Eaton To Build Transmission Plant In Mexico; Sees Increased Demand

Cleveland-based Eaton Corp. announced it will build a new $100 million, 350-sq-ft plant at the Tres Naciones Industrial Park in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, to build transmissions for the North American market. "Our forecasts continue to indicate strong demand for Class 8 trucks over the next several years, continuing at or near the production rates we've seen over the last two years," says Jim Sweetnam, operations vice president for Eaton's Heavy Duty Transmission and Clutch divisions. Eaton sees North American truck manufacturers increasing their unit production out of their Mexican assembly plants. The new Eaton transmission plant will provide the increased capacity and production flexibility necessary to serve Eaton's OEM customers' demands throughout NAFTA for the foreseeable future. Construction begins in the next 60 days, with initial production slated for the first quarter of 2001. The plant will be built in two phases.