector.
Trade policy developments are another key driver behind the investment. Mexico has announced a reform of its import tariff system effective January 1, 2026, introducing duties ranging from five to 50 percent on a wide range of products from countries without free trade agreements, including automotive parts from China. As a result, local production capacity is becoming increasingly strategically important for international suppliers.
The Guanajuato plant forms part of Zhongding’s global production strategy, which includes sites in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The company’s objective is to more closely integrate manufacturing, development, and customer service at a regional level and to support just-in-time delivery concepts for the automotive industry.
For years, the state of Guanajuato has actively positioned itself as a destination for foreign direct investment in industrial manufacturing. Thanks to its strategic location in the Bajío region and proximity to key transport routes and automotive plants, the Amexhe Industrial Park has developed into a major hub for international automotive and supplier companies.
