All You Need to Know About Manufacturing in Mexico and Its Logistics Think about all the manufacturing logistics and production processes moved from China to somewhere closer to home. Doesn’t it sound fantastic and much easier to have production costs and time reduced significantly if everything was moved to Mexico? Yes, Mexico! In this episode of the Page One Podcast, Luke Peters interviews Ryan Fernandez, the CEO and co-founder of BRH2 Plastics, a plastics injection molding factory based in Hermosillo, Mexico. He was the CEO and Co-Founder of Boon and Keen Distribution, now referred to as BKD – a subsidiary of Tomy, following the full asset sale to Tomy Inc., a publicly-traded company in Japan in August of 2011. He shares a detailed description of what it means to manufacture from Mexico and how it has significantly made things easier for them at BRH2 Plastics. Listen in to learn how a business-based relationship between the US and Mexico could mutually benefit the two neighbors solving many of their differences. You will also learn the importance of creating a management style that focuses on people’s growth without also delegating excess authority. Key Takeaways: The importance of building relationships that will help make things easier when buying or setting a factory outside of the US. How to create a style of management that cares for its people and their growth within an organization. How manufacturing in Mexico has made things easier in production, time, and cost compared to China. Finding out how to partner with shipping companies with much better rates than small business rates. How not to give a sense of authority to people beyond what their sense of authority should be as a leader lest it backfires. Episode Timeline: [2:46] Ryan explains how he and his team brainstormed to make manufacturing less painful by doing it closer to home. [6:16] The logistics that were involved to make setting a factory in Mexico possible- from relationships to money. [8:45] He explains the time it took them to start manufacturing and the types of products they manufacture. [13:03] How Ryan handles financial strategies as his partner Hector handles the day-to-day operations on the ground. [15:01] He explains how they’re working towards improving the management style to be about the people. [18:58] How the supply chain is changing from China and China plus one; to a possibility of completely replacing China. [20:46] The advantages of manufacturing in Mexico over China in terms of time and cost. [22:45] He explains how they handle the production process plus the production model they follow from when the order is made until its delivered. [30:38] Learning how to properly handle shipping and getting better margins from shipping companies. [33:32] The importance of a business analyst in analyzing the product trends and recognizing what is of importance in your business. [37:16] Ryan describes what he believes were his biggest mistakes in business. Quotes: “The art of delegation is vital and the art of me having people feel fantastic inside the organization, but I’ve learned that you can take that too far.”- Ryan [38:59]