Federal-Mogul Powertrain opens new piston ring plant in Puebla, Mexico

Federal-Mogul Powertrain, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation, opened a state-of-the-art piston ring manufacturing facility in Puebla, Mexico on October 9. The new facility will manufacture steel and cast iron piston rings for automotive manufacturers in North and South America, helping to fulfill its customers' needs for powertrain components that enable reduced emissions and improved fuel economy.

"We are very pleased to open this new facility in Puebla. It is part of our global strategy to expand our manufacturing footprint, particularly for piston ring production," said Michael Hedderich, senior vice president and general manager, Rings and Liners, Federal-Mogul Powertrain. "This new facility demonstrates our commitment to providing more efficient production of piston rings to customers in this region of the world."

The facility will initially employ 120 people, with more growth planned in the next few years. The company's latest ring production in surface and machining technologies will be utilized, combined with state-of-the-art quality standards and data-based process control systems.

"Our investment in advanced manufacturing processes for piston rings has enabled us to provide state-of-the-art solutions at the new Puebla facility that fit the needs of our customers," said Lars Gutberlett, Puebla plant manager. "The extension of the manufacturing footprint in Mexico strengthens Federal-Mogul Powertrain's leading position in piston ring technology through its use of unique coating technologies to ensure optimal product performance. Best-in-class coating technologies like PVD and DuroGlide support the automotive industry's challenges to meet legislative targets for reduced CO₂ and improved fuel economy."

The new Puebla piston ring facility brings the total number of Federal-Mogul Powertrain manufacturing sites operating in Mexico to seven. These facilities produce leading powertrain components including bearings, ignition, sealing products and pistons for customers throughout North and South America.