Trac Precision Machining, part of the international Trac Group of engineering companies specialises in machining complex high, intermediate and low pressure blades, vanes and segments from its high technology facility in Crewe, UK. At the heart of the manufacturing process is a deep understanding of airfoil geometry and multi-axis machining.

By and large the majority of engineered products transferred offshore tend to be low in value and high in volume. Furthermore, most of these tend to relocate to Eastern Europe, India or China. So Trac’s recent announcement that it intends to establish an additional machining facility in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, comes as a surprise, both because of the destination and the nature of the products being relocated. The company, however, is 100% confident in its strategy.

“We are in constant dialogue with our customers and it became clear they wanted a dollar-based, low cost supply source,” says the company’s Business Development Director, Scott Mawby. “This happened to coincide with a need to expand our machining operations, so we began to investigate ways to achieve both aims with a single strategy.” While several suitable economies were considered by Trac, Mr Mawby says that Mexico was the only real contender due to its particularly close ties to the US dollar and relatively small currency fluctuations. To move the strategy to the next stage, it engaged the services of the Offshore Group, an organisation specialising in helping manufacturers relocate to Mexico.

The upshot is that Trac can begin manufacturing turbine segments for commercial jet engines and power generation equipment at its new facility during the first quarter of 2009. The company has signed an agreement with the Offshore Group for an initial rental of 18,154ft2 on the Roca Fuerte Industrial Park, growing to 35,000ft2 of industrial space within three years. The five year plan will be to employ 200 workers altogether once the project reaches maturity. “The planned expansion is based on discussions with our customers and envisaged future orders,” explains Mr Mawby. Low cost base

 

<<Back to Companies

Agenda | Guaymas Aerospace | Speakers  | Training Center
 Pre-registration | Flights and Accommodations  | Image Gallery