Latin America. In an interview with Aftermarket International, DAI's Export Sales Manager, Rocío Alarcón, describes the company's plans for this year in the region, as well as its projections for March at AutoAmericas, in whose first edition they were very well received.
Distribuidora de Auto Industrias (DAI) is a 100% Mexican company with more than 40 years in the national market. Its basic products are engine and transmission mount. In addition, the company has an alliance with the RC Group, from which it manufactures about 60% of its product.
However, as Rocío points out, "no one can be a manufacturer of everything", given the variety of car models today. As a result, the company has imports from Asia through partners in India and Turkey, where around 40% of its products are manufactured.
According to Rocío, DAI currently has a portfolio of approximately 4000 codes in the automotive line, based on supports. To these, however, are added dust covers, bushings and various numbers for suspension. In addition, the company has its own polyurethane factory, in which auto parts products are manufactured in this material.
"We have been exporting to all of Central America, South America and the United States for more than 20 years," says Rocío, who points out that today the company exports to 12 countries that cover the region.
By 2024, it is planned to expand the suspension line with 400 new codes, and thus give it more weight and quickly integrate many products required not only by the Mexican vehicle fleet, but also in Central and South America, where part numbers for diesel cars are demanded.
To this has been added, for a few years now, the heavy duty line, as well as the rubber and polyurethane auto parts, which since last year includes airbags and water pumps.
"For next year we want to expand the line of products for heavy equipment, which has been very well received in our country and in other countries," says the executive. This is planned to include water tanks and steering arms.
Rocío points out that 80% of the heavy equipment line is manufactured in-house. And although it has been well received, it tries to have a direct sale in the United States; either in California or Texas, which is where there has been a great demand for the flow of the border between Mexico and the North American country.
The company has a warehouse of more than 9000 square meters in Mexico City, as well as dealerships in the Mexican cities of Querétaro, Toluca and Puebla.
Finally, this year's tour through fairs has its first stop between March 7 and 8 in Miami, in the second version of AutoAmericas.
"We did quite well in the last edition," says Rocío, who hopes to consolidate some contacts, especially prospects for the Caribbean such as the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, and thus expand her network of distributors.
