Aftermarket Growth Drives Domestic Tooling Demand

Given the record level of auto parts production the country achieved in July, the industry will need to strengthen its capabilities in the design, development, and manufacture of molds, dies, and tooling next year, according to Gabriel Padilla Maya, executive director of the National Auto Parts Industry (INA).

The potential for growth in the mold industry is vast and highlights the sector’s reliance on imports, according to data from the Mexican Association of Mold and Die Manufacturers (AMMMT), which noted that nearly 90% of the molds and dies used in Mexico are sourced from abroad.

“We are establishing ourselves today as a global powerhouse in the manufacture of auto parts; we are once again setting records for exports and production, and next year will require an industrial leap forward to strengthen our capacity, design, development, and manufacturing of molds, dies, and tooling—which make this record production of auto parts in the automotive sector possible. The magnitude of the opportunity is clear,” he said.

According to AMMMT estimates, approximately 90% of the molds and dies used in Mexico are imported.

Meanwhile, data from the INA reveal that the country’s imports totaled US$2.1 billion across three categories: rubber and plastic molds; cutting, stamping, and punching dies; and metal molds.

These figures reflect the ongoing demand and the opportunity for Mexican companies to compete with world-class engineering, quality, technology, and response times.

In this context, the industry faces the challenge of training specialized technicians and engineers, as well as modernizing workshops and streamlining machinery investments—all with the aim of connecting domestic manufacturers with the certification and procurement processes of large companies.