Hydro Aluminum Adds Capacity, Sees Growth Potential at Guaymas, Mexico Plant
Hydro Aluminum?s Extrusion Americas unit (Linthicum, MD) recently expanded production capabilities and capacity at its facility in Guaymas, Mexico. Two new CNC lathes and a cutoff machine allow the plant to produce custom-fabricated parts to exacting specifications for industries such as automotive and alternative power generation.
The CNC lathes from HAAS Automation are fully programmable. Each has a maximum turning capacity of 10.3 x 20 inches and bar capacity of up to 2 inches, so they are flexible and can be adjusted to run almost any size product.
The cutoff machine performs cut-to-length and chamfering operations simultaneously. It has increased Hydro?s output from 150 to 600 pieces per hour for an automobile engine mount used by one of the Big Three Detroit automakers.
The machines are also being used to fabricate parts for solar collection systems used at commercial power-generation facilities.
?We?ve been very successful providing precision parts for solar collecting systems, including the Nevada Solar One plant. These machines give us additional production capacity, enabling quicker turnaround so we can further develop our position in this growing market,? said Lynn Brown, vice president of sales and marketing for Hydro North America. ?We?re also expanding into a number of new sectors, working with companies that, like the solar industry, are drawn to Hydro for its engineering expertise.?
The Guaymas plant is located 385 miles south of Phoenix, where Hydro operates an aluminum extrusion and drawn-tube manufacturing facility that provides raw material for Guaymas as well as serving a diverse customer base throughout the West. The Guaymas facility covers 90,000 square feet and employs 228 employees in three shifts.
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