Furukawa Electric Group Opens Second Industrial Unit in Mexico

New Mexicali Plant Will Produce Solutions for the Communications Market

News provided by

Dec 08, 2017, 07:00 ET

SÃO PAULO, Dec. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Furukawa Electric LatAm, a company of the Furukawa Electric Group, is opening on December 8^th, a new manufacturing facility in Mexico focused on the production of solutions for the communications market. Located in Mexicali, capital of the state of Baja California, the new plant will cover 6,000 square meters with two operating units – one for the production of fiber optic cables and cordages and the other for connectorizing and assembling optical equipment, cordages and accessories.

The first phase of operations, which represents an investment of USD 4.5 million, will concentrate on producing fiber optic cables and cordages for optical fiber access. During its first year, the new Furukawa Electric plant is expected to generate 150 direct and 30 indirect jobs. "With this new unit, Furukawa Electric Group plans to consolidate its leadership role in the manufacture and sale of optical products and solutions for telecommunication networks infrastructure," said Foad Shaikhzadeh, president of Furukawa Electric LatAm and senior corporate vice-president of Furukawa Electric Group. According to Shaikhzadeh, indoor and outdoor network infrastructure solutions is one of the broad business areas of Furukawa Electric Group, and includes products and equipment for both fiber optic access networks (FTTx environments) and for the application of the Internet of Things (IOT).

Shaikhzadeh stated, "The new Mexicali plant offers both geographic and logistical advantages that support our goal of supplying the American market. In addition, with its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the location offers excellent exportation capabilities to other continents. The facility also offers ready access to technical laboratories and a qualified workforce." Close to the United States, the plant will allow Furukawa Electric Group to rapidly and flexibly meet its clients' needs through its OFS subsidiary (a leader in the American optical fiber and fiber optic cable market). This approach will complement the value-added services offered by OFS.

To meet the demands of the communications market segment, Furukawa Electric Group has already established production units in Argentina (Southern Cone), Brazil, Colombia (Andean Countries) and the United States. Since 1997, the group has also operated another company in Mexicali, namely Furukawa Automotive Mexico (Furukawa Mexico, S.A. – FURMEX), a company in the automotive market. Shaikhzadeh commented, "The opening of our second Mexicali facility reinforces our investment in the economic, social and technological development of the region."

Founded in 1884 in Japan, Furukawa Electric Group today has more than 50,000 employees and 120 companies around the globe. The company's operations are currently focused on six key business areas: telecommunications, energy, automotive, electronic parts, construction and architecture, and new business. The Furukawa Electric Group owns and operates production and development units in the Americas (United States of America, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Argentina), Europe (England, Germany and Hungary), Asia (Japan, China, India, Russia, and Southeastern Asia) and Africa (Morocco and South Africa).