AL-GAR opens new Mexican headquarters to supply the booming corrugated market

The center of gravity in North American manufacturing continues its southward shift, and the supply chain that supports it is following suit. AL-GAR, the Barcelona-based engineering specialist for the corrugated board industry, has officially inaugurated its new headquarters and delegation in Mexico. This 2026 expansion is a highly pragmatic maneuver, placing one of Europe’s most reliable material handling and automation providers directly in the backyard of a booming packaging market.

Capitalizing on the Nearshoring Surge

For anyone tracking the corrugated sector over the last few years, this move was the logical next step. Mexico’s manufacturing ecosystem is currently running hot, driven by the relentless pace of nearshoring. From automotive parts to consumer electronics, the sheer volume of goods rolling off Mexican assembly lines requires an unprecedented amount of high-quality corrugated packaging. Box plants in the region are operating at absolute capacity, exposing the operational bottlenecks in their material handling and intralogistics.

This is precisely where AL-GAR’s expertise becomes critical. Modern corrugators run at speeds exceeding 350 meters per minute, and high-speed flexo folder gluers demand a constant, uninterrupted flow of board. Relying on manual labor for stack movement or machine feeding is no longer a viable operational strategy, regardless of local wage dynamics or labor turnover rates. AL-GAR’s portfolio of automated converting lines, pre-feeders, bundle breakers, and smart carts bridges the gap between raw corrugator output and finished box shipping. By minimizing physical intervention, these systems also drastically reduce sheet damage and board crush, lowering waste and improving the overall sustainability metrics of the plant.

Completing the North American Network

Establishing a physical footprint in Mexico fundamentally alters how AL-GAR services its Latin American clients. Previously, importing heavy machinery components and coordinating transatlantic technical support involved unavoidable friction. With a local delegation, AL-GAR guarantees faster response times, localized inventory, and direct access to their specialized engineering team. This on-the-ground presence is vital for independent converters and integrated packaging groups alike, who simply cannot afford prolonged downtime in today’s hyper-competitive climate.

The Mexican subsidiary also completes a strategic puzzle for the Spanish firm. In 2023, AL-GAR entered a powerful alliance with SUN Automation Group to manage its portfolio across the United States and Canada. By adding a direct headquarters in Mexico in 2026, AL-GAR has effectively surrounded the North American market. They now possess a seamless distribution and service network that stretches from Montreal to Monterrey, cementing their status as a tier-one supplier across the Americas.

A Blueprint for Plant Modernization

Looking ahead to 2027 and 2030, the Mexican corrugated market will require significant capital expenditure in retrofits and plant-wide control systems. AL-GAR’s unique engineering approach often focuses on upgrading, retrofitting, and maximizing the durability of existing machinery rather than just selling new iron. This philosophy resonates strongly in a market highly sensitive to return on investment. Their customized control architectures allow older flexo lines to communicate with modern centralized software, transforming legacy plants into data-driven operations without the need for complete equipment overhauls.

The physical arrival of AL-GAR in Mexico is a clear signal that Latin America’s corrugated market requires sophisticated, local engineering solutions, not just imported catalogs. As plant-wide automation shifts from an operational luxury to a strict baseline necessity for Mexican box makers, how long will it take for other European machinery specialists to realize that remote distribution is no longer enough to win in this market? Follow The Paper for daily news, market signals and key updates from the global paper, corrugated and packaging industry. — Sigue toda la actualidad del sector en www.thepaper.ai