November 26, 2011 Generating Quality

Volume 14 | Issue 3

As the leading manufacturer of power generator sets in Mexico, Ottomotores, S.A. de C.V. bases its long-term success on quality, dependabili

When it comes to offering clients dependability, Ottomotores S.A. de C.V. takes its job seriously. “We have service available to our clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” notes Jorge López, director of sales at the company.

The 24-hour service is offered to all of the company’s clients, no matter what their size is or what history they have with Ottomotores. “We have a policy to satisfy all clients, regardless of whether they are repeat customers or not,” explains López.

This specialized service is important to the company’s clients, who rely on the generator sets produced by Ottomotores to fit their exact needs. Today the company specializes in the manufacturing and distribution of generator sets and equipment including power generators, sound proof containers, instrument panels, synchronization systems, and bi-fuel solutions. It is also the master distributor in Mexico for the Mitsubishi Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) product line.

Ottomotores offers generator sets ranging from 15 to 2500 kW. Its products’ features include automatic, semi-automatic, manual, and special key start; diesel motors; microprocessor-based set controls; and synchronized and automatically charged equipment. The company provides product installation, assessment services, and maintenance contracts to clients with its generator sets.

For its UPS product line, the company keeps a continual inventory. Immediate delivery can be made to clients needing a capacity of up to 225 KVA.

Located in Mexico City, Ottomotores brings more than 60 years of experience to the industrial generator market. Today it is the largest manufacturer of generator sets in Mexico. It has three plants for its design and manufacturing processes. Each of these measures 5,000 square meters, creating a total production area of 15,000 square meters. Approximately 500 workers carry out operations at the company.

LONG-LASTING OPERATIONS
Operations at Ottomotores date back to 1950, when the company was founded by a German immigrant in Mexico. Noting the opportunities in the market following the economic recovery following World War II, the company began selling a variety of products geared to fix problems related to electromechanical equipment.

In 1981 the company partnered with Dale Electric, a move that resulted in the narrowing of its product offerings. At that time Ottomotores began producing generator sets as its main product line. 13 years later, TT Electronics PLC took over 100 percent of Dale Electric, a move that gave TT Electronics PLC 49 percent of the shares for Ottomotores. Three years after that, in 1997, TT Electronics PLC acquired the remaining shares of Ottomotores. With that final move, the company became fully backed by English capital.

In 2000, the company began distributing Mitsubishi’s line of UPS systems in Mexico. This new position really set the company apart from others in the market, notes Luis Zurita, power quality sales manager at the company. “This brand is the most technologically advanced and the most reliable in the market,” he explains.

Today Ottomotores is the largest generator set manufacturer in Mexico. Its products are distributed throughout Mexico, and many are sent to other countries. “Around 35 percent of our sales are a result of exporting,” says López.

Sending products to other countries requires the company to comply with a number of international standards. “Since many of our products are exported to places around the world, we need to keep our quality at a high level,” López explains. Ottomotores has both ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14000:2004 certification. It has additional certificates to ensure its products can safely be sent to markets all over the globe.

Throughout its years of operations, the company has grown both in terms of sales and volume. Today Ottomotores produces approximately 2,000 generator sets per year. It also sells between 150 and 160 UPS units annually.

CUSTOMER SERVICE
In addition to its 24/7 customer service hotline, Ottomotores has taken other steps to keep customers continually satisfied. For its UPS systems, the company keeps an ample stock of spare parts. It also offers consulting services and training sessions to clients. Ottomotores provides specialized technical service as needed to all customers.

In the generator set division, the company keeps a large stock of spare parts, and offers repairs and technical service as needed to clients. The company designs equipment to be consumer-friendly. “Our products are easy to operate, very reliable, and hold international prestige,” notes López.

The company is currently creating more user-friendly catalogs, with the goal of supplying clients with easy-to-read information when they are ready to select equipment to suit their specific needs.

While Ottomotores places a strong emphasis on customers, it also provides ongoing training for its own employees. The company has taken various measures to be a socially responsible company. It also focuses on maintaining high ethical standards in its industry.

EXPANSION UNDERWAY
In the UPS segment of the company, Ottomotores has plans underway to bolster infrastructure. “We’re in the process of building a center for technology,” explains Zurita. The new building will serve as a showroom to display equipment and will also feature a testing laboratory. “We hope to finish the center and inaugurate it within the year,” he adds.

In addition to building projects, Ottomotores recently expanded its product line. “We now offer a bi-fuel generator,” notes López. “Even though it isn’t part of our main product line, it still serves a purpose in the market.” The system uses a combination of natural gas and diesel fuel, providing electrical energy to clients at a low cost.

In the UPS segment of the company, plans are underway to reach more places in South America. “We’re creating commercial alliances with distributors in various countries,” notes Zurita. Within the next three years, company officials expect to have a presence in countries throughout North America, Central America, and South America, with the exception of the United States and Canada.

In 2010, an affiliated company named Ottomotores do Brasil was established in Brazil. The new establishment is part of a move to increase the company’s overall presence in Latin America.

To move forward in sales and quality, the company is currently in the process of obtaining ISO 18000 certification. It is also looking for ways to create better equipment through ongoing updates and product evaluations. One example of this can be found in technology: the company recently invested in new software to improve product designs and performance.

By offering a high quality, dependable product, Ottomotores has been able to maintain clients for decades. Its strong commitment to customer service has brought it to the top of the Mexican market for power generators, a position that it has held steadily during the last years.

Even though it’s the biggest of its kind in Mexico, López still sees room for growth. For its generator division, Ottomotores plans to continue expanding in terms of sales and production, citing a goal of at least 10 percent annual growth during the next years. Its strategic alliances will help the company find ways to send its products to other countries. As it does so, Ottomores will strengthen its presence and imprint on the global market.

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