GUADALAJARA, MEXICO – Heat and Control Inc. has started construction on a new facility in Mexico, which will ultimately be the company’s largest existing property. The new facility is nestled between Guadalajara, which is where its home office for Mexico and Latin American operations is located, and Lake Chapala. The company celebrated its groundbreaking on April 12.

“Guadalajara has a special place in my heart, and I am extremely proud of the team and what they have accomplished,” said Andy Caridis, founder and chairman of Heat and Control. “The new facility and the research and development capability is of extreme importance to me. I am compelled to find ways of making things better, to create new ways of production that make it easy for companies of all levels and capacity to take advantage of what the food industry has to offer.”

The new 728,554-square-foot (67,685-square-meter) facility will include a warehouse, an R&D and demonstration center, manufacturing and offices.

Food companies can test Heat and Control equipment in the new 36,812-square-foot (3,420-square-meter) demonstration center which includes access to inspection, packaging and six process production lines. With the addition of more than 246,000 square feet of manufacturing area, Heat and Control’s global manufacturing and warehouse capacity is now more than 1 million square feet.

Also, the manufacturing area footprint of 246,041 square feet. (22,858 square meters) will take Heat and Control’s global manufacturing and warehouse capacity to over one million square feet (over 234,000 square meters).

Included in this new project has been an investment in new technology including the latest material automation machinery with fiber laser for cutting flat and tube material, water jet cutting equipment, deburring machines, and an 80-foot (24.38-meter) powder coating processing booth.

“With this new plant we will increase our productivity, which will allow us to have a greater competitive advantage,” said Arturo Lorenzana, general manager of Heat and Control Mexico. “Cutting-edge machinery will help us automate and improve our manufacturing processes in order to continue leading the market.”

Tony Caridis, president of Heat and Control, added, “I thank the Guadalajara team for their ongoing dedication and hard work to make our Mexico and Latin American operations a success. The new facility will benefit Heat and Control globally, provide additional support to our customers and further reinforce our commitment to serving the industry.”

Heat and Control has more than 16,000 employees worldwide in more than 30 locations.