Navistar Mexico Invests in Escobedo Assembly Plant

Navistar México will invest more than US $120 million over the next three years to expand its cabin painting area at the Navistar Escobedo Assembly Plant in Nuevo León, Mexico. According to a release, with this expansion, the plant’s productive capacity will gradually increase to satisfy the demand of the export and domestic markets.

“This investment will accelerate Navistar’s progress to meet anticipated customer needs and market demands while also providing the opportunity to increase quality and sustainability efforts at the Navistar Escobedo Assembly Plant,” said Michael Grahe, executive vice president, Operations for Navistar.

Simultaneously, with this investment, energy, water, and gas use is expected to be reduced by as much as 10%. Additionally, Navistar Mexico noted that it would be possible to carry out processes that minimize waste and increase environmental sustainability efforts due to the new technologies implemented.

“The investment Navistar is making is a sign of the company’s long-term commitment to Nuevo León and México as it continues to expand its operation here,” said Bernardo Valenzuela, president of Navistar Mexico and Export.

What’s the Escobedo Assembly Plant? 

The Escobedo Assembly Plant is the largest Navistar plant in the world. Since its opening in 1998, it has produced more than 850,000 commercial vehicles. It is also home of the International eMV Series, the only 100% battery-electric (BEV) truck in Mexico.

Escobedo Assembly Plant produces a full range of Class 8 vehicles. Subassemblies are produced for our trucks here, making the facility internal suppliers for Navistar's production lines and other Navistar manufacturing plants in the U.S. 

With an extension of more than 110 acres, the production capacity of the Escobedo Assembly Plant is 67,000 units per year, mainly exported to the United States and Canada. More than two decades before this announcement, this productive unit has received investments for US $462 million.

The plant provides direct employment to almost 6,200 people and indirectly to 3,000 more. It was the first plant in Mexico to have ISO 45001 certification, the international standard for occupational health and safety management systems. In addition, it has national and international certifications such as ISO 9001 (quality), 14001 (environment), and PASST Safe Company and Clean Industry, among many others.